Kali

Kali is a vegetarian café on Upper High Street run by Simon and Lara Thompson, who settled in Thame in 2021 after working together at a café in Hazlemere during the pandemic. The name is built from the phrase Kindness And Love Inside, reflecting a plant-based, brunch-led menu built around specialty coffee and dishes the couple describe as fresh and feel-good rather than indulgent. Simon previously cooked at What's Cooking and The W before the couple opened their own room, fitted out with help from a community crowdfunder. The café operates Monday to Friday mornings and afternoons, with a shorter Saturday service and no Sunday trade. Both owners bring backgrounds in performing arts, Lara as a singer and dancer, which shows in the café's relaxed, hospitality-first approach to service.