Vaulted brick interior of Café in the Crypt beneath St Martin-in-the-Fields in London
barry roberts 12/12/2016

Café in the Crypt: Dining Beneath St Martin-in-the-Fields

Beneath one of the most recognisable churches in central London is a place that feels entirely removed from the crowds above. Café in the Crypt occupies the vaulted space below St Martin-in-the-Fields, facing Trafalgar Square and only a short walk from Charing Cross and Covent Garden.

Glass lift entrance leading down to Café in the Crypt beside Trafalgar Square
The glass lift provides an accessible route from street level to the Crypt.
Interior of the glass lift descending to Café in the Crypt in London
Inside the modern glass lift on the descent beneath St Martin-in-the-Fields.

This Roberts London archive film, recorded in December 2016, descends from street level into the eighteenth-century crypt to explore its architecture, memorial stones and unusually atmospheric café.

Lift control for the Crypt level beneath St Martin-in-the-Fields
The lift’s single below-ground destination is simply marked for the Crypt.

A hidden space beside Trafalgar Square

St Martin-in-the-Fields stands at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square. The present Grade I listed church was designed by James Gibbs and built between 1722 and 1726. Its classical portico and tall steeple became an influential model for churches in Britain and abroad, but the film concentrates on the less visible space beneath it.

Gallery shop beside the entrance to Café in the Crypt at St Martin-in-the-Fields
The gallery and shop occupy the modern entrance level above the historic Crypt.
Direction sign pointing towards the Crypt at St Martin-in-the-Fields
A discreet sign directs visitors towards the hidden space beneath the church.

The descent begins with the glass lift beside the church. Barry compares its cinematic appearance to a film set: a modern intervention whose single destination is simply marked “Crypt”. Stairs provide the alternative route, while the lift makes the below-ground level accessible without disguising that sense of entering somewhere unexpected.

Inside the eighteenth-century crypt

At the lower level, brick vaults run above a room of warm pools of light. The architecture carries the weight of the church while creating a sequence of curved bays across the café. Historic memorial stones form part of the floor, preserving names and inscriptions beneath the tables and circulation routes.

Historic memorial stone forming part of the floor inside Café in the Crypt
Historic memorial stones remain visible beneath the café tables and chairs.
Historic memorial stone with a carved skull inside the crypt at St Martin-in-the-Fields
A carved skull gives one of the surviving memorial stones a striking character.

A crypt lined with old stones might sound forbidding, yet the film records something quite different. The lighting, occupied tables and everyday activity turn the historic fabric into a living London interior. The contrast is the point: an ancient burial space adapted for coffee, food, conversation and performance without losing its character.

Christmas tree among the brick arches inside Café in the Crypt in London
A Christmas tree brings seasonal colour to the eighteenth-century brick vaults.

Coffee and food beneath the church

In 2016 the café operated as a relaxed self-service dining room serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Barry found the food straightforward, well prepared and notably good value for such a central location. That assessment belongs to the visit shown in the film, but the qualities that made the place memorable were never limited to a particular menu.

Self-service food counter inside Café in the Crypt beneath St Martin-in-the-Fields
The self-service counter during the Roberts London visit in December 2016.
Barry Roberts having coffee beneath the brick vaults of Café in the Crypt
Barry Roberts pauses for coffee beneath the historic vaults.

The real attraction is the combination of location and atmosphere. Trafalgar Square above is one of London’s busiest public spaces; below it, the vaults offer a place to pause within the fabric of the city rather than retreating into a conventional modern café.

Café tables and visitors beneath the vaulted brick ceiling of Café in the Crypt
Everyday café life continues beneath the repeating brick arches.

Music, welcome and the work of St Martin’s

The Crypt has long been more than a daytime café. The film mentions its jazz nights, and St Martin-in-the-Fields continues to use the vaulted room for live music and other cultural events. Tables and catering can give way to a performance space while the brick arches remain the defining backdrop.

The venue also belongs to the wider life of St Martin’s, where worship, music, hospitality and social action meet. During the visit, Barry highlights the church’s work with people experiencing homelessness and the opportunity to support that work. It adds another layer to the experience: this is a commercial London café, but it sits within an institution whose public purpose extends far beyond food and drink.

Brick passage leading from Café in the Crypt towards the modern gallery level
Historic brickwork meets the modern gallery and entrance spaces above.

Watch the Café in the Crypt film

The complete Roberts London film captures the glass lift, vaulted brickwork, café layout and memorial-stone floor during a December visit. It is a compact portrait of one of central London’s most distinctive interiors: historic but useful, atmospheric but welcoming, and hidden in plain sight beside Trafalgar Square.

Filmed in London and first published by Roberts London on 12 December 2016.

Categories: Hospitality