Last Sunday before going to the matinee performance of The Lion King we made our way into our favourite part of London, Covent Garden, for brunch at Kopapa. When Shannon and I were planning Brendan’s surprise day a few months ago we decided brunch before the theatre would be fun, so I googled ‘best brunch in London’ and found this page on Timeout.com. I liked the sound of Kopapa, and Shannon confirmed that it is a brilliant brunch spot, having been there many times herself.
Located on the same street as our favourite coffee shop in London, Kopapa sits on the corner of one of the roads that converges on the seven dials monument in Covent Garden. The interior is simplistic, but warm and inviting, and the menu is both unique and extensive. As soon as we sat down I ordered a latte, hoping they would use my favourite Monmouth beans, seeing that they are located so close to the coffee shop. I was not disappointed; the coffee was smooth & rich, the milk steamed perfectly and finished with a fern shape…I never cease to be impressed by latte art!
source: mueslilover.com
When we looked at the menu I was pleasantly surprised to see a number of sweet or egg-free options. Usually due to my extremely inconvenient aversion to eggs, I’m left with one or possibly two options on brunch menus, and often that option is something like porridge that I could get at Pret for £2.25. I ummed and ahhed over the exotic sounding dishes available, but settled on the Kopapa variation of French toast: “Spiced banana French toast with orange blossom labne, tamarind raisin relish, grilled bacon & orange vanilla syrup”. I obviously ordered it sans bacon because, let’s face it, no sweet dish should EVER be compromised by bacon (cue gasps of outrage and shock from many of my readers). Yes, I’m fussy. I know. Let’s move on.
source: mueslilover.com
Oh! My! Goodness! This was possibly the best brunch I’ve ever eaten, and most definitely the best French toast I’ve tried. Labne, I discovered, is a type of strained Greek yoghurt that was the perfect alternative to cream or crème fraîche, and the flavours of banana, orange blossom, tamarind and raisin combined to create sweet perfection. I also ordered a side of chorizo (random combo, I know, but I just love chorizo) which was tasty and just a little bit crispy along the edges. I was seriously in heaven!
Brendan ordered the Kopapa version of eggs benedict, “Hot-smoked salmon on toasted sourdough with spinach, 2 poached eggs & yuzu hollandaise” and was also really impressed – eggs benedict is his test for a good brunch, and I think this particular dish passed with flying colours!
source: munchkie.wordpress.com
I honestly can’t fault this restaurant’s brunch: the service was fantastic, the food and coffee were outstanding and the prices were reasonable. Our two dishes, two coffees, a side of chorizo and service charge came to around £35…not cheap, but not too expensive by London standards. Please do pay Kopapa a visit if you’re looking for a great brunch location in central London.
Read about two other great brunch spots I’ve visited here: Roast & Le Petit Boulanger. What is your favourite brunch restaurant in London?
