This weekends destination was Route, a cafe situated round the corner from Dalston Junction. I first found it on a Saturday morning hunt for a hangover-breakfast. You know the kind. Something that requires minimal effort/moving and arrives quickly. So I was relieved not only when we found Route within a short walking distance from where I was staying, but even more so when I saw 'The Hangover Breakfast' printed upon the menu. If you look to the right side of the menu and go down, you'll also find 'Hair of the Dog' printed on there, but I prefer a different hangover cure thankyou very much. Food. And lots of it.
The cafe describes itself as a deli/bistro that's inspired by the Middle East and the Mediterranean. The theme is more apparent on the lunch and dinner menu, where seasonal salads and sandwiches adorn the counter. On the breakfast menu you can go for the Mediterranean breakfast or the Shakshuka (a Middle Eastern egg dish), however there is nothing I love more than a traditional English breakfast, especially if it's done well. Other tempting offers that almost made the cut were the buttermilk pancakes with clotted cream and pistachios and the scrambled eggs and cheese in a tortilla wrap with chorizo and tomato. Though who was I kidding by even considering any other options? I came here for one thing and one thing only.
The thing I enjoy most about the breakfast at Route is that it's a fry-up that's not greasy. Actually that's a lie - what I enjoyed most was the sauteed potatoes and onions. But knowing I was eating good quality meat (I'm usually funny about sausages) and eggs made my food-conscience feel that little bit better. Plus, they got the fundamental breakfast principles just right. The bacon was done enough that the fat was crispy and the egg yolk was perfect. Joined with artisan bread, grilled Portobello mushrooms, tomatoes, beans, sausage and my beloved potatoes and onions, and you have yourself an excellent start to the day. The breakfast carries on the til 3pm on weekends for the hungover masses.
Tips: A pot of tea between two works out cheaper; we got two mugs each out of it.The service is quick, however I recommend going early if you want to grab a table of your own. It gets quite busy later on and you'll likely be sharing your table with others. Oh and they do have vegetarian options.
