K&C is an incredible bakery. This branch, located at the bottom of the Gherkin, feels larger and looks more upmarket than the other K&C branches at Gray's Inn Road, Waterloo and London Bridge. The seating area is more spacious, and the baked goods and service are of the highest quality.
My favourite item here is the Boston Brownie which is out of this world. Pure chocolate-y goodness, with chunks of chocolate, nicely counter-balanced by the tartness of fresh cranberries. Quite possibly the best brownie in the whole of London.
Given the location, this place is popular with City folk for breakfast and lunch. In addition to cakes, K&C also serves salads, sandwiches and savouries, each between £6 to £8, if I recall correctly. Soup cost around £3 to £5.
If you're looking for a place where you can chill for a bit at the bottom of one of the most recognisable, and most photographed buildings in the city, then come here after 3 pm. You'll also find that after 3.30 pm (I think), they run a promotion where you can purchase cakes in bulk (i.e. four or more) for a discounted price.
UPDATED ON APRIL 22 2010: Sad to say, K&C no longer have the discounted 3.30 pm four cakes for £6+ promotion. Instead, every Friday, after 4 pm, cakes will be sold at whatever time it happens to be, with whole cakes going for £16 at 1600 h, £17 at 1700 h and so on. There's also a loyalty card scheme whereby you get one stamp for a coffee, and if you get five stamps on the same street, you get a free coffee and a pastry/cake/magic cake/sandwich for £1 (the card's designed like a monopoly board). read more