Sunday, a cosy café in Barnsbury, may just be the epitome of ‘brunch’: there are perfectly executed flat whites, wordy breakfast dishes, freelancers on laptops and friendly, beanie-wearing staff. On a quiet, residential street off Caledonian Road, it’s decked out with flowers and rustic wooden tables. Sit at the counter table by the front window for coffee with the ultimate London view: a row of pristine black-and-white houses directly opposite, some of which come adorned with blue plaques.
Among the brunch menu classics (extravagant smashed avo, pancakes with dessert-for-breakfast toppings), there were a few more interesting dishes. A smoked haddock rarebit with two poached eggs and a simple tomato, parmesan and cress salad was salty, fishy, crunchy and cheesy: exactly what you want for breakfast if you’ve had a few drinks the night before. Then a stew-like pumpkin, coconut and red lentil curry with a rolled-up cigar of naan artfully placed on top was warming and delicious. Every poached egg I saw and ate was perfect, so you can confidently order one of these with nothing more than a bit of sourdough.
Only a salt beef hash – more of a salad than the fried, carby meal it should be – and the forgettable Aussie-style cakes on the counter (lamington cake and banana bread), proved below par. But Sunday is a without doubt a lovely spot. Servings are generous, the vibe is great, and there’s a lovely outdoor garden for drinks in the summer. The only thing to be wary of are the queues on the weekends.