Exmouth Market Grind Brunch.

Sundays. In my opinion they can be spent one of two ways. Either not waking up till noon, lounging around in comfy clothes; eating your body weight in food and binge watching Netflix series. Or...popping out for some breakfast to kickstart a productive day. I chose the latter and went to try the new kid on the block of Grind's ever growing spots in London.

After seeing on Instagram that a new site was launching this week 'Exmouth Market Grind' near Angel I was more than keen to pop along. They had what's known in the trade as a 'soft' open, where the restaurant opens it's doors to the public but monitors the amount of covers to get the staff used to service etc. This week was also 50% off food and drink which was an added bonus!

Waking up Sunday morning ready for my caffeine fix along with a craving for eggs in any form I couldn't wait to get stuck in.

The restaurant/cafe is located a corner of the famous Exmouth Market, in Clerkenwell. It's hard to miss with it's bright interior and instantly recognisable pink neon inside. Since visiting Clerkenwell Grind in Shoreditch, the interior keeps the same theme running with marble tables, airy spaces and soft comfortable furnishings.

All of the staff are so friendly, which has became a thing to expect from Grind. I ordered a coffee to start whilst I looked through the menu.

The 'Baked eggs, ndjuga, peppers, whipped feta' immediately caught my eye. As did the porridge with roast apple, blood orange and streusel. I thought I may as well order both as it would set me up for the day. 

Usually I go for some kind of juice to have with breakfast however seeing their cocktail list, I picked out the non-alcoholic apple style mojito. It was so refreshing, perfect to drink along side a strong coffee.

The food was honestly incredible. The baked eggs were runny, had a lovely spice to them and were served with some rustic crusty bread. The porridge too was delicious. I know some people would say porridge is porridge but this was next level. The apple and streusel topping was fantastic. 

This breakfast is up there with one of my top picks in London. Purely based on the level of flavour the dishes had, the service and just generally the overall experience. 

Grind has became a dependable spot for breakfast where you know you are going to leave satisfied whether that be for a quick coffee or a full dining experience.

Here is a link to their website which has a list of their locations along with their weekday and weekend menus. http://grind.co.uk/

Thank you so much for reading,

Luke. 

Granger & Co. | Brunch in Notting Hill

It's always funny when I tell people that breakfast is my favourite meal of the day. They always look at me in disbelief. There is something so satisfying about waking up and starting your day with some eggs and coffee...well for me there is anyway.

The weather has been pretty miserable in London recently, putting that 'January blues' phrase well into practice. Armed with an umbrella, I headed out none the less to West London. Notting Hill is one of my favourite places in London. It kind of reminds me of how London used to be with the hustle and bustle of the market traders.

I've heard great things about Granger & Co, with their fluffy pancakes and scrambled eggs making people swoon. And recently seeing fellow blogger Lily Pebbles vlog, it sealed the deal for me.

Visiting on a Saturday in the peak lunch rush there was bound to be a queue. However I got seated relatively quickly and managed to dodge the worst of the rain.

The decor is classic London brunch. The huge service bar dominated with a selection of delicious baked items, drip coffee on display and a flocks of people wanting their breakfast fix.

I sat at the bar, a lot of people don't take well to this seat but I love it. You get to see the staff at work making coffee's and juices and it's a really communal way to eat.

Studying the menu, I opted for the "Granger’s greens" which had green apple, cucumber, ginger, silver beet, chia and coconut water in. It had a really fresh, earthy taste to it. Perfect with a coffee.

Of course I went with my usual flat white. Granger & Co. use a coffee bean brand called 'All Press'. Having visited their roastery in person in Dalston, you can tell their product is quality. It has a lovely rich, nutty flavour to it.

See - I told you sitting at the bar is cool. You get to see the amazing drinks and coffee's flying out to customers.

Their selection of baked items looked amazing too. With your classic muffins and savoury pastries being offered alongside cookies and cake.

Now to food. I opted for what they're famous for. Eggs. As tempting as the pancakes were, I was in a savoury mood. I added some optional sides, grilled Wiltshire bacon and avocado. 

The food arrived promptly. Eggs piping hot I dug in. I now understand why people queue. Rick, buttery and topped with a sprinkle of salt and spinach leaf. Delicious. The sourdough was crisp, bacon fantastic quality and with the fresh avocado and lemon I could do nothing more than enjoy.  

Can't recommend Granger & Co. enough. Get there early if you don't to queue but it's well worth the wait. They also have locations in Clerkenwell and Kings Cross. Here's a link to their website https://grangerandco.com if you want to look at their menu - I suggest you do.

Thank you for reading.

Luke.