It was about 5 years ago that the coffee boom hit London and Prêt was perfectly positioned to benefit. Then there were a few branches of this sandwich and coffee outlet littered across London. Now it's difficult to walk more than a few streets without hitting one.

Prêt has stuck to its original principles though and these remain sound. At a time when the only fast food came in the form of a greasy KFC or a generic McDonald's, Prêt provided the perfect alternative for customers looking for a healthier option.

Everything about Prêt A Manger emphasises a simple, no-nonsense approach. The interior is minimalist, coated in a metallic covering. The accent on the food is similarly straight forward. The food is cheap, freshly prepared, well packaged and avoids a mass produced feel and taste. The sandwiches provide several tasty options and to keep regulars from getting bored, Prêt is quick to introduce new items onto their menu. You also have the choice of going for classic sandwiches (in plain bead), or trying out a variety of fillings in baguettes or 'wrap' (thin tortillas wrapped around the ingredients like a 'roti').

The sandwiches range from the traditional - egg mayonnaise, double cheddar and tuna mayonnaise - to the exotic: try the Thai chicken wrap, the sun-dried tomato and feta sandwich or the prawn and avocado baguette. The Tuna Nicoise in a Prêt wrap, the Chicken Parmesan sandwich, and the Brie and Tomato baguette are also excellent. In fact you can't really go wrong with the sandwiches, which are fresh, simple and tasty.

To go with the sandwiches you can have a salad - again its simple fare - tuna pasta, mozzarella and tomato. Less successful are the Pret Noodles, which have a slightly stale, "factory" feel to them. However, the deluxe sushi (at £ 4.95 a pack) is a good buy, compared to ready-made alternatives at Marks and Spencers and Sainsbury's (which is tied in with the Yo! Sushi chain). It contains an interesting selection of sushi specially prepared for Pret by the Japanese food company Nodo, and shipped from London across the UK; and for once provides adequate quantities of wasabi and soy sauce on the side.The vegetarian sushi, by comparison, is a slightly dismal affair.

Apart from the 'main meals', Prêt does a delicious range of desserts. There are the 'teatime' goodies - croissants, pastries, and cake slices - the best of which are the moist banana cake and the rich chocolate fudge cake. The Cinnamon and Raisin Danish is also among the best in London and has a loyal cult following. Equally irresistible are the other Prêt goodies particularly the brownie crumbled into Greek yoghurt and the lemon crunch cake.

For drinks the coffees come in 4 varieties: latte, mocha, espresso and cappuccino. They are all drinkable, though not perhaps for coffee aficionados. The other flavour of the season are the exotic smoothies which - though the helpings shrink with each passing season are extremely refreshing: regular flavours include peach and banana; pineapple, banana and coconut; and peach and blackberry.

Healthy, fresh and in tune with the times, Prêt A Manger is today's fast food. It has also spawned several similar rival companies. In the last couple of years London has been invaded by cafes including the Costa Coffee Company, and Starbucks, the giant American chain.