London’s Best: Avocado on Toast on the Victoria LineBy Alicia Grimshaw
Yeah, we went there. We went niche. Really niche.
Avocado on toast has been spreading onto London’s menus like some kind of breakfast rash, and we won’t lie – we’re big fans of the healthy fats. But with so many avocado on toast creations now available in our fair city, writing a guide would’ve been colossal. So we came up with a solution: tube lines. If you’re a fan of the Victoria line (who isn’t? It’s fast and feels slightly like a space ship), then read on to discover the finest avocado numbers from Walthamstow to Brixton.
Avocado on Toast: Walthamstow
Order: Avocado on toasted sourdough with smoked Maldon sea salt, cracked black pepper, lemon and sumac (£5)
The Lowdown: Wood Street Coffee feels like a lovely, little conservatory teaming with plants and other sorts of foliage. It’s an ideal spot for freelancers; light, airy and super efficient wifi. Their coffee tastes like sweet, sweet nectar and their brunch menu features all kinds of tasty morsels like the veggie breakfast and their mega avo on toast. Come for the coffee, stay for the vibes.
Flavour Wins: Smoked salt is the real winner here and works wonders with the sour-but-fruity sumac.
Where: Blackhorse Workshop, 1-2 Sutherland Rd Path, Walthamstow, London E17 6BX
Avocado on Toast: Finsbury Park
Order: Avocado on toast with rose harissa and chèvre (£6)
The Lowdown: Fink’s Sweet and Salt is one of Finsbury Park’s brunch hotspots – this place is jumping at the weekends and it’s well worth the queue. The short, but concise menu features well-loved brunch bites like bircher muesli, granola and toast with heaps of sweet and savoury toppings. Their avo on toast is a classic; creamy cheese, spicy harrisa – all served on knockout, toasted Balthazar bread. It’s dreamy AF.
Flavour Wins: Cheese and avocado will never not be good. And they don’t scrimp on the slices either.
Where: 70 Mountgrove Road, London N5 2LT
Avocado on Toast: Highbury and Islington
Order: Avocado on Toast (£5)
The Lowdown: Vagabond N7 is an angel sent from heaven to supply the Highbury and Islington area with absurdly good coffee and brunch dishes of utter joy. There’s a great selection of dairy-free milks to choose from, and their iced coffees are killer. Their avocado on toast creation is a ode to the simple things in life – bread, avocado, and a hit of salt a pepper – no fuss, no frills. (Side note: the veggie fry is really good too).
Flavour Wins: Simple. Classic. Delicious.
Where: 105 Holloway Rd, London N7 8LT
Avocado on Toast: King’s Cross
Order: Smashed avocado with pickled red onion, pumpkin seeds, sprouts, and manouri (£8)
Where: 1 Granary Square, Kings Cross, London N1C 4AA
Order: Avocado, lemon, chilli and a poached egg (£8.45)
The Lowdown: A cafe/bar/live music venue, Spiritland nestled just round the corner from Granary Square is an everything-under-one roof establishment with a tasty breakfast menu to boot. Everything they do is simple, but well done, such as egg with soldiers and bacon butties with red or brown sauce. Stick a poached egg on avocado, and you know you’re in for a good time. They source the food from local, family-owned suppliers and butchers, so it’s all good stuff.
Flavour Wins: Good heat. Good sturdy toast. Just really good.
Where: 9 – 10 Stable St, Kings Cross, London N1C 4AB
Avocado on Toast: Warren Street
Order: Crushed avocado with two poached eggs on toast (£10)
Where: 10 Berners St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3NP
Avocado on Toast: Oxford Circus
Order: Avocado on toast with a poached egg (£10)
The Lowdown: You come to Dean Street for vibe as much as the food. Surrounded by suited and booted ladies who brunch, you can’t help but feel totally at ease in the swanky oak furnishing and pretty, refined decor. This is a proper British establishment, with a proper British breakfast menu; grilled Manx kippers, kedergee and full English breakfasts all feature.
Flavour Wins: Not overly fussy, just really, really tasty. And actually, it’s just the way we like it.
Where: 69 – 71 Dean St, Soho, London W1D 3SE
Avocado on Toast: Green Park
Order: Mashed Avocado on toasted foccacia (£10.50)
The Lowdown: The Wolseley is timeless, elegant, and a pilgrimage for any brunch lover. The cafe-restaurant celebrates the best of British food and ingredients, all served in the grand European inspired dining room. The concise brunch menu is full of classic mid-morning dishes, including their amazing buttermilk pancakes, and this healthy fat beauty.
Flavour Wins: Focaccia is a welcome change from sourdough – and there’s a great chunk going on. Brunch perfection.
Where: 160 Piccadilly, St. James’s, London W1J 9EB
Photo Credit: David Loftus
Avocado on Toast: Victoria
Order: Two poached free range eggs on charcoal bread with house-made chilli pesto, avocado and cucumber ribbon (£9.50)
The Lowdown: Inspired by the warmer climes of Australia, Timmy Green in the Nova Food development is an Antipoedean-style all-day eatery whipping up brunch greats with a twist. Take their avo number; served on toasted charcoal toast (the latest culinary thing, apparently) and pimped up with house-made chilli pesto for a subtle, fiery kick. If you haven’t already tried their epic banana bread sandwich, get your chops round it. Immediately.
Flavour Wins: The charcoal bread adds a nice little crunch and the avocado and pesto is a lovely pairing.
Where: 79 Buckingham Palace Rd, Westminster, London SW1W 0AJ
Order: Avocado on sourdough with salmon, eggs, salsa, hazelnut and seed dukkah (£11)
The Lowdown: Sister site to Riding House Cafe in Soho, Rail House Cafe is a place Victoria was crying out for. Banging out excellent coffee and stella brunch bites, Rail House Cafe’s menu features everything from veggie fry ups to eggs Benny and the ultimate brunch dish: the Benedict burger. It’s like a burger/eggs Benedict hybrid and it’s delicious.
Flavour Wins: The salmon is a welcome treat, and the hazlenuts and seed dukkah adds some Middle Eastern flavours into the mix.
Where: 8 Sir Simon Milton Square, Victoria, London SW1E 5DJ
Avocado on Toast: Pimlico
Order: Avocado, feta, lime and chilli on smoky aubergine topped sourdough toast (£7.95)
The Lowdown: No 11 Pimlico Road looks fresh out of a design catalogue – think marble counter tops, a central wrap-around bar and plush velvet sofas. While the interiors will make you drool, so will their menu; well-loved eats include creamy field mushrooms on toast with tarragon, truffle and crème fraiche, and blueberry ricotta pancakes slathered with maple crème fraiche. Portion size for their avocado on toast is plentiful and the generous helping of feta makes this breakfast dish a certified banger.
Flavour Wins: Salty, cheesy and a lot of avocado. Yum.
Where: 11 Pimlico Rd, Belgravia, London SW1W 8NA
Avocado on Toast: Vauxhall
Order: Avocado on toast with poached eggs and toasted sesame (£9)
The Lowdown: Oh Brunswick House Cafe, how we love your Georgian features and grand, slightly Adams family-style setting – this is all-day restaurant done very, very well. Young crowds of hungry brunchers frequent this popular haunt at weekends, and we don’t blame them. Their toasted gingerbread served with salted butter is basically a dessert for breakfast – and we’re totally ok with that.
Flavour Wins: Spicy. Creamy. Fabulous.
Where: 30 Wandsworth Road, Vauxhall, London SW8 2LG
Avocado on Toast: Brixton
Order: Smashed avocado, seeds and chilli (£6)
The Lowdown: If you know your beans, you’ll know about Federation Coffee. Located in Brixton Market, Federation Coffee may be small in size, but they deliver big flavours when it comes to speciality coffee. They serve a serve a range of croissants, pastries, grilled cheese sandwiches and sweets, made by local producers in the surrounding areas, including Brick House Bakery and the Little Bread Pedlar.
Flavour Wins: In order for your face not to melt, we say, cut the chilli chunks in half. You’ll thank us later.
Where: 77-78, Brixton Village and Market Row, Coldharbour Ln, Brixton, London SW9 8PS
