When we started looking to Sri Lanka for our World in London series, we came across Lanka Cake Shop and Tea Salon. This popular café and shop keeps the thirsty residents of Primrose Hill happy with a range of teas from Sri Lanka.

Lanka is partnered with the Euphorium Tea Salon in Colombo, Sri Lanka and serves up specialty infusions that can’t be found anywhere else in the UK.

These pure Ceylon teas are characterised by their delicate colour and rich flavour and are served at selected tea salons and shops in Sri Lanka. You can enjoy a pot of tea in the Lanka café or pick up loose leaf or silken tea bag varieties to try at home.

You can even sample the teas in cake form such as the shop’s Earl Grey tea flavoured crème brulee.

Let us know where else you can find a Sri Lankan experience in London.

I don’t think the primary export that comes to mind when thinking of New Zealand in London is cafés, coffee and baristas. But that is what you’ll find when entering one of a new breed of independent cafés populating London these days.

Café culture has been strong in NZ for a long time. We like nothing better than relaxing alone and watching the world go by, or chatting with friends with a flat white or long black in hand. These are served with a healthy dose of love, maybe a bit of quirk, and, dependent on the time of day, eggs on toast, a savoury muffin (we do love a good savoury muffin) or a sweet treat.

Many cafés roast their own beans with strong rivalries between your local favourites. For me, it was always Café L’affare, but that’s an aside. In London, I’m lucky enough to be near Nude Espresso on Hanbury (who roast nearby in the Truman Brewery, I think) run by a guy I recognise on sight from Wellington but can’t quite place. If we spoke long enough we’d sort it out, as is often the way with Kiwis abroad.

NZ barista’s can also be found in many of the best cafés and coffee houses in London. Our twang could serve you in Monmouth; the excellent (but Aussie) Milk Bar, Flat White, and Lantana; or the “Sacred Café line” – six locations including Stanford’s bookshop and Carnaby Street.

I’d love to know more NZ links in London’s coffeehouses: hook me up!

This morning on my way to VL Towers, I popped in to Polo Bar opposite Liverpool Street Station.

I’d never been in before but was fascinated to discover this place is a London institution! Open 24 hours a day, it’s a real London caff run by Italian immigrants and their first and second generation families.

Over coffee and a delicious bacon buttie I chatted to the charming Philip who used to work night shifts in Polo and shared some lively tales. One involving a stolen salami and a very contrite, very hungover customer the next morning seemed to perfectly sum up the wild yet life-affirming experience of working behind the counter in a 24-hour cafe.

Philip now works closely with Stefano Ispani, CEO of Ponti Group, which owns Polo Bar (plus numerous other Ponti’s Italian eateries around town).  His late father, Peter Ispani, ran Polo Bar back in the day, and it retains the feel of a family business. To honour its heritage, there’s been a full refurb that takes Polo back to its 1950s roots – funky green railway tiles, rock’n'roll memorabilia and comfortable but stylish mid-century style furniture.

To celebrate the re-opening, you can get one of Polo’s tasty bacon rolls FREE for 24 hours from 7.30am tomorrow morning (Thursday 2 Sep). Say hi if you spot me in the queue!

In honour of this week’s ongoing London Restaurant Festival, we want to know:

What’s your favourite restaurant in London?

London really does have a fantastic range of different places to eat out. You can sample pretty much every style and variety of cuisine in the world in the city: here are 43 to whet your appetite, but we’re sure there are more!

There are cheap and cheerful cafes and budget restaurants perfect for grabbing a quick bite alongside really posh places where you can splurge on a special occasion… and everything in between!

But is there something that stands out for you? Let us know!

You can also vote for your favourite London Restaurant Festival Menu on toptable today: www.toptable.com/lrfvoting. Have your say…

Chris Dexter

How old are you, Chris?
I’m 29.

And where are you from?
I’m visiting London from Manchester.

How long are you staying in London?
I’m here for the weekend. I’m staying with friends in Wandsworth Town.

What have you been up to?
I’ve taken a wander down Northcote Road in the sunshine, which was lovely. My friends and I ate lunch sitting outside a cute café called Al Gusto (great paninis) and watched the world go by. There was an Italian market on Northcote Road on Saturday. We didn’t buy anything, but the waffles looked amazing. The pubs and bars in the area were all really busy with people watching the rugby. Luckily, a place called Babel doesn’t have big screens (and so was emptier), so we were able to have a quiet glass of wine in there.

And where did you go on Saturday night?
I went to a party with some friends I met while I was travelling a couple of years ago. The party was at a pub in Dalston called The Haggerston. I found it eventually, after taking a wrong turn out of the station. It was a cool place for a party, although it was absolutely rammed. Lots of people in there had very big hair. And very skinny jeans, with turn-ups. Particularly the boys.

What’s different about life in London and life in Manchester?
In London, things are a very long way away from each other. If you want to see someone for a cup of tea after work in Manchester, it’s no problem. In London, it takes 40 minutes to get anywhere. If I drove for 40 minutes from my work in Manchester, I’d be in Leeds! And I’d expect more than a cup of tea for my travels.

What surprised you during this visit to London?
Lots of blokes have moustaches in London. It makes them look very 80s; I’m not sure I like it. That’s a trend that hasn’t reached Manchester. Yet.