Gracie's, the new cafe on Hampstead High Street, has received positive feedback from customers since opening in mid-May, according to owner Jeffrey Young. The cafe, which serves salads, sandwiches, brunches, juice, and coffee, was packed on a recent Friday morning, with customers enjoying dishes like sweetcorn fritters with chilli jam and poached eggs.
A Light-Filled Transformation
The space, previously a clothes store that had been empty for several years, was dark when Young first viewed it. However, he noticed a window covered by a false wall, which he knew would let in natural light. The listed building had once been a chemist, and Young removed the stud wall, stripped the floor back to original boards, and polished the entrance mosaic for Stamps Chemist.
"It had been empty for a few years and was a bit dark, but when I went outside and looked, I realised there was a window that had been covered up by a false wall - that's when I knew the space would work," he said. "It has an historic side and a lot of care has gone in to making it right - we found these ancient chemist bottles in the basement which we might put in a display."
From Coffee Festival to Community Cafes
Young, a former chef, founded the London Coffee Festival, which he later sold his stake in. He also co-owns Belsize Park cafe England's Lane, Italian restaurant Terra Moderna, and another cafe in St John's Wood. He named Gracie's after his "English descended, very hospitable, salt of the earth Aussie grandma" who enjoyed bringing people together over food.
Gracie's is Young's first venture in Hampstead, and he describes the area's audience as different from Belsize Park. "Belsize Park is a really good local community but Hampstead is definitely a different audience," he said. "It's more chilled, informal - you really know you are up the hill."
Menu and Customer Response
The menu blends Young's Australian background with Hampstead's traditional Jewish community, offering bagels, banana bread, smashed avo, and shakshuka. Influences also range from Turkish eggs to in-house veggie lasagne and Greek salad, with an emphasis on preservative-free ingredients for gut health.
"The demand for the salads is huge here," Young said. "We want things to be flexible and open minded so they can have a bit of each. We have had so much positive feedback about our young friendly staff who create a happy vibe that reflects my grandma's household and world. They also like a treat, the cakes are going off very well."
Future Plans and Industry Challenges
Future plans for Gracie's include opening later in the evenings to serve cocktails and small plates, as well as selling pantry items made in his other cafes and restaurants. Young acknowledged the difficulties of the industry, noting the pressure of cooking, customer demands, and rising costs.
"It's a hard industry, cooking, pressure, demands of customers and the rising cost of everything from food to energy to staffing," he said. "Even with a full cafe you are only just breaking even." Despite this, he expressed a passion for running community cafes and serving good food, adding, "People are very hungry for local independent food businesses."
