I'll be updating this post as I go along so keep checking back if you ever fancy some brunch ;)
1. Flesh and Buns, Covent Garden
http://www.bonedaddies.com/flesh-and-buns/
Bottomless brunch from the Bone Daddies group. Technically this is more than just a breakfast or lunch, or even breakfast and lunch. All I can say is that it's worth the money. Great food, great staff. Read the full review here
RATING: 4 out of 5
2. Kupp, Paddington
http://www.kupp.co
Newly opened Scandinavian influenced all-round bar/dining/meeting area/hang out place. As someone who works in Paddington this is a welcome addition to the area. Paddington is known for its station and bear, but behind the main street is 'The Basin' aka Marks & Spencer HQ, but now it's much more. This is an airy, trendy place and I could have easily hung out there for the whole morning. Breakfast was fresh, I went for some mackerel on sourdough, and was actually pretty filling, lasting me until lunch. Service is a little bit slow but service made up for it. The lunch and dinner menus also look very appealing too.
RATING: 3 out of 5
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| Also love the teacups and mini milk bottle |
http://grangerandco.com
Not East London, but it's nice to occasionally pop over to the 'other side' and experience the life. Today it was Granger & Co, aka Bill from Bill's. We came here on a morning before work so it was an early wake up call but it was worth doing as the place starts to get very busy by 8am. The place is very clean and crisp. It was a place for trendy young professionals, family morning get togethers, lone worker with a laptop, elders with a paper and neat dog. The food was delicious. The egg can only be described as a perfect, eggy mousse. It's a little pricey but for that price you get a wonderful, lovely morning treat and atmosphere. All the usual brunch dishes are there with a slight Aussie Granger twist - all making a very wholesome breakfast. The toilets are also pretty funky too.
RATING: 4 out of 5
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| I went for smoked salmon, radish sourdough |
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| Look at the egg! So smooth. |
http://www.dishoom.com
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| Cool lamp |
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| Bacon Naan Roll |
5. Blues Kitchen, Camden and Shoreditch (I went to the Shoreditch branch...obvs)
theblueskitchen.com/
Formerly Bar Music Hall, this venue is great. Lots of space, decor is quite quirky, live bands and great food. We came here on a Sunday afternoon and although quite busy, we were seated and served pretty quickly. I went for the American Breakfast - I did want to go for some of the 'healthier' options but when the breakfast is a mix of Mexican and an American pancake on the side then who could resist? It was a proper brunch and I felt very satisfied afterwards, although I admit I only managed half the sweet pancake. I was eyeing up other diners plates as they arrived and the burger looked like it was a hearty portion - also check out the Burger of the Month as they sometimes use more unique meats. It wasn't overly pricey either. Nothing felt too greasy though and it had a very 'cool' vibe to the whole place that it made me want to come again in the evening for a bit of live blues (they had a Stevie Wonder night recently), though I'd recommend booking way in advance as this place tends to get very busy. A pretty awesome place to bring your friends.
RATING: 4 out of 5
6. Bills - few locations but I went to Hoxton Square branch
http://bills-website.co.uk
Yes, it's a bit of a chain, but the decor at the Hoxton branch is kitsch, in the fact that it is a lot bigger than it looks on the outside. The rustic feel is perfect for a relaxing Sunday. The food menu is your standard lot, but is cooked with its own special Bills flourish. I went for the Eggs Royale and Breakfast with sourdough, which was simple but delicious. The other good thing is that it is lot more filling than you realise - ideal really. The super green smoothie is also pretty fantastic too. Prices aren't too bad for what it is, I'd probably recommend this place as somewhere to go with friends to chill out for the whole morning, or there's the quieter end at the back where couples can sit. RATING: 3 out of 5
7. The Breakfast Club - a few locations
http://www.thebreakfastclubcafes.com/
For anyone who hasn't been yet, this is probably one of those 'must do once' things. I've made a visit to the Hoxton Square branch a couple of times, almost made it to the Spitalfields one (see below) and the original location in Clapham/Battersea. It's quirky, too cool for school, American, good breakfast food. I'm not sure whether it justifies the queues that regularly form from quite early on, but I know when it gets a bit chilly, they may give you some hot chocolate while you're waiting. The food is always pretty good - Eggs Royale/Benedict, choice of fry ups and good vegetarian options, but I have to say the bacon, pancakes and maple syrup is where it's at. A more than enough portion served in a plastic bowl, with extra syrup on the side just in case; it's a winner. The smoothies are also very tasty. It's not that I don't like it, but it's probably one of those places that has been hyped up to the point where you expect nothing but extraordinary. It's not a secret that a SMEG fridge resides in the Spitalfields one which is actually a door to a basement bar. It's probably quite fun but again you'll probably have to wait a while to get in or go very early. RATING: 3 out of 5
8. Graveney and Meadow - Tooting Broadway. SW17 9NA
http://graveneyandmeadow.com/
If you're ever in the South-West London area I recommend this place for brunch and cake. They have a pretty good selection of sweet things out on display you can choose from as well as the standard brunch choices. It's quite a big place, with lots of very 'East London' furniture and decor. It's the type of place you can hang out in for a while with your laptop or book (yes, there's free wi-fi too). I went for the smoked salmon muffin with lovely hollandiase sauce which was brought out to me fairly quickly. And my mint tea used real mint leaves rather than a teabag in a cute teapot. RATING: 3 out of 5
9. Giant Robot - Clerkenwell. EC1M 5RS (sadly, this is no longer around...)
http://www.gntrbt.com/
This trendy place isn't all that giant it turns out, but that's not a bad thing, in fact, far from it. We were treated with old-school style and rustic decor, nothing was matching but that added to the charm of the place. I went for the 'Smashed Advocado' - grilled sourdough, plum tomato, feta & balsamic, with added bacon of course, all for an extra 99p. ED went for the 'Eggs & Smoked Salmon' on a NY bagel. The portions are decent sized - don't be fooled, we were pretty much done by the time we left. Service was friendly and quick, the layout of the place is very open which I like. This place also does a mean dinner and cocktail menu, opens 7 days a week (unusual for the Farringdon area) - so everyone's a winner! RATING: 3.5 out of 5 10. Potato Merchant - Exmouth Market. EC1R 4QL
http://thepotatomerchant.com/
This was actually a spur of the moment decision to come here...stepped inside and turns out I've been here before, only back then it was Bincho Yakitori (read the review - the Soho branch is still running). So, brunch at Potato Merchant is interesting. The potato grilled bread is the thing to try here and the Merchant Breakfast (big portions)...unfortunately I didn't have either of those so can't make a fair comment, but the table next to us did and it smelled and looked delicious if that helps. I went for the scrambled egg and salmon. I have to say you get a generous amount of salmon for £7ish, although I thought the one piece of toasted bread was a little bit stingy. My pot of tea was lovely, ED would have quite liked her coffee in a mug and not teacup. Water came in a square, glass milk bottle which was awesome. Service was average - I didn't think they were overly friendly. Prices reasonable. The layout of the menu doesn't do it justice either - I thought everything described on it sounded a bit 'plain', like 'Bacon or Sausage Sandwich' or 'Roast Lamb' but don't let that put you off - it is definitely worth a second visit. RATING: 3 out of 5
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