A Very Pleasant Greek Surprise at Ciel Café

We first noticed Ciel, a new café in Tooting, on social media and glimpsed it a few times while passing by on the bus. The name, which means sky in French, intrigued us, so we decided to give it a try. Yesterday, while strolling down to Tooting town centre, we passed by Ciel again. The blackboard outside mentioned dishes like cheese and spinach pie and orange cake, giving us a hint that this café might have some Greek connections.

After finishing up some last-minute Christmas shopping, we were determined to stop by Ciel on our way home. The shop’s sky-blue exterior was another clue that there might be something Greek going on here.

As soon as we stepped inside, Melanie immediately recognised the cheese and spinach pies, better known to us as spanakopita from our frequent travels to Greece. I was excited to spot one of my favourites – portokalopita, a delicious orange cake. Much to the surprise of the café’s friendly owners, Igkli and Marinela, we managed to place our order in our very limited Greek, which consists mostly of food-related words.

I couldn’t resist asking about the café’s name. Marinela explained that it was inspired by one of their favourite spots in the Monastiraki area of Athens, a place we both know well. The French name, Ciel, symbolises the blue sky, her favourite colour, and of course, also reflects the blue and white of the Greek flag.

The spanakopita and portokalopita were nothing short of perfect – authentic and reminiscent of what you’d find in a café in downtown Athens or across Greece. After a lovely chat with the owners about our shared love of Greece and Greek culture, we left, already planning our next visit.

Ciel café is a delightful new addition to Tooting’s food scene. It’s a must-visit for philhellenes (lovers of Greek culture) or anyone curious to taste the authentic flavours of Greece without leaving South London.