Fig & Olive, Islington

Address: 151 Upper Street, Islington, N1 1RA
Breakfast & Lunch: 10:00-18:00
Phone: 020 7354 2605
Nearest Station: Highbury & islington Tube (Victoria line)
View Streetmap.co.uk Directions

Situated on Upper Street, Islington's foodie mecca, the Fig & Olive faces some pretty steep competition from the likes of Ottolenghi, Carluccio's, and Mr Christian's Deli for brunch. But there is something about the Fig & Olive that makes me walk through its doors everytime... could it be the Mango & White Chocolate Cheesecake cunningly displayed in the window perhaps? They serve a great brunch menu including croissants, pastries, toasted panini's, smoked salmon scrambled eggs, wraps, salads and freshly squeezed juices. The "Big Breakfast" is a treat for £6.50 where you get fried eggs, smoked bacon, mushroom, tomato, sausage, beans and hash brown. They also cater for vegetarians with a "Veggie Quesadilla" and a "Vegetarian Breakfast" which includes fried eggs, vegetarian sausage, beans, mushroom, tomato, grilled halloumi and hashbrown. But if you are hung-over (like we were), on a Sunday (like it was), then you can't go past their roast carvery. The servings are massive, the meat tender, the roast veges flavoursome and the yorkshire puds just scrumptious! Even though we were all completely full from our brunch-come-lunch (we were all late again) everyone still managed to fit in one of the amazing passionfruit creme brulees before rolling home. A contemporary minimalist interior with a few decadent touches - like candelabras, a large gilt-edged mirror and glass atrium - make the Fig & Olive a nice place to spend a Sunday. And if you have a large group, the long wooden dining table at the back of the restaurant seats up to 12.

This London Brunch Review was by the Brunch Book Club London. We like to visit great breakfast cafés and brunch restaurants around London and provide independent brunch reviews. We only make recommendations for good brunch places in London such as the Fig & Olive Brunch Restaurant, Upper Street, Islington, North London.

Smiths of Smithfield (Ground Floor), Farringdon

Address: 67-77 Charterhouse Street, Farringdon, EC1M 6HJ
Brunch: 09:30-17:00
Phone: 020 7251 7997
Nearest Station: Farringdon Tube
www.smithsofsmithfield.co.uk
View Streetmap.co.uk Directions

Smiths is located in hip Farringdon and rightly so. With its industrial warehouse interior, black leather couches, dj spinning tunes softly-ish in the background and a functioning bar for ordering coffees while you wait to be seated, the ground level cafe-bar is so cool you can't even make a reservation. Its first-come first-served which in real terms means get ready to wait, and wait and wait some more for a space at one of the communal canteen-style tables. Admittedly we had a large group and everyone was late anyway so it wasn't a problem to chill out in the waiting area and sip a blackberry smoothie or three. The food was great and there was a decent choice between a traditional Full English breakfast and something a little healthier like porridge with honey, or even something from the juice bar. And the smoothies - well lets just say that everybody ended up getting a second round as they are pretty damn good. Probably not the best place to try and hold a literary group discussion (it is pretty noisy in there) but a fun place to just catch-up, which is exactly what we did.

If you are trying to find Smiths, its near Smithfield Market, London's traditional meat and poultry market. It sits right next door to London super club Fabric, so you can't miss it. Smiths is actually a 3-level restaurant plus another level for private rooms. You might have to sell an organ to afford to dine on the top level unless you are one of the successful media types that frequent the establishment during the week. But the bottom floor cafe bar is affordable and relaxed, especially on the weekend, making it a great place to get over your Sunday morning hang-over with one of their expertly mixed Bloody Mary's.

This London Brunch Review was by the Brunch Book Club London. We like to visit great breakfast cafés and brunch restaurants around London and provide independent brunch reviews. We only make recommendations for good brunch places in London such as Smith of Smithfields, otherwise known as Smiths, Farringdon, Near Smithfield Markets and Barbican, North - East London.