The cutest café in zone 4: The Doll’s House on the Hill

If I ever own a café, I want it to be exactly like The Doll’s House. It’s highly unlikely that I’m ever going to own a café, but at this moment in time, that’s irrelevant.

Set up in a converted Georgian house, this cute, quaint and cosy café/tea room is a dream for every girl (or boy!) who ever loved playing with dolls houses. With mismatched wooden furniture and china cups, kitsch touches such as colourful lamps and wall hangings, it’s got a quirky, charming feel.

Home baked cakes, cupcakes, macarons and pastries greet you from behind the counter, and another thing I really like is that the café is also sort of a shop – it’s stocked with unusual, small pieces to purchase, such as baking tools, jewellery holders, mugs and cute notepads, and these items change seasonally. Price tags hang from lots of the vintage furniture in the café too, so if anything takes your fancy, you can buy it.

What stands out at The Doll’s House is its cakes and scones. There are shakes, a variety of teas, afternoon tea and breakfast and lunch dishes too, but for a sweet-toothed person like myself, they don’t really compare. The café is always experimenting with new recipes, so there’s lots of variety, and it also serves gluten-free items.

Staff are helpful and accommodating and although prices may not be as low as you’d hope, the food is of a good quality and portions are generous. This is one of those places to take your nearest and dearest for a uplifting cuppa and a cake – and a place you want to show off to friends visiting from afar.

The Doll’s House is located near the top of Harrow-on-the-Hill: look out for that duck-egg blue door and checkered window. It gets pretty busy at the weekends so if you plan on visiting, book in advance if you can. It doesn’t have its own parking, but there are quite a few spots on the street.

Getting back to that idea about owning a café – even if it never happens, I’m glad my dream café has already been materialised. Good job, Doll’s House.