Atom@ in sunny Croydon – a nice cuppa!

Picture shows my cup of tea, which cost me £1.25. Photo taken on a Samsung Omnia. The camera is the phone's only redeeming feature. Note the pleasant and clean wooden table tops.

Remember the cartoon charactor Atom Ant and his favourite catchphrase, "Up and Atom!" Well, there's a new sandwich bar in Croydon called Atom@. Yes, that @ at the end is part of the name and it's there because Atom@ is also an internet café in the true sense of the word, ie you can go online AND get something to eat. Most internet cafés tend not to sell food and drink. This one offers the best of both worlds, a good dozen screens and an excellent selection of food.

Anyway, it's billed as a sandwich bar, but as far as teashopandcaff is concerned it's a kind of hybrid. There are nice wooden tables and chairs on which to sit, a pleasant and friendly environment and a slightly pretentious shelf of cookery books in the far corner.

A slice of apple pie will set you back just £1.70 and I had an enormous cup of tea (see photograph) for just £1.25. I know, it only costs 3p to make a cup of tea, but that's still reasonable even if it is slighly on the pricey side.

A boulder's throw from Millets, just across the road from The Ship pub and not a million miles from central Croydon, Atom@ is worth a visit.