About Time You Ate: London’s Best Breakfast WafflesBy Alicia Grimshaw
Do you love sweet things? Well, you’re in luck! This week, we’ve teamed up with Billington’s for a special #BakewithBillingtons week dedicated to cakes, baking and sweet delights! Follow them on Twitter here and like them on Facebook here to stay in the loop.
Waffles are always good news – cover them in chocolate sauce, order them with bacon, or top them with maple syrup. Breakfast waffles are happiness on a plate. We searched high and low for the best breakfast waffles in London and found some of the best places to eat them. It’s time to ditch your bowl of berries, and order waffles instead:
1. For the Indulgent Waffle: Duck and Waffle
What: Duck and Waffle is the highest restaurant in the UK, travel 40 floors up to get your hands on some killer breakfast dishes. Overseen by award-winning Executive Chef Dan Doherty, the menu features European brunch dishes, alongside some pretty off the wall cocktails. Artichoke Negroni, anyone?
Order: Full Elvis – pbj, bananas brûlée, chantilly cream, all the trimmings (£15)
Why: You can’t beat brekkie with a side of some of the best views in London. If you’re not coming for the views (which, really, you should be), come for the sensational food. There’s literally not a dish on this menu you wouldn’t want to devour – try the Elvis Waffles with chocolate and peanut butter, or the fantastic melty cheese eggs dish with rich truffle and slightly nostalgic toasted soldiers. Nom.
Where: 110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY
2. For the Nutty Waffle: Berners Tavern
What: Jason Atherton’s super posh, super trendy modern British restaurant at the London Edition Hotel is a true gem, and a fantastic spot for a week-day breakfast of kings. Come here for the best pancakes, waffles and eggs Benedict in town – a breakfast in London that can’t be missed.
Order: Hazelnut waffles, berries and cream (£8)
Where: 10 Berners Street, London, WIT 3NP
3. For the Chocolate Waffle: Hotbox
What: HotBox opened in November 2014, after 12 months of festival events, pop-ups and residencies at Street Feast. American flavours meets the London food scene with their classic Texan barbecue dishes. Hotbox is house in a former art gallery that boasts an industrial, sleek decor with long communal wooden tables and low lighting.
Order: Banana Belgian Waffle – banana and cashew ice cream and chocolate sauce (£7)
Why: The dishes here are as authentic as possible, with all meat smoked on their custom-built wood and charcoal-fuelled grill. Their brunch menu is the stuff of meaty dreams. The skillet smoked beef hash with a crispy fried egg is unbeatable, and the beef rib taco with crispy shallot and chimichurri is Tex-Mex dish done good. They have two waffles on the menu, the savoury option with fried chicken thigh, or the sweet version with banana and cashew ice cream. We’ll take them both, please.
Where: 18 Thayer St, London W1U 3JY
4. For the Gluten-Free Waffle: The Good Life Eatery
What: The Good Life Eatery is a favourite pit stop for the healthy foodie crowd, who come here to lap up a bit of zen and delicious, nutritious food. You’ll find The Good Life tucked away from the Kings Road, and they’ve also got a branch in Marylebone.
Order: Paleo chestnut and almond waffles with homemade fig jam, coconut yogurt and maple syrup (£7.95)
Why: The menu caters for gluten-free, vegans, vegetarians and the dairy-free queens. The Good Life Eatery is open from breakfast to dinner with highlights including their granola, waffles to the sunset chopped salad full of all the good stuff and baked sweet potato with quinoa falafel and avocado butter. They also have no wifi, so switch off for a morning, relax and enjoy your cocobutter superfood smoothie.
Where: 20 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8LB UK and 59 Sloane Avenue, London SW3 3DH UK
5. For the Meaty Waffle: Clutch Chicken
What: Clutch Chicken is an intimate restaurant with quirky industrial interiors. They’re mad on chicken and their menu is full of this well-loved bird. Nibble on deep-fried chicken breasts, sweet and sour wings and chicken thighs. All the thighs.
Order: Wishbone waffles – morning buttermilk fried chicken with pancake waffles, turkey bacon and homemade bourbon syrup (£13)
Why: London is brimming with deep-fried chicken shops and while most are reppin’ a two star hygiene certificate, Clutch Chicken has risen head and shoulders above the rest. Their secret is simple; the chicken used is from free-range farms, they only use free-range eggs for the coating and all chicken is fried in groundnut oil, so there’s no greasy chicken here. Prepare to be surrounded by a sea of hipsters, double denim and buckets of chicken.
6. For the American Waffle: Sea Containers at The Mondrian Hotel
What: The Mondrian is one of London’s leading design-inspired hotels; it’s all-day restaurant Sea Containers is beautiful – light, airy, super stylish – the kind of place perfect for everything from dates, to group dinners, and taking your mum.
Order: Waffles with vanilla ice-cream, streaky bacon and maple syrup (£9)
Why: Sea Containers don’t play by the brunch rules, with their menu three courses of ‘American-inspired brunch with a healthy twist’. There’s no eggs Benedict and not a chorizo hash in sight, but, actually you don’t miss them. In their place, there’s fantastic salads, lots of great toast-based dishes and incredible pancakes. Because no brunch is complete without eggs, try the soft scrambled eggs with avocado, crab and cherry tomatoes, which is served on delicious sourdough.
Where: Upper Ground, London SE1 9LZ
7. For the Fruity Waffle: The Modern Pantry
What: Anna Hansen is the driving force behind The Modern pantry, a New Zealand-born chef who’s behind gems such as The Providores and PUBLIC in New York, certainly knows how to create a buzz. Since opening in 2008, the restaurant’s globally-inspired modern cuisine has earned Hansen a cookbook, an MBE and an epic reputation.
Order: Coconut and cassava waffle with pineapple and thyme salsa, salted peanut brittle and coconut yoghurt (£7)
Why: The restaurant is truly beautiful. You can’t help but fall in love with the place; light, airy, clean-feeling, it’s what you’d imagine Martha Stewart’s house to look like at Thanksgiving, minus the tribunal papers. Dig in to expertly cooked brunch dishes including raspberry and ricotta pancakes, berry and liquorice compote with crème fraiche and green chilli, cassava and Urfa hash brown, grilled asparagus and fried poult eggs. Come here for brunch and stay for their matcha latte.
Where: 47-48 St John’s Square, Clerkenwell, London EC1V 4JJ
Photo Credit: Instagram
8. For the Sweet and Savoury Waffle: Holborn Dining Room
What: The Holborn Dining Room’s elegant, chandelier-decked space and courtyard is simply stunning – come here for a great traditional British menu, filled with all kinds of foodie delights. Operated by Des McDonald and his team, with over 20 years’ experience running some of London’s most renowned restaurants, Holborn Dining Room is the ultimate breakfast and dinner spot.
Order: Waffle with caramelised banana, mascarpone and honey (£9)
Why: The grand brasserie serves up seasonal, locally sourced British cuisine with a twist in a vibrantly bustling dining salon. Combining reclaimed oak with antique mirrors, red leather banquettes with tweed detailing, and two antique patina copper-topped bars, it’s a place for enjoying a meal with friends. Their brunch is fantastic and the spelt pancakes with blueberry compote and mascarpone are also totally dreamy.
Where: 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN
Photo Credit: Instagram
9. For the Waffle, Pancake and French Toast Combo: ‘SMITHS’, Spitalfields
What: 4 floors awaits at ‘SMITHS’, Spitalfields. Enjoy a tipple in the basement bar, relax in the cafe on the ground floor to enjoy a laid back lunch, tuck into the finest selection of British meats in the 1st floor dining room or go all out and book the 2nd floor for your Christmas bash.
Order: Lumber Jack Stack – pancake,waffle, French toast and maple syrup (£7.50)
Why: ‘SMITHS’ is very much a best of British restaurant. All of their meat is sourced from British farms and served with the finest British seasonal produce around. For brunch expect dishes to soothe your sore head, from fry-ups to bacon butties and beef brisket hash, ‘SMITHS’ have got you covered. Head down there before 11am on a weekend to enjoy their bottomless brunch. Pay £15 and your Bloody Mary glass will never be empty.
Where: 109 Commercial St, London E1 6BG
10. For the Chicken Waffle: Foxlow
What: Foxlow is a friendly neighbour restaurant that everyone wishes they had on their doorstep. They concentrate on three things; incredible meat, great cocktails and a wine list made up of wines by passionate producers.
Order: Fried chicken and egg on a croissant waffle (£9)
Why: Come for a friendly atmosphere and a chilled out vibe. You know what you’re getting when you come to Foxlow’s – yummy food, good drinks, friendly staff and no prices that are going to break your bank. Their steaks are worth travelling across town for, all 35-55 day matured and cooked to absolute perfection. After a heavy night, you can’t beat their all day breakfast burger. Good news, they’re now open in Balham and Chiswick. Total brekkie win.
Where: 69–73, St John Street, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 4AN
Why not make waffles at home? Here’s how to make them using Billington’s golden caster sugar:
Ingredients
- 280g plain white flour
- 210g Billington’s Unrefined Golden Caster Sugar
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 2 free-range eggs
- 350ml whole milk
- 230g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Billington’s Golden Icing Sugar, to sprinkle on top
Method
- Sift together the flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a large bowl then stir in the golden caster sugar.
- Separate the eggs, beat the yolks in a small bowl then add the milk, melted butter and vanilla extract.
- Gradually pour the egg yolk mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk together until smooth.
- In a food mixer, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks then carefully fold into the batter.
- Ladle a spoonful or two into the centre of a pre-heated waffle maker and leave to cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve warm, dusted with Billington’s Unrefined Golden Icing Sugar.
Sponsored post in association with Billington’s for a special #BakewithBillingtons week dedicated to cakes, baking and sweet delights! Follow them on Twitter here and like them on Facebook here.
