1a Goldsmith Row
London
E2 8QA
Opening hours
Tuesday to Sunday
10am till 4.30pm*
*Kitchen closes at 3pm during the week and 4pm at weekends
After walking the busy streets of Bethnal Green we finally arrived at Hackney City Farm, home of Frizzante Cafe.
It feels like you've instantly stepped from the city into the countryside, pure bliss!
I remembered to take a photo of this unique garden feature but forgot to take some photos of the actual farmyard. The farmyard is a joy to explore, you can get up close to the pigs, goats, chickens, geese and donkeys.
As well as serving great breakfasts Frizzante also offer weekly Agriturismo supper nights and barbecues.
There's a large indoor seating area with plenty of different sized tables to choose from.
You can relax with a coffee on a sofa if you prefer.
Place your order and pay at the counter, remember to tell them your table number.
It was a really hot day so we sat outside where there are plenty more tables to choose from. With the sun beating down the parasols gave us some much needed shade.
The breakfast menu offers something for carnivores and vegetarians, the only eggs on offer seemed to be just scrambled though.
Coffee cost £2 and included a double shot, if you prefer tea with your breakfast a cup of PG Tips here costs just £1.
The condiment selection consisted of a strong line-up, I'm not a huge mustard fan but if you like some on your sausage then you'll love this place.
We were certainly impressed when the food arrived!
I ordered the Farmhouse breakfast which cost £9.50.
The hand made sausage was superb and the homemade baked beans made a really nice change from tinned, they were delicious.
The bacon was nicely cooked and the tomato was packed with flavour.
I usually choose fried over scrambled when it comes to eggs, the free range scrambled eggs here were excellent though so I was happy enough.
The grilled flat mushroom was beautifully cooked and really juicy.
Toasted sourdough, I topped it with the delicious scrambled eggs.
My wife chose the vegetarian breakfast which cost £8.50. I tried some of the sauteed spinach, it was amazing!
Having walked over 23 miles around London the previous day my wife and I decided to walk to our breakfast destination today, you get to see so much more on foot! We didn't have too far to walk today though, we were staying near Brick Lane so made our way towards Hackney in search of Frizzante Cafe at Hackney City Farm. Having visited St Werburghs City Farm in Bristol a few years back we were keen to see what was on offer in Hackney, most of all though we were looking forward to eating breakfast at Frizzante...
Upon entering - The cafe is housed inside a beautiful building beside the farm, it has a vast seating area inside and out the back are plenty more tables to choose from. The sun was beating down so we chose to sit outside underneath a parasol. There's a blackboard as you enter the cafe giving you clear instructions on the ordering process. Once seated choose what you'd like from the menu and place your order inside at the counter, don't forget to tell them your table number. You pay as you order which we really liked as it means you can leave as soon as you're ready without queueing up at the counter again or waiting for a bill to arrive. The food and drink is brought to the table when it's ready and a good selection of quality sauces are available here. The decor throughout was a mix of traditional and modern with plenty of up-cycled objects, everything seemed to blend together really well. The breakfast menu offered locally sourced and homemade items making it feel more exciting than your average cafe menu. Frizzante had a really nice calm feel to it so the perfect place to spend some time away from the hectic city a short distance away beyond the hedge. 9/10
Service - The friendly staff team here are welcoming and friendly ensuring you have everything you need to enjoy your time here. My wife went to order the food as I was still busy taking photos, not long after she returned the hot drinks arrived. A big wooden box of sauces were already on the table, this was a relief as I like to have everything ready for when the food arrives. The food arrived in a decent amount of time with a smile from the lady bringing it over to us. The team here seemed to be really on the ball whilst remaining calm and relaxed, this helped to make Frizzante such a relaxing environment to eat breakfast in. 9/10
Contents - 1 sausage, 2 bacon, scrambled eggs, Flat mushroom, homemade baked beans, tomato and toasted sourdough. 8/10
Presentation - Everything was served neatly in the centre of a large white plate with the sourdough perched on the edge. This breakfast had real impact with its vibrant colours, whole roasted tomato and chunky homemade baked beans. 8/10
The food - The homemade pork and leek sausage was excellent, really juicy with a good firm texture. The bacon was equally as enjoyable, browned all over with a nice crispy rind. Frizzante certainly serve impressive scrambled eggs, made using free range eggs it tasted superb with a good consistency. I often find homemade baked beans either too dry or too rich, they were just right here though, served in a delicious tomato sauce and the large beans had a really good texture. The roasted tomato was deep red and packed full of flavour, I haven't enjoyed a tomato as much as this one in a long time! Finally the sourdough, nicely toasted and delicious topped with the scrambled eggs and some ketchup. A very enjoyable breakfast made using quality ingredients that really stood out. 9/10
Value for money - The farmhouse breakfast cost £9.50 and a coffee cost £2. The breakfast was really filling and with the ingredients used it certainly seemed worth the money. 8/10
Veggie option - Free range scrambled eggs, Grilled flat mushroom, Roasted tomato with oregano, Sauteed spinach, Homemade baked beans and toasted sourdough.
Overall - An amazing place to enjoy a spot of breakfast in Hackney, the environment is really relaxing with a good outside space and the staff are excellent. The different items that make up this breakfast compliment each other really well, the ingredients are locally sourced and you can really taste the difference. Be sure to take a look around the farm and garden afterwards, it was fascinating to get so close to all the animals and walk amongst the veg growing in the allotment. 8.5/10
Ingredients look great but for me at £9.50 it just looks like there's something missing, maybe a second sausage, black pudding or bubble. Saying that all my favourite condiments are there (especially the mustard's).
ReplyDeleteThe homemade baked beans are innovative! Nice to have a change from heinz.
ReplyDelete