Just a stones-throw from Ed Sheeran’s new London bar sits the institution that is Golborne Deli & Bistro, a local favourite that has been serving fresh Italian fair for decades. The area has grown increasingly popular thanks to its location just off Portobello market, expansive apartment complexes that have popped up close by and sweet boutiques and café’s that pepper the high street.
Pull in for breakfast, brunch or a coffee and cake, and you will feel like you have come home. During your visit, it would not be unusual for a few of the tables to be packed out with boisterous Italians, which really adds to the authenticity of the place. The interior decor is busy, lived-in and devoid of a specific theme, but somehow it works. The staff is warm and helpful, but will leave you in peace if you fancy spending a few hours with a good book while nursing a cuppa. The outside section is popular when the weather is good, with table perched on the sidewalk a rather prized commodity.
The coffee is strong, the food is flavoursome (with many vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options if you are that way inclined) and the slices of cake are generous. The menu is a mix of Mediterranean and British – avocado, pancetta, rocket, pesto, parmesan and harissa – feature in many of their star dishes. Their Big Breakfast is a win if you are starving or can’t quite choose what NOT to order – it’s a giant plate filled with eggs, mushrooms, baked beans, veggie balls, sausages and avo on toasted sourdough. Another favourite, their special breakfast combo of cream cheese-smothered toasted ciabatta covered in flaked almonds, topped with perfectly poached eggs and finished off with a flourish of lemon juice and rocket. The colourful crockery used for serving your dishes are as boldly colourful (and Instagrammable) as the fresh ingredients they use for the food.