A mother-of-three has converted a dry cleaners into a 'child-friendly' garden café.
Vikki Oliveira of Dale View Avenue, Chingford, came up with concept based on her own experience of not finding somewhere which catered for children and served quality food.
Millie May's Café, named after her 14-year-old daughter, opened in Kings Road on Monday (July 6).
The former Next worker and catalogue delivery driver spent five months renovating the shop and striping it back to reveal its original features; tall ceilings, a fireplace and a separate room which is understood to have been a flat.
It sat empty for a year after Annie's Ironing Parlour moved its business into an empty shop next door.
She describes it as a "bit of Islington brought to E4" with its industrial-exterior look and chic fixtures, including bespoke candlesticks and glass chandeliers, its original orange stall riser and chain link shutters.
What makes this café unique is its 'kids corner' and patio garden with wooden tables and chairs, potted flowers, hanging baskets, trees, plants and over-hanging ivy.
Ms Oliveira, 44, said: "I've been walking past this row of shops for years and I've not always wanted to go as far at Station Road to grab a coffee or something to eat.
"I'm hoping this cafe will bring a bit of life to the parade and really bring this part of Chingford up.
"Being a mother, I would find places for kids but the food was not always nice so I wanted to find that balance."
The menu offers tea, cold drinks, freshly ground coffee, cakes and pastries, sandwiches, wraps, salads and kids meals.
The brightly lit 'kids corner' has children's fancy-dress masks, arts and crafts, a wooden cooker, chalk board and kids Bosch workbench.
As the business "naturally evolves over time", Ms Oliveira plans to start a 'bring your own wine' mezze-style evening, and serve milkshakes and bubble tea to cater for school children.
She is also welcoming local artists to help decorate a wall with their own artwork.
Children having fun at the café's kids corner
Outdoor seating area in the patio garden
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