cafe – The Cultural Exposé

Something you should do… brunch at the Social Pantry in Battersea

Matilda — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 07:57:13 +0000

You know what’s great? Brunch. Saturday brunch. Saturday brunch in places that understand how to make the unique marriage of breakfast and lunch go the distance – you know, ’til death do them part or until ‘Linner’, ‘Dunch’, ‘Lupper’, or ‘Sunch’ ever becomes a thing (although, I highly doubt it). I don’t mind if the menu’s a little more breakfast-y, but give me some dope teas, some cakes, some good tunes and just vibes and I’ll rate you. So Social Pantry, consider yourself highly rated.

This lovely cafe is on Lavender Hill and it won a Time Out Love London Award in 2015 for being the best cafe in Battersea. It’s easy to see why. They do brunch, a proper good one too, judging by the queue I walked past when I was invited down a fortnight ago.

A lovely spot with alot going on

I loved my fry-up, which came from a seasonal and creative menu, with produce sourced from the likes of Ginger Pig. But next time, I’ll try to squeeze in their beans on toast – it’s made with cannellini, kidney & butter beans served in cajun sauce. MATE.

Aside from brunches, this lovely spot seems to have alot going on with supperclubs, catering and their charity work to help young offenders, which is brilliant. But for even more reasons why you should get here the next time you’re in the area, head over to the Social Pantry website.

And check out snaps from my recent visit below:

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What we’ve been up to… brunch at the Wildflower Cafe

The Cultural Exposé — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 11:00:08 +0000

Brunch is one of the best things about weekends and we’re liking what this new cafe’s got to say about it. Based on Chepstow Road (perfect for locals and a do-able trek for non-West Londoners), the Wildflower triples as a bistro, a florist and a cafe with cakes galore, making it not only a gorgeous hangout, but one that presents its food just as beautifully. A recent invite had us trying out the charming weekend Brunch Menu and its eclectic entrees such as the divine Huervos Rancheros and a very tasty kedgeree – so one to visit if you’re a bit of a foodie and you’re after a hangout off-the-beaten track. Plus, their blood orange bucks fizz was the perfect icing on the cake – delish!
Open Tuesdays-Friday (10-11pm), Saturday (11am-11pm) and Sunday (12pm-11pm). For more info, visit: www.wildflowercafe.co.uk. See pics from our visit below:

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What we’ve been up to… VQ, Great Russell Street

The Cultural Exposé — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 11:00:34 +0000

24-hour restaurants in London aren’t exactly new, but it’s good news to us that one of the flashiest venues for a 3am T-bone steak – or whatever late night snack you fancy – has now extended its reach to Bloomsbury. After 18 years of feeding and watering Chelsea’s revellers, we expect the new VQ to be an even bigger hit for reasons we discovered this weekend. It’s mere minutes away from Tottenham Court Road station and while they can whip up a mean Cosmopolitan on the drinks front, we were pleasantly surprised that such a non-stop operation could also deliver with the eats. There’s a 24-hour breakfast menu, but we personally loved the merguez sausages with harissa & tzatziki dip for starters, followed by the grilled salmon with spinach & hollandaise (with mashed potatoes) and the warm chocolate brownie to top it all off – so visit soon while they’re currently offering 20% off the food and experience all this goodness and more for yourself…

For more info, visit: www.vq24hours.com

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Somewhere you should eat… Morena Bakery

Laura Thornley — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:00:30 +0000

A Paraguayan Bakery may not be the most standard of faire on the streets of London, but that can only mean that this new café is something of a revelation. If you rurn off Brick Lane and head down Cheshire Street, you can’t miss Morena (the brunette girl or dark brown sugar – which ever translation you fancy) and not least because of its bright yellow exterior. The owner Marianna is herself a Paraguayan morena and is a fountain of knowledge about the cuisine and culture. Her café serves up sweet treats often laced with the outrageously good dulce de leche, a caramelised sugar that is a staple of many South American desserts.

All her cakes are baked on site by her team – who are not all from Paraguay, but considering there are only 300 Paraguayans in the UK, that’s understandable. Nevertheless, authentic sweets such as alfajores, rogel (a kind of millefeuille with a dulce de leche filling) a dulce de leche cheesecake and carrot cake (with yes, you guessed it dulce de leche) can be found. It’s all utterly delicious; this is the ultimate sweet tooth heaven. To wash down the treats there is a range of coffees and fruit juices and the very authentic drink Yerba mate. The herb drink is strong and smokey and designed to be shared as a group. Marianna also serves her drinks in traditional cups. The one we share is a polished bulls horn decorated with silver engraving. The dried herb soaks up the first lot of water she adds to the cup – “the first is for Saint Anthony” she tells me, as the liquid disappears. We drink the hot liquor through a cleverly designed silver straw. It’s an unusual and fun addition to the visit but it certainly isn’t for the faint hearted!

When Mariana is not serving from Cheshire Street she can be found at Brick Lane’s weekend markets, selling her goods from a stall. But, her beautifully designed café is something to behold. Decorated with handmade brightly coloured handmade lace, made by women from Paraguay and patterned leather stools, this is a great place to escape from the hustle and bustle of East London. (Words: Laura Thornley)

Morena Bakery is located at 40 Cheshire Street, E2 6EH.For more info, visit: www.facebook.com/pages/Morena-Bakery/342434109167888

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Somewhere you should go…Cafe 1001, Brick Lane

The Cultural Exposé — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 09:00:57 +0000

Looking for a venue to chill all day and party all night? Hit up Café 1001, the unique club-lounge where you can read, write, work (free wi-fi!) and hang-out, while listening to London’s best upcoming DJ’s all week – for free! That is the beauty with 1001 – the open atmosphere invites you to ‘just be’; whether it’s dancing to elec-tech sounds with a beer in hand or relaxing with cake and coffee – much enjoyed by its eclectic mix of visitors, ranging from cultural fans to creative socialites.

The cafe’s also renown for its tasty food too (you can smell the outdoor BBQ a mile a way!), so where other East End haunts might be a bit try-hard to win custom, Cafe 1001 is an effortless spot for good eats and tunes, that’s got a little something for everyone. (Words: Hollie Hines)

For more info visit www.cafe1001.co.uk

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Somewhere you should eat…The Breakfast Club

Matilda — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 09:00:01 +0000

If you’re a fan of breakfast – but not such a fan of its usual time – The Breakfast Club in Camden Passage is well worth a visit. Why? Well, for starters, they’ve managed to solve my persona dilemma of getting my hollandaise fix without sacrificing that much-needed extra half an hour’s sleep. Tucked away behind the busy Upper Street, The branch in Angel has a sunny interior and quirky decor – also making them the perfect haven for a Saturday morning brunch, or even a dinner date. As well as pancakes, eggs Benedict, and ‘the late late breakfast’ (a full English served after 5pm: ‘because it’s always breakfast time somewhere in the world’), the menu has wide variety of non-breakfast options. On offer is everything from burritos and burgers, to fishcakes and jacket potatoes, all in hearty portion sizes. I had the eggs Florentine with smoked salmon, which came with a very healthy dollop of hollandaise (yes!), while my sister/ foodie-in-crime had the vegetarian burrito. We were both very happy with our orders which were each under a tenner. It’s by no means gourmet stuff, but what The Breakfast Club offers is tasty, filling and varied fare in a chilled environment. The staff were friendly and the atmosphere felt more akin to eating in a friend’s kitchen, albeit your kookiest, iD-reading, vintage headwear-touting friend. At prices similar to Pizza Express, this is a great alternative if you’re looking for a reasonable meal that’s a bit off the beaten track. (Words: Rachel Schraer)

Price: £££££

For more information, visit www.thebreakfastclubcafes.com

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Somewhere you should go… Drink, Shop & Do

Matilda — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 09:00:48 +0000

Much love to Culture Club member @EsmeDora for suggesting we check out this new design bar and cafe in Kings Cross! Set in a former Victorian bathouse, Drink, Shop & Do sells charming vintage wares and creations from local designers, but also doubles up as an arts and craft club and sweet shop for creative urbanites who want a casual spot to hang out after work. I think we’re in love :-) www.drinkshopdo.com (9 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DX Closest tube: King’s Cross)

Check out our photo gallery on Tumblr…

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