Ozone Cafe: Restaurant Recommendation



It was that good I kind of don't want people to know about this place. You see, what I think will happen is that it'll get hugely busy then I won't be able to go, or have to queue for hours. Does that make me a bad person?

 

The service was excellent; funny, helpful, laidback but there when you needed them, the smell as you enter was enticing, the coffee ridiculously good and the food top standard. First in, so I could have a good nose, I was greeted warmly (then they jokingly threatened to throw me down the stairs) and seated in their front window area to wait for the rest of my party. Served a delicious flat white by their quietly-grooving-to-the-background-music barista, it was nice to watch the rhythm that only a busy hospitality spot has. I do miss the friendliness of working in restaurants.

 

 

Seated downstairs (near the coffee roasting machine!) we all opted for the Eggs Benedict (our favourite) with either Bacon or Salmon (our choices, they have other options), served a-top bubble and squeak cakes and the richest béarnaise I've had the pleasure of trying. We were barely a few forkfuls in before we were planning our next visit - that's how good it was. The bubble & squeak cakes especially - soft fluffy potatoes encased in a golden crumb was a lovely balance to the rich oozy eggs, savoury smoky bacon and béarnaise. 

 

 

We also decided to spoil ourselves, and have a brunch dessert (bressert?) which was shared - the daily special of brioche French Toast, Strawberries, citrus couli and cream fraiche. Light, decadent with the soft top-notes of strawberry. My mouth is watering all over again.

 

 

Upstairs there is also a variety of less mischievous brunch items - croissants, kiwi & choc-chip muffins, snow-balls (another kiwi sweet treat) and loads of other items. These came served on enamel plates which we squealed over - childhood memories of camping holiday food served on enamel plates.

 

 

  

Great atmosphere, quick hot food, relaxed service (they let us sit on our downstairs table until we were ready to leave) funky surrounds and delicious creamy coffee all a stone's throw from Old Street tube station. Ahhh, heaven. 

 

The ladies with whom I brunch (all lovely Kiwi lasses) unanimously declared this our top favourite Kiwi brunch location in London so far. And there are a surprising amount of them dotted throughout the UK capital.

 

For further information, check out their website. They also wholesale their coffee - sadly I didn't have enough bag space to get any, but I really need an excuse to go back. The only problem is I want to try everything and would like to go back and maybe people-watch the hipsters from their booth seating.

I'd get there fairly early though - it's a popular place already (*sigh*). You don't even have to have the full menu, there are perch-y seats that you can order a coffee and a muffin and have a gossip on.

Just to be clear, I was in no way comped for this, they had no idea who we were and we paid for everything ourselves, we just loved it.