Lantana Café
Rating: Eggs Benedict
London brunch review - Lantana Café. I did it again! I left East London to meet up with a friend in Fitzrovia. Everyone knows Charlotte Street and the never-ending chain of restaurants there. Even after more than 5 years I still can’t decide if I actually do like the area or not. Yes, it’s central, but for me it is an undefined part of London, no fish and no meat and obviously not the place for a broad selection of brunch spots.
Nonetheless I have read quite a lot about Lantana Café and I have wanted to go there for a while. The “We don’t take bookings”-warning on the website let me put off the visit till summer though. And there we are.
At my arrival the service is excellent – I’m immediately asked how many of us will show up and whether we want to sit inside or outside. Outside is always a good option, especially an option which is hard to find in Central London. After a 15-minute-wait, during which I examined the small interior with its handful of tables, newspapers and cakes on display and a purring coffee machine which produces excellent coffee as I find out later, I’m allocated a table under the sundeck.
Normally I’m an “All-in”-type for the savoury part of the brunch menu, but that day I can’t take my eyes of the “Lantana toasted banana bread with sticky date caramel & praliné” in particular. You can see why, right? The choice is right. Oh yeah, and how right it is! The banana bread is still warm when being served, the sticky stuff covers most part of it and with every bite I feel a step closer to Heaven.
The coffee is real coffee. We are not just talking about dark-brown water, no; we are talking about a strong and live-improving caffeine kick. I have to laugh out loud when I see my friend’s face after his first sip of the double espresso he has ordered. Usually drinking his coffee without sugar he adds a spoonful to ease the strength and actually do his heart a favour in order to relax on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
The menu offers 12 dishes and a selection of side orders. I have to say though they actually do cover all sorts of longings whether you want to start your day with a healthy muesli, simple scrambled eggs on sourdough toast or fancy corn fritters. My friend goes for the “’Hot smoked’ salmon on organic rye toast with poached eggs, chive crème fraiche and rocket” and Portobello mushrooms on the side, which all sounds absolutely fantastic, if it had arrived at the same time. We wait. Nothing. Him being Brazilian he wants to wait longer, me being Austrian decide – service is the keyword for everything, so, where, the heck, are the mushrooms hiding? We finally receive them and they therefore accompany a delicious dish just in time.
Unfortunately the service-malfunction repeats itself when we order coffee after we have finished eating. I guess we would still sit there, if my friend hadn’t asked for it twice (yes, being my friend can turn the most relaxed Brazilian into a rather impatient “I want it all and I want it now”-Queen-quoting-guest. I love it. Just saying ;) At this point I have to say though, this might have been different us sitting either inside or in the outside area which can be seen from inside.
And there we go – off towards Tottenham Court Road, our stomachs filled with delicious food and ready to tackle the rest of the weekend. Do you want to pay this cute café on Charlotte Place a visit as well? Then – go for brunch, London!
Cappuccino: .......................................................................................£2,60
Bloody Mary: ......................................................................................£6,50
Corn fritters stacked w streaky bacon, fresh spinach and
slow roast tomatoes served w an avocado chilli lime salsa
and crème fraiche: ...........................................................................£11,00
Lantana Café, 13 Charlotte St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 1SN
Open: Monday-Friday 8:00am-6:00pm, Saturday-Sunday: 9:00am-5:00pm
Phone: 020 7637 3347
Email: info@lantanacafe.co.uk
