For those who prefer a sweet start to the day, fruit with breakfast is a go-to option. Whilst some fruits are more commonly found on breakfast menus: bananas, berries and the like, there’s one chap who is starting to pop up more regularly at London’s best breakfast spots. Adding a sweet, honeyed taste, and complex texture to dishes, fresh figs have become the decadent star of many menus.
Why? High in nutrients, antioxidants and fibre, figs are a wellness wonder and super-food – perfect for the AM. Not to mention that when cut open, figs are intricate works of art; filled with tiny seeds and vibrant, multi-tonal purple flesh. Their colour and intricate interior means figs are perfectly photogenic; they are delicious decorations for toast, tarts, cakes and cereals, making them a natural hit on Instagram – in fact, #figs has 780,000 posts and counting.
When? Figs are at their best from late summer through autumn, so now is the perfect time to enjoy them.
Where? If you’d like figs in your food and your (Instagram) feed, our top picks can be found below:
Mama Fuego
Sister restaurant to Abuelo, enjoy river views and state of the art interiors whilst tucking into Fig and Ricotta hotcakes. Maple-caramelised figs and honeycomb shards are perfectly balanced with creamy ricotta cheese on this impressive pancake stack. An indulgent showstopper. No surprise here, being sister restaurant to Abuelo!
North Greenwich
Ludenwic
Fig, chia and agave porridge is an ideal winter warmer, served in the cosiest of central London cafes. The figs and agave naturally sweeten this creamy porridge, and with chia seeds for added energy it’s an unbeatable start to a weekday morning.
Aldwych
Abuelo
For perhaps the prettiest piece of toast in London, try Abuelo’s Honey whipped mascarpone on sourdough, with fresh figs and crushed pistachios. As most chefs will attest, the sweetness of figs is best accompanied by rich dairy and this marscapone/fig combo is the perfect example of just how well this pairing works. As with most of Abuelo’s dishes, style matches substance – you’ll be oggling this one for a good five minutes as it’s almost too beautiful to eat!
Covent Garden