Whilst East London in undoubtedly super cool, with the whole of Hackney to explore, the street art in Shoreditch, not to mention the iconic Columbia Road and oh so many great breakfast spots serving good coffee on rustic tables. West London, on the other hand, is perhaps better known for its parks than its porridge. West London is the famous setting of Notting Hill, boasting the biggest of houses and the smallest of dogs. It’s celebrated for shopping, museums and fancy galleries, but the food scene? It’s not always thing that springs to mind.
Despite its quiet reputation, West London’s culinary offer should not be overlooked. The reality is that there are many, many independent cafes serving breakfast food to rival even the very best East London hot-spots. If you visit the right places, East really does meet West.
Discover the sites that should be first on your Western pilgrimage below:
EggBreak
Wander two minutes from Notting Hill Gate and you’ll find EggBreak, tucked away amongst the most photogenic street of pastel-coloured houses. An all-day kitchen, EggBreak serves, as you might imagine, the best selection of eggs-focused dishes, from Turkish eggs, to Truffle Scrambled. A must-visit for savoury breakfast lovers; be sure to try EggBreak specialities like the Breakybab (a flatbread filled with aubergine tahini, fried egg, feta and pomegranate), or Falafel Waffles with salsa verde. It really is eggcellent (sorry).
Pearl and Groove
Prefer sweet treats? As a gluten and diary-free bakery, not only does Pearl and Groove serve gorgeous cakes (so good you would never know they are completely free of refined sugar and other bad things), their breakfast menu is delicious too. Try the fluffy lemon and blueberry pancakes with Greek yogurt and honey, or the overnight oats with black sesame, tahini and dates. Did I mention how pretty their cakes are? It’s near impossible to leave without one.
Parlour
Venture past Notting Hill, up to the quieter neighbourhood of Kensal Rise and you’ll be rewarded with the pub/restaurant/all-round gem that is Parlour. With a chic interior and charming courtyard out back, Parlour serves an all-day breakfast, as well as the best roast dinners, incidentally, it’s brilliant for evening cocktails too. The Full Veggie Breakfast is the star of the menu, it includes the very best hash browns as well as free-reign on the toast-your-own bread section. Parlour also offers a daily selection of homemade cakes that you can help yourself to after the meal – need I say more?