"Nella looks around at the shining wooden floors, the scrubbed counter, the pastries adorning the shop window, piled like irresistible presents [...] the smell of sweet cakes is so delicious." (Jesse Burton, The Miniaturist)

Although I suspect most of the food places I write about on this blog will be London based (as that's where I live), I don't want to contain myself to the capital, so I'll be including the gems I find elsewhere on my travels too.

I visited my hometown this weekend and so I thought I'd write something up about one of my favourite cafés: Parklife.

Situated a stone's throw from the beach, this dinky, family run café can only fit around 10 people at it's tables, and is seemingly always full, which is no surprise given the scrumptious treats available inside. I love the cafe for its unpretentious, cosy surroundings and equally comforting simple but utterly delicious food. Every time I go, there's a selection of new cakes and biscuits on offer, as well as the café's trademark glittering cupcakes, and wide selection of drinks.

This time I definitely overindulged, but my gawd was it worth it! After much deliberation, I decided on death by sugar: a (large) hot chocolate and a layered biscuit bar called 'Hello Dolly'. The drink was chocolatey, creamy, rich, and topped with cream and a flake- easily a match for any chain's offering. Even better than that though was the biscuit cake I devoured- 'Hello Dolly' was sweet, crumbly goodness. With a nutty top, a chocolate, coconut and cream filling, and a buttery biscuit base, it was the perfect mixture of crunchy and gooey, sweet and even sweeter: a fantastic treat. I couldn't stop thinking of this manifestation of deliciousness once I'd left, and after a quick google, I have found a recipe which I plan to try- I'm just not sure I will match the Parklife version!

While I didn't have a milkshake on this visit, I feel as though if I didn't mention them in this review, I would be underselling Parklife! The café will make a milkshake out of almost any ingredient you could desire: from cream eggs to jammie dodgers to farley's rusks, there's a plethora of options to choose from. All of the ones I have tried have been incredible, and you can almost literally have anything you want blended into a delicious treat: is this what dreams are made of?

So, if you ever find yourself in the sunny seaside town of Worthing, and decide you want a treat, I definitely recommend checking this cute little place out.

www.parklifefood.co.uk