Bowls are the traditional breakfast vessel, however it’s no longer just cereal that we choose to fill them with. Summer was a time of smoothie bowls and acai a-plenty; refreshing, colourful and chia-seed-centric.
Now with winter around the corner, we can start getting cosy with bowls of porridge, stay full with savoury breakfast bowls and fight off those winter colds with nourishing buddha bowls. There’s something so comforting about tucking into a bowl of deliciousness, not only are bowls the ultimate sofa option (knives, forks and plates are way too precarious), London’s best breakfast spots are choosing bowls over plates and offering a one-pot mélange of morning goodness. Prepared to be bowled over by our top 5:
26 Grains
Tucked away in Covent Garden’s most colourful square, the menu at 26 Grains changes seasonally and offers delicious varieties of hot porridge and cold bircher. For the ultimate winter warmer, opt for Plum and Bay – creamy oats served with plum and bay compote, lemon cream, almond, cinnamon and thyme. Dine alfresco to take in the sights and sounds of Neal’s Yard, though it’s probably best to wrap up warm, porridge can only do so much…
Covent Garden
Daisy Green Collection
With restaurants dotted across central London, Daisy Green offers an Australian menu and arguably the most Instagram-worthy breakfast food you’ll ever see. Try their bowl of Coconut Tapioca Pudding; with coconut yogurt, poached rhubarb, passion fruit, flaked almonds and lime. For the quirkiest destination visit Darcie & May Green in Paddington, where their signature white marble table-tops and fresh flower decorations fit seamlessly into a cosy canal-side setting.
Soho, Regent St, Paddington, Victoria & Marylebone
Farm Girl
Farm Girl focuses on nutritious dishes to satisfy hungry Londoners. With a veggie and vegan-friendly menu offering both sweet and savoury breakfast bowls, it’s hard to pick just one. For an energy-kick, try a bowl of Lily Oats: oats soaked with matcha, spirulina, sesame and almond milk topped with candied nuts and seasonal fruit. Their Soho café is above the Sweaty Betty flagship store, so you can squeeze in a pre-dining workout, or, if you fancy a pamper, they have a blow-dry bar too.
Notting Hill, Chelsea & Soho
Lantana Café
Rice for breakfast? Age-old Japanese tradition says yes. Go savoury with Lantana Café’s Salmon Poke Bowl- poached salmon served on black rice, with tenderstem broccoli, edamame and kimchi topped with gochujang sesame dressing and a peanut crunch. This ultimate all-day bowl gets even better when you add the extra sides: poached egg and smashed avocado – dreamy.
London Bridge & Shoreditch
The Dayrooms Cafe
The Dayrooms boasts airy, stylish interiors with a chic menu to match. Their Breakfast Bowl combines avocado, sweet potato and courgette fritters on a base of shredded carrots and watercress, with a dollop of crème fraiche and a splash of salsa verde. Poached eggs make everything greater and this dish is no exception, salmon can be added too if you want to pack the protein.
Notting Hill & Holborn
Which bowl would you go for?