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There’s a branch called Megan’s near my flat. They are a popular Antipodean chain, mainly based in central London and usually when I walk past every Saturday morning I see a monster queue. There is no denying: we Britons really love brunch.
If you whisper the word ‘brunch’ to me, I’ll imagine exactly the same thing as pretty much every other person between the ages of 20 and 40: flat whites, eggs benedict, bottomless prosecco. It’s essentially single plates heaped with conventional breakfast food.
Recently though, I have made a life-changing discovery that has made me say bye-bye to smashed avocado on toast. Clapham Common has a secret neighbourhood spot that has officially broken London’s bacon and eggs rut.
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Introducing: Willows. Located right opposite Megan’s, this newly opened restaurant and deli is slowly making headlines.
The concept is simple. You arrive and build your own brunch board. Choose from between three to five items, with each dish following a theme such as bakery or dairy. It’s based on the more traditional charcuterie board, but swaps out carrot sticks for banana bread.
I start with a basic yet classic brunch beverage: an oat latte (£3.60). I could have opted for a Bloody Mary (£9), but they offer alternative breakfast cocktails such as Bakewell Martini (£12) or Kiwi Margarita (£11.50). Each one looked so inviting I could have ordered the entire drinks menu for myself.
It was then time to officially ‘build’ my brunch board. I fill out my customer form, opting for seeded sourdough, streaky bacon, grapefruit with herb sugar, and fennel salami with caperberries (4 pieces for £16). Sadly with my intolerances I couldn’t have any dairy options, but we move on.
I didn’t have to wait long. Half way through my latte my brunch board is presented to me, and my heart starts beating like a trapped bird inside my chest. Truly, it was a splendid sight to behold.
Everything looked so aesthetically pleasing and colourful. The pink grapefruit was glistening with fresh juice, and the bacon wasn’t too oily that it would cause my arteries to clog up. Most importantly, there was tonnes of food to eat and I couldn’t wait to get stuck in.
Starting with the sourdough, it was fresh and pillowy. I paired it with a slice of fennel salami, and a smile grew across my face. I suddenly feel like I have been transported to Spain munching on shareable tapas, and I never wanted to leave.
The bacon was cooked to perfection and wasn’t too dry that it needed to be lubricated with ketchup. Finally the grapefruit was the ideal accompaniment to wash everything down, although I feel like I butchered it with my fork. Nevertheless, it was sweet and did the job.
With a full heart and belly, I truly knew what it felt like to ‘brunch like a king.’ This entire board was immaculate and delightful – and what’s even better is there is no limit to the creativity and breadth of options. I knew I could come back next week and switch it all up.
This place also doesn’t stop at breakfast and lunch. You can visit in the evening for cheese and charcuterie boards, along with mouth-watering plates such as baked baron bigod, salmon rillette with crispbread and braised greens.
Willows have done the job properly on refining brunch, making it a meal that’s as epicurean as going out for dinner. It offers a more exciting, diverse style of eating and it deserves to be making headlines. The cult of brunch has moved on.
Location: 11 The Polygon, London, SW4 0JG
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