Although I have no official training, I’ve eaten enough chips and fries in my lifetime that KFC has seemingly taken me slagging their fries off in a four year old tweet seriously. (more…)
Pizza Pilgrims
There are plenty of places to get a brilliant pizza in London now, and constant debate around which is the best. Is it Homeslice with their gigantic pies to share? Or Naples’ very own export, L’Antica Pizzeria de Michele? I haven’t tried all of these rivals yet, but I can put in a well researched and firm vote for Pizza Pilgrims certainly being up there among the best.
One of London’s original street food vans to bricks and mortar success stories, there are now half a dozen Pizza Pilgrims restaurants over the city – a chain has formed. We’re seeing this happen a lot with our favourite street food places now, and the worry is whether the food we’ve grown to love, served out of a van in a car park, will stay the same. Switching from a small operation to building up an array of restaurants runs a risk of losing both the personality and quality of the business. Being a returning customer over the years, I’m impressed with the consistency of both of these factors: Pizza Pilgrims have succeeded.
Pizzas are of the Neapolitan style and made with as many ingredients local to Italy as can be. Flour is shipped from Naples istelf; the two different types of mozzarella are shipped from Caserta twice a week; their nduja arrives weekly from Calabria. Even the source of their basil has a kind of romance to it – it’s from down the road at Berwick Street market, the location of Pizza Pilgrims’ first foray into the food world. Quality ingredients are paramount, particularly in Italian cooking, and it is clear the level of care that continues to go into this side of the business, nearly six years on from them serving their first pizza. The result is the perfect pizza – better than some I’ve had in Italy, even. Puffed up crusts surrounding a sweet tomato base, oozing with mozzarella. It smells incredible.
There are a few changes to the menu between locations: their fantastic arancini wasn’t on the Dean Street menu last week, for which I wept, but in a genius move they’ve added crust dippers. If you can’t choose between pesto aioli, gorgonzola and garlic or smoked chilli jam mascarpone, they’re only two quid each so cut your decision making anxiety in half and get more than one. I’ll help you out further – whichever pizza you opt for (though I always seem to go for the salami with added nduja – highly recommend), add on buffalo mozzarella for an extra £2.75. It makes for a messier pizza but it’s totally worth it, and all the best food is messy anyway. Wine comes by the carafe (even the prosecco) and sides and desserts are kept simple – the main event here is the pizza and Pilgrims are devoted to delivering their specialty well and without distractions.
The story behind Pizza Pilgrims is a great one, and as you read about the brothers’ pint fueled agreement to give the street food scene a go, through to their six week pilgrimage around Italy in the name of research, you can’t help but cheer them on. Good job we can continue to do so, because Pizza Pilgrims are still serving up banging pizza to punters queuing out the door, no matter how much they’ve grown.
The Best of the Bottomless
It’s no secret that I’m somewhat experienced in the bottomless brunch arena. The long time Manhattan tradition of a boozy weekend brunch finally made its way across the pond a fair few years ago now and it has snowballed with magnificent effect. From high end hotels to pop ups and even your local boozer, there are bottomless deals on everywhere you look. Not that I’m complaining, I would spend every weekend at a different boozy brunch if I were able to. The introduction of the lesser known Bottomless Roast and Bottomless Dinner indicates the trend has no chance of slowing down, so it’s high time for an easy look guide at the best of the best in London’s bottomless.
South Place Chop House
An old favourite of mine, South Place Chop House in South Place Hotel is one of the original stalwarts of London’s bottomless brunch scene. With an ever changing menu you’ll never be too bored for a repeat visit, which is ideal as this brunch is perfect for big groups celebrating as well as being classy enough to take your parents to. There’s plenty of variety between breakfast and lunch dishes, some seriously good desserts to get stuck into (shout out to the salted caramel chocolate pot) and the staff are generous with the boozy top ups. The restaurant has evolved to offer a bottomless roast on Sundays, and remains at the top of my list to try immediately if not sooner. If their brunch is anything to go by, I imagine their roast will be one of the best in town, and with the menu boasting three roast meats to choose from as well as pie and fish and chips, I think I might be right.
Price: Brunch: 2 courses for £22.50 or 3 for £27.50. Roast: 2 courses for £25, 3 for £30. Go bottomless for £18
Bottomless drinks: Brunch: Prosecco, bellinis and mimosas; Roast: red, white and rose wine
Duration: Whilst you dine (take your time over those three courses why don’t you)
When: Every Saturday and Sunday between 12 and 5pm
Address: South Place Hotel, 3 South Pl, London EC2M 2AF
TOP TIP: Great for initiating the parents into the bottomless brunch scene
The Botanist
My favourite place for a boozy brunch in London. From the brilliant menu and the beautiful decor to the fantastic service and live music: The Botanist has it all. Pride of place in the buzzy Broadgate Circle near Liverpool Street, The Botanist throws its doors open in the summer but remains cosy in the winter with copper accents, leather booths, dark wood and soft mood lighting. Favourite dishes on their seasonal menu include the macaroni cheese croquettes with truffle mayo; shrimp and bacon croquettes and the huge chicken schnitzel. For a twist on the traditional eggs Benedict, order the soft shell crab benny with jalapeno hollandaise, and if you’re a fan of Sticky Toffee Pudding, the one at The Botanist is a great contender, served with sounds-odd-but-is-strangely-good cornflake ice cream. All this, plus you’re allowed two drinks on the go at any one time. Bottomless brunch perfection.
Price: 2 courses for £20 or 3 for £25. Add £15 for bottomless for 2 hours
Bottomless drinks: Prosecco, Bloody Mary’s, bellinis, mimosa and red, white or rose wine
Duration: 2 hours
When: Every Saturday between 11.30am and 4.30pm
Address: Broadgate Circle, London EC2M 2QS
TOP TIP: The Botanist also do a Bottomless Dinner from 6pm every Saturday with live music. The perfect way to kick off a big night out
Gaucho
Gaucho’s Electro Brunch is not only a winner on the bottomless brunch front, but is available up and down the country, so not just one for those in that there London. Small plates are the name of the game at Gaucho, and come unlimited as do the drinks – you just need to finish the dish you’re on before ordering the next. Fried Provoleta cheese with caramleised onion chutney is the perfect small plate, whilst the peanut butter dulce de leche served with mini croissants at the start of brunch is utterly beautiful. Mini avocado on toasts and Eggs Benedict round off the traditional brunch dishes, and Gaucho’s Bloody Marys are one of the best I’ve ever had. Aperol Spritz as a bottomless is a novelty, though a little watered down compared to those you may order elsewhere. Not many brunches allow you to order as much steak as you want though, do they? Great for a more special affair.
Price: £49.95 for all food and drink
Bottomless drinks: Prosecco, Bloody Mary’s, Aperol Spritz, Pilsener Lager and non alcoholic fresh juices
Duration: 2 hours
When: Every Saturday between 11am and 4pm
Address: Multiple locations in London, plus Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds
TOP TIP: Ask for extra peanut butter dulce de leche because it may just be one of the best things on God’s green earth.
Grind
Famous for their espresso martinis and fun neon signage, before long Grind will be as well known for their £13 bottomless bubbles. With a range of small plates, classic brunch dishes and even a flat iron steak for a tenner, you can’t go far wrong at one of Grind’s restaurants for brunch. Endless prosecco is served in old fashioned coupes whilst you dine, and those marble table tops make a brunch at Grind seriously Instagrammable. Special mention to the chorizo and smoked cheese croquettes, as well as the bacon, which is astonishingly crispy – just the way it should be.
Price: Plates priced individually, bottomless prosecco £13
Bottomless drinks: Prosecco
Duration: 90 mins
When: Saturday and Sunday between 11am and 5pm
Address: London Grind, 2 London Bridge, London SE1 9RA; Clerkenwell Grind, 2-4 Old St, London EC1V 9AA; Exmouth Market Grind, 8-10 Exmouth Market London EC1R 4QA; Covent Garden Grind, 42 Maiden Lane, London, WC2E 7LJ
TOP TIP: At £13pp for bottomless prosecco, this is one of London’s cheapest ways to get boozed up through brunch – perfect just before pay day.
Oxbo Bankside
We’re starting to get greedy and seek out all you can eat as well as all you can drink: enter the bottomless buffet at Oxbo Bankside. With towering buffet stations of salads, sushi, charcuterie, cheese boards and a huge array of bite sized cakes, tarts, cookies and jars on jars of penny sweets, this is a brunch that is sure to have something for everyone. And all of this is before you’ve ordered a main! On Saturdays the table is served three hot sharing dishes for everyone to tuck into and on Sundays you can choose between roast beef, chicken, cod or vegetarian dhal. The beef was superb on my visit and a decent roast in its own right despite all the buffet and bottomless fanfare. This is a great one for bigs groups given the nature of the buffet set up, and live music keeps the atmosphere buzzing throughout the afternoon. For Saturday brunch there’s a waffle and egg station too, so go hungry for this one.
Price: £45 for all food and drink
Bottomless drinks: Prosecco
Duration: 2 hours
When: Saturday and Sunday between 12pm and 3pm
Address: Hilton London Bankside, 2-8 Great Suffolk St, London SE1 0UG
TOP TIP: Get an earlier booking for this one – the buffet stations stop being replenished as the afternoon goes on so as to not waste food, so an earlier slot will ensure you don’t miss out on any of the amazing food on offer.
Tanner & Co
A boozy brunch is fantastic, but how about a boozy roast? Tanner & Co have spruced up their Sunday bottomless roast menu so you can now choose between beef, pork, chicken or vegetarian with all the trimmings, plus you’ll get a dessert thrown in too. On Saturdays it’s a brunching affair – you’ll be brought some nibbles to start, and something small and sweet afterwards, but the pick of the main event is all yours. All eyes on the beef, bacon and brie burger with beetroof chutney, or perhaps the classic poached eggs and avo on sourdough is more your thing?
The huge advantage at Tanner & Co is the wide range of drinks on offer and the freedom with which you will find whole bottles of bubbles on your table to keep you satisfied. Also, Tanner & Co now offer espresso martinis among their bottomless poisons, which is frankly both ridiculous and one of the best things I’ve ever heard.
Price: £40 for all drink and food
Bottomless drinks: Prosecco, Bloody Mary’s, beer, wine, cider and Espresso Martinis
Duration: 2 hours
When: Brunch every Saturday and Sunday between 11am and 4pm; roasts on Sunday between 11am and 4pm
Address: 50 Bermondsey St, London SE1 3UD
TOP TIP: Probably the most broadly catered for bottomless out there in terms of drinks, this will keep the fussiest of drinkers happy
Avenue
Avenue is a part of the extensive D&D family, who offer bottomless brunches at a fair few of their restaurants, practically enough of them to keep you going all year round. Brunch in Avenue is a buzzy affair, with great food and plenty of fizz to keep you going through your two hour slot. Its central location and their ability to cater for large groups makes it a favourite for birthday celebrations. The menu has a very American feel, with different types of Eggs Benedict, macaroni cheese, burgers, buttermilk pancakes and waffles all on the menu. Not forgetting that New York cheesecake for dessert – if you have room that is. On Sundays unlimited Aperol Spritz are on offer so if you’re a fan of Aperol, get yourself down there!
Price: 2 courses for £25.50 or 3 for £28.50. Add £18 for bottomless
Bottomless drinks: Prosecco and Bloody Mary’s on Saturdays; prosecco and Aperol Spritz on Sundays
Duration: Whilst you dine
When: Every Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays between 11am and 4pm
Address: 7-9 St James’s Street, London, SW1A 1EE
TOP TIP: A later brunch booking means your table will not be turned over for another group, which usually means a more leisurely experience and sometimes, if you’re lucky, over two hours of bubbles…
ROKA
One of the pricier bottomless brunches in town, ROKA is unique in that it’s one of the only places you’ll find geared around sushi rather than your more traditional eggs and pancakes. There are three price brackets to choose from at ROKA, though if you’re going to do it, do it properly I say. The priciest menu gets you champagne on arrival, added premium sashimi, offers the famous black cod as a main and serves premium wines, including rose. Sushi starters are all you can eat from the counter in a help yourself buffet style, before leading onto hot dishes at the table for mains such as salmon teriyaki and a beef ribeye. A dessert platter to share is served at the table for afters and the wine free flows the entire time.
Price: £49 in Canary Wharf; £59 in Aldwych
Bottomless drinks: Bellini or Bloody Mary on arrival and paired wines throughout brunch
Duration: 2 hours for bookings up to 3 people; 2.5 hours for 4 or more
When: Every Saturday between 11.30am and 3.30pm, Sundays and on bank holidays at Canary Wharf between 11.30am and 8pm
Address: ROKA Canary Wharf, 40 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5FW; ROKA Aldwych, 71 Aldwych, London WC2B 4HN
TOP TIP: Get a group of at least 4 of you to go to maximise that bottomless drinking time
Bōkan
Canary Wharf is becoming a bit of a destination in its own right, though if you’re not familiar with the area you’d never think it. Bōkan is the restaurant and bar occupying the top three floors of new Novotel, and they are firmly on the bottomless bandwagon. With a carefully curated three course menu to choose from with dishes such at game and foie gras terrine, scallops tartare, beef carpaccio, duck breast and a Wagyu beef burger, this brunch feels decidedly fancy. Everlasting prosecco sees you through your meal and being 37 floors up means the views of London’s skyline are unparalleled.
Price: £49
Bottomless drinks: Prosecco
Duration: 2 hours
When: Every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and bank holiday between 12.30pm and 2.30pm (last orders)
Address: 40 Marsh Wall, Isle of Dogs, London E14 9TP
TOP TIP: After brunch head 2 floors up to Bōkan’s rooftop bar and terrace for more of those striking views and live music into the evening.
Megan’s
Megan’s is a great little restaurant and lucky for us there are now three different locations of this gem in South West London; Fulham, Parson’s Green and Balham. Warm and inviting, with blue and white checked tablecloths and the prettiest of fairy lights strung up either inside or out in the courtyard (in Fulham), Megan’s is a lovely laid back choice for brunch. Rightly famous for their Shakshouka and their brilliant deli style counter where you pick your salads and quiche at free will, Megan’s have also gone bottomless on the weekends. Although charming all year round, an al fresco brunch at the Fulham Megan’s in the summer is particularly brilliant since one of their bottomless drinks is Pimm’s – and we all know how easy it is to drink that stuff like it’s juice. The perfect summer brunch spot.
Price: Plates priced individually, go bottomless for £18
Bottomless drinks: Prosecco, Bloody Mary’s and Pimm’s
Duration: 90 mins
When: Every Saturday and Sunday between 2pm and 6pm (last sitting 4.30pm)
Address: 571 King’s Rd, Fulham, London SW6 2EB; UNIT B 69, 57 Parsons Green Ln, Fulham, London SW6 4JA; 41-43 Bedford Hill, Balham, London SW12 9EY
TOP TIP: Megan’s do a half baked cookie dough dessert stuffed with Nutella and topped with pistachios and salted caramel ice cream. Thank me later.
Have you been to any of these bottomless hot spots? Let me know what you thought and where your favourite is in the comments below!
Gaucho Electro Brunch
Excellent news, I have finally made it to Gaucho’s legendary Electro Brunch – all you can drink and all you can eat. Yes, really. Gaucho has long been a favourite place of mine for steak: the meat is of such quality you won’t need a steak knife, the service is great and the wine is always excellent. So when I found out about Gaucho’s bottomless brunch I was eager to try it and see how the quality compared to their usual dining experience. Also, bottomless Aperol? Frankly it’s shameful how long it took me to get around to booking a table.
To kick off proceedings, our waitress Amanda brought over mini croissants with something that I can only describe as a game changer: peanut butter dulce de leche. Sweet caramel flavours mixed with the salty peanut: I honestly feel it changed my life a little bit. Amanda explained that she would wait for us all to be comfortably seated before bringing our first drinks over, and that the two hour bottomless time would start from then. We could order one dish at a time each and once that one was finished, order another. Simple.
Gaucho’s exemplary Bloody Mary’s have pulled me through on occasion before and sporting a slight headache from the night before’s escapades, so starting off with one of these was the best course of action. I actually would go so far as to say that Gaucho’s BMs are my favourite – though if you have any further recommendations, do let me know, as research in that area is a cross I’m willing to bear.
The food menu had everything from different Eggs Benedicts: salt beef, florentine, royale; bacon sandwiches, pancakes, french toast… I started with avocado on toasted sourdough with pancetta, which I wolfed down in record time, though the dishes you are served are small in order to allow you to fit more variety in, which is fine by me. The beans on toast with Spanish chorizo was another winner and the bacon sandwich on ciabatta was good too, though I feel bacon sandwiches are better on a softer bread with lashings of butter. Steak and eggs with chimchurri added on was as good as you would expect at a steak restaurant, and gives you a taste of their regular menu have you not eaten there before. A favourite was the fried Provoleta with caramelised onion chutney because what’s not to love about deep fried cheese, but I would go for that first next time as was quite rich after a few other dishes. The banana pancakes with Nutella went down well with my companions, whilst I grabbed the chance for more of the peanut butter dulce de leche on French toast with strawberries. Full disclosure: I did ask for extra dulce de leche as there wasn’t enough served with the dish, slash I truly have no shame, and laid it on as thick as possible. Washed down with their excellent Argentine sparkling wine it was the ultimate in brunching indulgence.
I’m all about an Aperol Spritz, especially in the summer months, so one of the big pulls for this brunch is the fact it’s the only one I’ve come across that offers Aperol as one of their bottomless drinks (along with their signature Bloody Mary, Domaine Chandon, Rubia Pilsener Lager and juice bar soft drinks). As we walked in we could see these big fish bowl wine glasses lined up on the back bar, gradually being filled with the good orange stuff. I was a little disappointed to find that the Aperols served did taste quite watered down, and whilst it’s to be expected on some level at a boozy brunch, I would hope the taste would stay the same! The only other slight gripe I had on an otherwise excellent brunch was the speed at which it took to get another drink and order the next dishes. There were times where we were waiting for a good 15 to 20 minutes for a refill, and when you have a time limit that does start to bother you. Other than that, the service was excellent and so friendly.
Gaucho is definitely one of the more grand bottomless brunches out there; great to take your parents to, or get dressed up a bit for – it feels special. That’s reflected in the price at £49.95 pp (£45 outside of London), but I do think it’s worth it. If you don’t fancy going for the brunch, the a la carte menu is fantastic and as previously mentioned, the steak is one of my favourite in London. Oh and the tuna ceviche to start is out of this world – if that found itself onto the brunch menu, that would truly be a fine thing. Though when you’ve got those Bloody Mary’s and that peanut butter dulce de leche you don’t really need any other excuse to visit Gaucho’s Electro Brunch.
Available every Saturday between 11am and 4pm at the following restaurants: Broadgate, Canary, Piccadilly, Sloane, Smithfield, Tower Bridge, Birmingham, Leeds & Manchester
£49.95 pp, or £45 in Birmingham, Leeds & Manchester
£10 deposit pp necessary on booking
Coppa Club
We’ve all seen the wisteria laden cabanas at Coppa Club Tower Bridge on Instagram. By winter the restaurant terrace is decked out with festive igloos, during the summer they are draped in faux ivy and wisteria, fading from pink, to purple, to lilac and white. Add in the fact that Coppa Club sits on the river with a view of Tower Bridge and it’s pretty much as picturesque as you can get in Central London. The setting is beautiful and it’s no surprise that the bookable cabanas were full all the way through summer in a matter of days of release, but how does the food stand up against the pretty surroundings?
I took my dad out to Coppa Club for Father’s Day and by sheer stroke of luck, there was space under one of the coveted cabanas for us to sit for our meal. They do hold some back for walk ins and we got there at just the right time. Since it was sweltering we would’ve probably been a little more comfortable in the cool inside space, which is beautifully designed with brass accents, old fashioned cane backed chairs and a big sweeping bar in the middle. But of course I couldn’t resist the wisteria so we sweated it out under one of the cabanas instead. When in Rome, after all.
Whilst sat in the sun and having ordered a pint of the Coppa Club lager on draught (£4.25) for my dad and the Cotes De Provence Chateau Minuty rose (£8.95 250ml) for myself – which was bloody delicious – we started to dig through the starter options to share. There are plenty of small plates and nibbles to order at Coppa Club and it strikes me that this is a great after work pit stop for a few drinks and some tapas style dishes to tide you over as you plough through some cold prosecco. Crispy fried truffled gnocchi (£3.50), fresh crab and avocado on crostini (£5.95) and Italian sausage rolls with hot mustard (£3.50) are as good an accompaniment to evening drinks by the river as any, in my opinion, but I digress. That afternoon we opted to share the seared king prawns marinated in olive oil, chilli, garlic and lemon with sourdough bread (£6.95) and crispy calamari served with a delicious paprika and sriracha mayo (£5.95). Both were excellent and the prawns in particular were huge and juicy. A good start.
Although I’m usually one to be all over a brunch menu, we went to Coppa Club later in the day and had both eaten a decent breakfast so opted to order from the All Day menu rather than the brunch. Mains were their signature Coppa Club Hot sourdough pizza with spicy salami, Nduja, chilli, tomato and mozzarella (£9.95) which was definitely as hot as it sounds – and a solid pizza in a competitive market, though not up there with the specialists like Forza Win or Pizza East. My super greens and grains salad made up of quinoa, fregola, roasted beets, peas, broccoli, toasted seeds and chilli with added roast chicken (£12.90) was delicious and filling, something I’m always concerned places don’t get right with their salad offering. I did peek at the table next door at the brunch dishes that they were tucking into and have to say that the baked eggs and their Benedicts in particular looked very good, so I’d love to return to sample the brunch menu another time.
I also need to return to get another fix of that sticky toffee pudding they serve (£5.95), because that was good. I am a serious judge of London’s STPs and Coppa Club’s was very much up there – only pipped by my forever favourite from Hawksmoor. It was served with a good scoop of vanilla ice cream and most importantly, plenty of toffee sauce – enough that I had leftovers to scoop into my gob once the actual pudding had been demolished. That’s the sign of a good sticky toffee pudding if you ask me. So yes, happily the food and service do measure up to the beautiful setting at Coppa Club Tower Bridge. Go forth, get your wisteria Instagrams but moreover – eat and drink well.
Coppa Club, 3 Three Quays Walk, Lower Thames Street, London, EC3R 6AH
020 7993 3827
There are also Coppa Clubs at St Paul’s, Oxford Circus and Sonning-on-Thames in Berkshire, though the Tower Bridge one is the only one with cabanas on their terrace.
Luardos
We’re blessed with some fine Mexican food in London these days, and today’s rambling is all about Mexican street food favourite Luardos. A regular on the Kerb circuit for a long time now, Luardos’ van is painted the brightest of pinks, making it unmissable to the eye as well as the stomach.
Shamefully, despite Luardos being around for a whole decade now and parking up a mere 15 minute stroll from me down at Brockley Market most Saturdays, it wasn’t until this year’s Glastonbury that I actually got my laughing gear around one of their huge burritos. Not only was it one of the best meals I’ve ever had at Glasto – and trust me, the food line up alone is worth going for, certainly nothing to be sneered at – Luardos served up one of the best burritos I’ve ever had anywhere.
I’d heard about Luardos award winning tacos in the past – particularly their fish taco, i.e. the kind of taco I have the most time for, but perhaps sensibly at one of the world’s biggest festivals, the team kept things simple with burritos and nachos on offer. Whilst food at Glasto is on the most part excellent, of course there are a few mishaps and some of the nachos I saw on offer were enough to make you cry – dry tortilla chips with a bit of salsa and truly, the saddest amount of cheese. Not at Luardos of course – nachos served with all the trimmings (£7-8.50): cheese, beans, pico salsa, guacamole, hot sauce, sour cream and the choice of the meats featured in their burritos.
And about those choices: well, this is the best part. Options of slow cooked chipotle beef brisket flavoured with star anise, garlic and spices (£8); pulled pork with fennel and orange (£7.50); chicken breast poached with onion, garlic and bay leaves (£8), as well as a meat free vegetarian option (£6.50 – free guacamole, otherwise an extra £1). As you can tell, picking a poison was hard. I opted for the chipotle beef burrito with hot sauce and experienced some sort of Nirvana chomping down on the grass in front of The Other Stage, whilst my friend loved her chicken burrito so much she returned to me a couple of days later raving about Luardos yet again, having just inhaled the the pulled pork version.
These burritos are not only packing on the meat front, but are full to the brim with Monterey Jack cheese, rice, black beans, coriander, homemade salsa and banging guacamole, with the choice of mild or spicy sauce to top it all off – and all of this is homemade by Luardos themselves, consistently committed to serving up the very best quality food to their customers.
Now I’ve seen the light I’ll be heading down to Brockley Market for another soon – I’ve got my eye on their breakfast burrito which is exclusive to the South East London market. All the usual suspect fillings of a burrito but with the added genius of chorizo, fried egg and rancheros sauce. Yeah, I know, I’m salivating too.
Kerb Camden, every day. Mon – Thu, 12-6pm; Fri – Sun, 12-7pm
Whitecross Market, EC1, every week day between 11.30am and 2pm
Kerb Kings Cross, Thursdays between 12-2.30pm
Brockley Market, Saturdays between 10.30am and 2pm
N.B: Check twitter for updates/changes to Kerb and Brockley market dates.
Grind
Once upon a sunny September Sunday, I had the joy of a late summer brunch with a very generous pour of bottomless bubbles at Cafe Pistou in Exmouth Market. Sadly, Pistou’s warm pain au chocolats and excellent croque madames are now long gone, but when one door closes…there is now a Grind in its place. And I’m pleased to confirm that the Exmouth Market Grind fills the boots of brunches of Pistou past admirably.
With a brunch menu designed around mostly smaller dishes, this is the perfect place to take a group of friends and order everything to try to share. The atmosphere was buzzing on our visit, filled with big tables of friends laughing over their filled champagne coupes. The marble tables laid with pale pink and grey menus make this an extremely photogenic brunch to partake in, and a neon sign demanding you ‘Don’t Just Stare At It, Eat It’ completes the signature Grind Instagrammability in style.
But, you know, don’t just stare at it…no problems there, because the food here is too good to stare at it too long. Chorizo and smoked cheese croquettes (£5.50) were just as delicious as they sound: rich with cheese and chunks of spicy sausage in them, perfectly golden on the outside. I had my eye on the sprout spring salad with goats cheese (£5) but sadly they’d run out by the time we ordered – surely a good sign. Being the cliche I am, I also had smashed avo on sourdough with chilli and poached eggs, adding feta to the mix after a big debate between that or bacon (£8.50). Luckily for me my friend L ordered a side of bacon with her meal but found it too salty, letting me at it – super crispy, just the way I like it. The poached eggs were perfectly done with the brightest of orange runny yolks oozing out at the slightest nudge. The wild mushroom hash with harissa (£6) got full marks from L though noted it would have been easier to eat from a plate than a bowl.
Speaking of, there are ‘bowls’ on the menu, with nut granola with agave and winter fruits, porridge and coconut soaked oats with nuts and seeds on offer for those who are inclined to be more health conscious at brunch. On the other end of the spectrum there’s a full English, cheeseburger and a brilliant sounding eggs benedict on the menu with wild boar and chilli.
Obviously, we left room for afters, L getting the creme brûlée (£3.50) which was smooth with a lemon twist to it, whilst I got the chocolate hazelnut parfait with espresso streusel (£6). The latter was excellent, with layers of different textures topped off with sea salt to give it extra depth. Of course, brunch these days wouldn’t be complete without a consistent flow of prosecco, and I’m very much a fan of Grind’s styling: the menu lists this option as “Bottomless prosecco, seriously” – and it’ll only set you back £13 each. What are you waiting for? Grab some friends and get down to Grind. Seriously.
8-10 Exmouth Market, London, EC1R 4QA
+44 20 3019 7709
Bottomless prosecco, seriously, also available at Clerkenwell Grind, 2-4 Old St, London, EC1V 9AA and London Grind, 2 London Bridge, London SE1 9RA
Bottomless brunch for 2 came to £30pp.
Oxbo Bankside
I’m on a bit of a quest to discover the bottomless roasts London has to offer. I’ve written about Tanner & Co’s offering – my first bottomless roast experience – but more recently I’ve been to one that has swooped in to the number one spot. How can you make a bottomless roast even better than it already sounds? Oh I don’t know, maybe have an unlimited buffet of starters and desserts on top of a stellar roast and as many bubbles as you can stomach? Enter Oxbo Bankside, whose bottomless brunches have stormed in popularity recently – and quite rightly, because they do it well. With live music playing, attentive and friendly service and the bubbles flowing for two hours from the time you sit down it’s off to a good start. With the food it just gets better.
Visually the restaurant is stunning – bright and spacious with an open kitchen style set behind the two islands of unlimited joy. On the starters island you’ll find everything from sashimi, ceviche, smoked salmon with capers, tiger prawns with lime and chilli, potted crab and shrimp – and that’s just the seafood part. There are salads and olives, chicken and smoked duck, as well as a charcuterie full of Iberico chorizo, peppered pastrami and prosciutto with pickles and mustard. The challenge here, of course, is to pace yourself. It’s a marathon, not a sprint and all that jazz. I don’t know about you but I could fill up on multiple trips up to the starters alone, but that would be a mistake, because the main event is yet to come and boy, that’s a damn good roast. We both went for beef, but Oxbo give you a choice – chicken, a veggie option and even a fish dish are on the menu to choose from. The beef was exemplary, the roast potatoes among the better ones I’ve had in a restaurant (my standards are incredibly high – my mum’s are of course the best) and the veg cooked perfectly. The roast is worth going for alone.
But don’t get full yet, you’ve got unlimited desserts to come. Two of the most magical words in the English language, I’d wager. There’s something for everyone for dessert at Oxbo – an extensive cheeseboard to hack your way through, an array of mini bite size cakes and tarts, even a sweet section of jars filled with dolly mixtures and haribo. We made a valiant effort to try as much as possible – the cookies, cheesecake, bread and butter puddings were favourites of mine, along with the mini eton mess meringues and praline tarts. Dessert here is a big kid’s dream come true.
It sounds like this one is going to be expensive, doesn’t it? Unlimited starters, desserts and prosecco, plus a huge roast? It’s all yours for £40 pp, £28 if you opt out of bubbles (but why would you?), making it not only one of the best bottomless I’ve been to, but a steal too. Whilst I’d usually go for a later afternoon slot for a brunch to avoid my table being turned over, the trick here is to go for an earlier table to make sure the unlimited buffets are fully replenished – as the day goes on they will dwindle and food will eventually stop being replaced so as not to waste it. Not into roasts? You’re sorted – Oxbo do the same on Saturdays, swapping out the Sunday roast for a waffle and egg station and sharing style mains at your table. The only thing left to say is, when are you going?
Oxbo, Hilton London Bankside, 2-8 Great Suffolk St, London SE1 0UG
Tel: +44 (0)20 7593 3900
Ganapati South Indian Kitchen
You know the death row meal chat? What would your death row meal be? Well, my main course would be curry – an Indian curry. Don’t ask me specifically what kind because it’s been hard enough to whittle it down to just one cuisine and I can’t deal with that kind of pressure, but curry it is. I would also have mashed potato served with my curry, because mash potato is the ultimate comfort food and it’s my last meal, I’ll have whatever I damn want – please and thank you. After a recent meal at Ganapati South Indian Kitchen, I’m now thinking I should add something from this Peckham restaurant into my fantasy death row meal – specifically, their paratha.
I don’t think I’m overstating this: the paratha is out of this world. My friend who lives within Deliveroo distance of Ganapati said she sometimes orders just their paratha because it’s that good. Buttery, flaky, almost bouncy in its nature it’s so light – it’s certainly the best I’ve tried. Whatever else you order here, the paratha must accompany it.
But let’s go back to the beginning. Luckily there were four of us at dinner, meaning we got to try most of the starters on the small menu, and the vegetarian among us was catered for well throughout the meal – not a hard stretch in a South Indian restaurant, but worth noting all the same. Highlights to start included the duck olathu cooked in ginger, garlic, garam masala and coconut with rice flour pancakes; the kadala cutlet – fried patties of spiced chickpeas and potato covered in breadcrumbs, and the vegetarian street snacks which featured more potato and more chickpeas, fried. The chemeen idiappam – steamed noodle cakes which were filled with shrimp masala – were also good, but I favour all things fried it would seem, so for me I would skip next time and leave more room for the main event.
Whilst we didn’t order it on this occasion, I’ve had the masala dosa in the past and it’s as exemplary as you would expect for a restaurant specialising in South Indian food, and a must order if you’ve never had a dosa before. It’s easy to share a few dishes at Ganapati as you would in most Indians yet we were all set on completely different choices this time around, leading us to order a variety: a couple of fish dishes, one chicken and I myself went for the andhra lamb. Noted to be one of the hotter dishes on the menu, it certainly had a good kick to it but thankfully nothing that left me unable to stomach it, if you’re worried about spice. The meat was tender and beautifully flavoured with onions, tomatoes, black pepper, chilli and garam masala; the sauce thick without being oily, the coconut rice fluffy and light. Ganapati switches up their menu every two months or so, which is good news if you want to keep going back without getting remotely bored with what’s on offer. I just need Deliveroo to extend out a little further to my abode now…
I’d had a terrible day before meeting my friends that evening. Turns out all you need to turn a particularly bad day around are some good friends full of positivity and wisdom, some good wine and a curry at this tiny Indian called Ganapati. Oh, and their paratha.
38 Holly Grove, Peckham, London, SE15 5DF
+44 20 7277 2928
Darwin Brasserie at Sky Garden
What’s a better way to start your day than a huge breakfast with a stunning view of London and your best friend after a session of sunrise yoga? Okay, fine, I can hear you shouting a fair few alternatives at me, but I stand by it that this was a great way to spend a Thursday morning, despite the 5.15am alarm.
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