London`s oldest patisserie that has seen two World Wars has understandably a fascinating story waiting at every turn of its poetically whimsical interiors crammed with shelves of strawberry tarts, chocolate eclairs and choux pastry. Maison Bertaux’s original owners, the Bertaux family, were Communards who fled France after the Franco-Prussian War. The Vignauds were next, and then came Soho’s nonpareil Michelle Wade, who bizarrely started out at this coffee house as a teenager doing a Saturday job while training to be an actress at RADA. Taking a loan to buy the basement-plus-two structure on Greek Street because she couldn’t bear to see it shutter in the 1980s, Wade has kept Soho’s little sugary French gem going.

One of the stories that sits ensconced in its poky basement has to do with a hit Parsi Curry Night. Its creator, chef Farokh Talati was led down the narrow flight of stairs by Wade who was keen to do something special where the baking area of the establishment originally stood in 1871 when it opened doors.