Manis, mochas and martinis: a cafe-come-nail bar with an actual bar
We love coffee. Shocking, right? So when we heard about a new cafe-come-nail bar, London Grace, opening in our neck of the woods, we had pop by and have a gander. Oh, and did we mention it’s also a nail salon? Not your typical coffee destination—or nail one, as a matter of fact.
Bringing together the trio makes us happy—nails, food & drinks—London Grace is the perfect cafe-come-nail bar for ladies who are looking for more than your typical subpar nail experience. We’ve made this our go-to social destination, whether we want a quick mani touch up, catch up with friends over cocktails, or spend our Saturday morning getting properly taken care of, London Grace has raised the bar in terms of manicures experience.
After living in New York, founder Kirsten Hazell decided to bring Manhattan’s famous nail-salon concept to London:
“It’s is easier for women in New York to get a manicure; the nail bars open later and you can go with groups of friends. For me, it was a way of life when I lived there, and I wanted to bring that to London.”
Opened in January, the beautifully designed space alone is worth the visit. The instagram-worthy décor is basically Pinterest come to life: think exposed brick, white wood detailing, vintage industrial lightbulb signs and all over pastel colours galore. Danish design inspired chairs mixed with farmhouse-style accessories make the café-cum-nail salon a perfect balance of minimalist Scandi cool and country shabby chic.
The treatments are fuss-free, no-nonsense (as their motto goes) straight-up nail pampering. Starting from just £9 for a polish change, and ending at £23 for a full-throttle treatment, you won’t see anything that involves excess cuticle cutting, abrasive filing or fakery such as extensions. Pure, simple and straight to the point.
Alongside offering a variety of nail bar treatments, Kirsten and her team also spent a long time developing London Grace’s own range of products, all free from nasties such as Toluene, DBP, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin and Camphor.
“I knew right from the start that I wanted to offer nail polishes that were free from nasties,” says Kirsten.
The range of nail polishes have all been named after people that helped London Grace establish itself, which not only is a lovely personal touch, but is also a testament to their genuine and passionate ethos.
Much like the independent line of products, LG is all about supporting up-and-coming local small businesses. Among their varied menu of treats and nibbles, their giant scotch eggs are hand made in Hackney, while their coffee beans are hand-roasted in Shoreditch by Ozone coffee roasters.
Which brings us to our next point… Now, we don’t mean to brag, but we know good coffee, and an Ozone blend made in a custom baby blue La Marzocco machine—which fits perfectly with the interiors of the café—is a (coffee) match made in heaven.
You won’t be disappointed. Book your appointment at London Grace and get ready to leave with seriously happy hands, feets and taste buds. One of the lovely nail technicians will be more than happy to pamper you to your heart’s content, and their in-house baristas are there to serve you lip-smackingly good concoctions. We’ve found our happy place!
Two words: Nailed. It. (Pun intended)
26 Putney High Street, SW15 1SL, 020 8789 1267
