Mileto Caffé opens in Royal Free Hospital Pears Building

Federica Federico has opened Mileto Caffé in the Royal Free Hospital's Pears Building, in Hampstead.

The Rosslyn Hill café is open to the public as well as to patients and their families and serves drinks, sandwiches, cakes and pastries as well as her own Faith in Coffee brand.

The 32-year-old said: "It's my first proper café, I am very happy. The opening was very emotional as both my parents came."

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Federica's passion started aged 10 when, in between school and exams, she worked in her mother's café, also called Mileto Caffé, in Mileto Square, Rome.

Federica Federico serves a decaf latte made from her own brand of Faith in Coffee at Mileto Caffé in South End Green (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

She said: "When I finished school I was working seven days a week with my mum. I was falling in love with coffee and I met someone who was a coffee trainer who guided me to the Speciality Coffee Association."

Federica completed all the courses, learning everything from green beans to the roasting and brewing processes and is now a certified trainer.

This led her to took further afield for experience.

She said: "In 2016 I wanted to go out of this little part of Rome. I wanted to learn English and learn more about coffee so I came to London.

"I left my mum by herself and two years later she sold her café. She was by herself so couldn't carry on. I feel a bit guilty about it but I had to think about my future." 

Federica Federico already has her own business making and selling coffee through her brand Faith in Coffee - faith being the English translation of her name (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

In London, Federica started "literally behind the coffee machine because I couldn't speak English", before becoming a manager and training staff.

She continued: "I started learning about roasting coffee and two years ago I decided to launch my own coffee brand, which is called Faith in Coffee - faith is my name in English."

Federica, who lives in Golders Green, sources her beans from producers around the world and roasts them in a small studio in West Hampstead where she has a small 1kg roaster.

She was looking for a space to sell her coffee when she stumbled on the Royal Free Charity's Google advertisement to run a café.

In September she applied to take on the lease and had her first meeting and after "a long process" opened at the end of April with three part-time members of staff.

The interior of Mileto Caffe in the reception of the Royal Free Hospital's Pears Building (Image: Royal Free)

She imports Italian porchetta (pork) and mortadella (ham) with which she makes dishes and serves bruschettas.

She still works seven days a week, with her alarm ringing at 5am to be at the café at 6.30am for a 7am opening.

"I knew before there was something bigger than what I was doing," she added. "If I didn't take the risk now.. I had to do this, I want to be successful.

"I've had good feedback, people are happy with what I offer, I am very happy."

Mileto Caffé is open to the public with an entrance in Rosslyn Hill (Image: Royal Free)

A spokesperson for the Royal Free Charity said: "It's a lovely addition to the café scene in Belsize Park and Hampstead and it has the added bonus that customers are supporting the work of the Royal Free Charity in a building dedicated to finding better treatments and even cures for diseases of the immune system."