London’s most iconic ‘Britalian’ café is now serving retro ‘School Cake’

You’re not going to want to miss Selfridges’ latest pop-up (Picture:Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images) A new pop-up has just landed at Selfridges’ oldest in-house restaurant, the Brass Rail, and it’s serving up one of Brits’ favourite desserts. To get into the festive spirit, shoppers are currently being invited to indulge in a taste of ‘Britalian’ cuisine at E Pellicci. The legendary cafe’s permanent home is on Bethnal Green Road, smack bang in the heart of the East End. But, right up until Christmas, the art deco eatery will be setting up shop at the Brass Rail. Dating back to 1900, E Pellicci is historically known for its ‘phenomenal’ breakfasts. But alongside decadent sandwiches and homemade pasta dishes, Londoners will also be pleased to hear that a rather delicious sweet treat has made it onto the pop-up menu. The humble ‘School cake’ is one of the nation’s most popular desserts (Picture: Lizzie Mayson) It is, of course, the oh-so-scrumptious School Cake. A British traybake dessert, School Cake is simple, yet lavish – made up of a fluffy vanilla sponge cake, topped with a thick white water icing, and covered in multi-coloured rainbow sprinkles. Or, as they’re often referred to in the UK, ‘hundreds and thousands’. Deeply nostalgic for any Brit who grew up in the 90s and 2000s, School Cake was a staple of the school canteen. Traditionally served with a hefty dollop of hot custard, it was just about the only thing I looked forward to on a day when I knew lunch would be swiftly followed by double Maths. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. At the beginning of this year, Lidl thrilled shoppers by bringing this ‘guest’ sweet treat back to its shelves for just 69p, having first launched the product in May 2025. Elated by the news, social media users described it as ‘the cake we all dream about’, with one creator, @laurenscravings, sharing her excitement at seeing School Cake make a ‘comeback’. Latest London news To mark Brass Rail’s 60th birthday, E Pellicci’s festive pop-up menu will also include incredible authentic Italian dishes such as E. Pellicci Pasta with pesto or ragu. Plus, anyone with a hankering for a juicy sandwich can indulge in either ‘The Big Bang Ciabatta’, consisting of chicken schnitzel, mozzarella and ragu, with pesto on the side, or ‘The Reuben’, a hearty beast that comes with toasted salt beef, sauerkraut, mozzarella, pesto and gherkin. An exclusive E. Pellicci pantry range will also be landing in Selfridges’ Foodhall, including olive oil, pesto, brown sauce and Pellicci’s own coffee blend. E Pellicci is a master of turning simple, classic dishes into memorable culinary moments (Picture: Lizzie Mayson) If you want a solid breakfast, this is the place to have it If you can’t bear the thought of facing Selfridges at Christmas time, why not check out E Pellicci’s East End location? Loved by locals and celebrities alike, it’s officially become a cult favourite in the capital, with thousands of satisfied customers often leaving stellar reviews online. One user, known only as Donté F, gave it five stars, saying: ‘I couldn’t have enjoyed this restaurant any more than I did. The English breakfast was phenomenal, very fresh! However the food wasn’t the best part. It was the staff and management. Just so friendly with everyone and merry! I know why people keep coming back day after day, for years and years. I will have to visit everytime I’m in London.’ Similarly, Tina BQ Tran wrote: ‘If you want a solid breakfast, this is the place to have it. Based on the food quantity we saw while waiting in line, we ordered 3 different items for 4 persons. It turned out to be more than enough. ‘The service was excellent. Although we didn’t ask, they gave us a 4th empty plate so we could share the food. Although everything was good, the hash browns were our favourite.’ And Emil Alakbarov posted: ‘Best of the best of the best! Legendary place for legendary breakfast in London. Absolutely in love with the team and food. Gonna come back again and again!’ Deals of the Day The Orlando holiday deal Disney fans shouldn't miss We're adding this discounted NEOM gift set straight to basket Want an LED face mask for less? This Black Friday deal could save you hundreds This teeth whitening sale could save you up to 64% before Black Friday These Simba Black Friday deals are too good for tired shoppers to ignore Arrow MORE: British doctor infected with Ebola arrives at ‘specialised unit’ in London hospital Arrow MORE: Man leaps from flat window to survive Bonfire Night blaze Arrow MORE: Drunk e-bike riders could be fined under proposed crackdown The Slice Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.