My London: The Weekly Poach’s Top Brunches
Is a weekend really a weekend if it doesn’t include brunch? We don’t think so. Nor do Nadine, Annelise and Rebecca aka The Weekly Poach. These three are on the mighty mission to try all of London’s brunches and score them, so that next time you’re heading for brunch and are slightly overwhelmed by the sheer number in London you can choose a great one, guaranteed. Here are five of their favourites:
The Providores and Tapa Room
Best for: Yuzu hollandaise and a stroll in Marylebone
The first time we visited Tapa Room, The Weekly Poach wasn’t even in planning stage but it was good enough that we felt like we owed them a review! Tapa Room (ground floor) has more of a café/eatery feel to it, whilst The Providores (first floor) is the more formal restaurant – and the only one that does bookings so take note if you’re a big group. The menu is very similar to Kopapa’s in Covent Garden, but in all honesty it is much better here. We were pleasantly surprised by the sweetcorn and blueberry fritters and the poached eggs, making this place one of our faves!
We recommend:
• Turkish eggs – poached eggs on whipped yoghurt with hot chili butter and sourdough or seeded granary toast
• Hot-smoked salmon, two poached eggs and spinach on caraway toast with Yuzu hollandaise
Where: 109 Marylebone High Street, Marylebone, W1U 4RX
Website: http://www.theprovidores.co.uk/taparoom/tapa.php
Bistrotheque
Best For: Brunching to the sounds of a grand piano
One of the first ever brunch spots we tried, this hidden gem near Cambridge Heath is a true destination – pretty hard to find, but completely worth it. On the first floor of an unassuming, unmarked warehouse is a clean white converted industrial space with a central bar, stunning floral arrangements and a grand piano in the corner. Book well in advance, because this is a hot spot for hipsters and celebrities alike.
We recommend:
• Pancakes with bacon, maple syrup
• Avocado on toast
•Pig’s cheek, Boston baked beans, mustard
Where: 23-27 Wadeson St, London E2 9DR, United Kingdom
Website: www.bistrotheque.com
The Nines
Best for: Sunny Sundays
We hit up The Nines on the first officially sunny day in May and basked in the sun outside on little picnic benches. No booking here – just turn up with the squad after you’ve finished your CrossFit class across the courtyard. The scrambled eggs were some of the best we’ve had – herbed just the right amount with some beautifully smoked salmon. One member of our party was so happy, he ordered a second round – and if we had the space we would’ve too!
We recommend:
• Fried eggs on toast – avocado, harissa, yogurt
• Scrambled eggs on toast – smoked salmon, herbs
•Pancakes – apple, crème fraiche, hazelnuts
Where: Copeland Park 133 Rye Lane, 133 Copeland Road, Peckham, SE15 3SN
Website: http://www.theninespeckham.co.uk/
Bumpkin Chelsea
All day Sunday brunch
Two little pearls scattered across West (with some of the best eggs royale and avo on toast we’ve tried) make Bumpkin THE place to go on this side of the city. The ingredients are locally sourced, the eggs are poached to perfection, and the granola is brilliant, but best of all: it is happily affordable (but you could also splurge away!). Although we recommend booking in advance, if you are a small party you might be able to find a table without much trouble. With two branches (South Kensington and Chelsea) you can always follow brunch with a relaxing walk in the park or a shopping spree down the King’s Road.
We recommend:
• Eggs Royale – English muffin, smoked salmon, wilted spinach, poached eggs and hollandaise
• Bumpkin Granola – Organic oats, raw honey, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, dried cranberries and almond milk or low-fat yoghurt
Where: 119 Sydney Street, London, SW3 6NR, United Kingdom
Website: www.bumpkinuk.com
The Delaunay
Best for: A fancy bistro-café experience
The guys at Corbin & King know how to make a good restaurant – the detail in everything is just exquisite – we wanted to take the whole tea set with us! We cannot stress the perfection of this breakfast enough. The hollandaise came in a little silver saucer, and it was spiced with cayenne pepper which took it to another level. The avo toast was glorious, with two perfectly poached eggs and a good layer of avocado – you can’t get tired of that. We think the winner of this brunch were the pancakes – fluffy and stacked with layers of blueberry compote amongst a large dollop of crème fraîche. Needless to say, that we battled for the remains.
We recommend:
• Eggs Arlington – toasted muffins topped with a poached egg, a swirl of smoked salmon
• Pancakes with blueberries, crème fraîche and maple syrup
• Mashed avocado, tomato and poached eggs on toast
Where: 55 Aldwych London WC2B 4BB
Website: www.thedelaunay.com
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