Strike and Robin meet for breakfast in the Notes café early one morning after Strike returns from Cornwall and Robin finishes her overnight surveillance.
“’Wondered whether you fancied getting breakfast before you head home to bed.’
‘Oh, that would be wonderful,’ said Robin, with such genuine pleasure that Strike felt a little less tired, ‘because I’ve got Bambourough news.’” (Troubled Blood, Chapter 16)
“Forty-five minutes later, Robin entered Notes café, which lay on St. Martin’s Lane and was already crowded, though it was so early in the morning.” (Troubled Blood, Chapter 16)
Robin chose this location for its proximity to the National Portrait Gallery, which she intends to visit before going home that morning.
Before joining Strike, Robin waits in line to order herself a cappuccino while trying not to be tempted by the display of pastries and cakes. She then heads for the back of the cafe where “Strike sat reading The Times beneath an iron chandelier that resembled a large spider.” (Troubled Blood, Chapter 16)
This chapter and location should spark an interest in those of us who are particularly fond of the relationship development between these two, as it marks the first time we see Robin openly admit to her growing attraction to Strike:
“She seemed to have forgotten over the previous six days how large he was. Hunched over the newspaper, he reminded her of a black bear, stubble thick on his face, tucking into a bacon and egg ciabatta roll, and Robin felt a wave of liking simply for the way he looked.” (Troubled Blood, Chapter 16)
And, of course, Strike is equally as happy to be reunited with Robin:
“Strike looked up, and in that moment, her long shining hair and her aura of good health acted upon him like an antidote to the fug of clinical decay in which he had spent the past five days.” (Troubled Blood, Chapter 16)
In the photo below, we can see the spider-like chandelier and the long wooden tables, which Robin thinks are “…as large as the one in her parents’ kitchen in Yorkshire” and “were crammed with young people with laptops and businessmen grabbing breakfast before work.” (Troubled Blood, Chapter 16)
There are a few different Notes café locations, though this particular one is the Trafalgar Square location on St. Martin’s Lane. You can take a look at their website here or check out their Instagram for more great photos!
Find the Notes Café on the map below