This little gem, on the very busy Stoke Newington Road, is an oasis of charm, simple but expertly crafted breakfasts, and great people watching.
The Food:
Simple but really delicious. I don't eat bread, so breakfasts in London are often a real trial for me. However, here I was able to get perfectly scrambled eggs (I am an absolute scrambled egg snob, so this is high praise indeed). The scrambled eggs were creamy buttery valleys of golden perfection topped with a lovely rosette of smoked salmon and a chive garnish. For me, breakfast can't get better than simple dishes made with skill and real know how. This was simply the best breakfast I had in London, and one of the best I've had in years since my favorite egg place in NY closed down. I was staying in a wholly unfamiliar part of London (Dalston) at an AirBNB and having L'Atelier a couple doors down, was a lifesaver. In fact, the eggs with smoked salmon on top was so good (though not a huge portion) that on my last day there I ordered a second helping.
As for their coffee, it is Truly french and truly delicious. It is bold and very much made to order (only negative they don't offer decaf, so if you are sensitive like me, you have to stop at just one delicious cup). Looking around at the other tables made me want to try all of their coffee variations, as each looked more yummy than the next. But alas my limited caffeine tolerance, time and money did not allow for further exploration. However, the coffee I did have was truly good.
The Staff:
As the name would suggest, the staff are Mostly French, and though each one looks more super cool and chic than the next, they could not be more accommodating, helpful, friendly and charming. They remember their customers (I came in months after a previous trip & was met with a "welcome back") and are always willing to meet special requests. They are happy to stop for a chat, or let you just do your morning thing. This alone would make it the perfect spot to start ones day in my book, as I neither felt rushed nor ignored. How many restaurants can you say that about?
Overall:
I love this little gem (ya think???). Yes, it can get crowded on the weekends with the brunch crowd, but it is worth the few minutes wait so you can get comfortable at one of their rustic wood tables and settle in for a simply perfect breakfast. The one thing I would change...I would love for their bathroom to have paper towels and better organization (like a real toilet paper holder), but really that's the only negative I can say about my experience there, and it is not enough of a minus for me to lower their rating in the least, especially when the food and service are so warm, welcoming and perfect.
Even if you are not in the area, I would recommend you take a field trip to this funky and less touristy up and coming part of town to experience the best scrambled eggs in London. Hang out at one of their sidewalk tables and watch a wholly distinct London neighborhood unfold before you, while you enjoy a great cup of coffee and some utterly divine food. read more