Qype User (.
Yelp
I decided to give Leila's a try based on a number of reviews, including the ones on this site and I'm glad I did. I absolutely loved the place. The communal tables, the open kitchen, the butter bowl (is there such a term out there?) and the food. Luckily for me Thursday afternoon turned out not to be their busiest time, so I was able to linger and enjoy my fried eggs with sage and two lattes.
The coffee is indeed excellent even though I agree with char-lotte re temperature. I've been investigating the London coffee scene lately and have imbibed at most of the coffee geek joints out there (the Flat Whites, the Doses, and the like). Leila's is not one of them ostensibly, but their coffee is my favorite so far. They use Monmouth coffee beans and my latte was pleasantly strong and creamy.
Now to food - unlike with coffee I was able to restrain myself and only have one serving of the fried eggs (see picture). They were nicely presented in a cast iron pan (which looked like it was a Le Creuset) with plenty of toasted bread on the side and butter to spread it with. Do not bring your cardiologist along if you're going to order these. Other things on offer looked really tasty too: Serrano, comte and cornichon sandwich (4.5 pounds); fennel salami, cheese, olives and bread (8 pounds); and more. They also have a good selection of sweets, I'm sure I'll get a chance to try all as I will most definitely return.
One thing I'd like to point out is that they now have sitting area separate from the retail shop, so things must be going their way if they're expanding.
Overall great place for a long lunch, quick coffee break or anything in between. Be prepared to share a table, so probably not a good idea to bring a first date here unless you're open to eavesdropping by fellow eaters.