In a world where avocado toast and eggs benedict dictate the breakfast scene, Caravan proves a point with its plates. The point being that there’s a time and place for the classics, but Caravan Restaurant and in-house coffee roastery is not one of them. Yes, you can order smashed avocado on sourdough (and probably be quite happy too), but why would you when you can choose from fried jalapeño cornbread sprinkled in feta and black bean salsa, split pea dahl with ginger jam, or green skillet eggs with miso verde so good you won’t realise you’ve just eaten all your veggies for the day (edamame, stem broccoli and chard).
Every dish screams spice and flavour, the coffee is as strong and satisfying as its gets, all served in a setting channeling utter calmness and control, which is why Caravan has become my go-to for brunch with out-of-towners or a special occasion. Even if that means calling small victories like “making it through the week without six meltdowns” a reason to celebrate.
But before you order the bill – brunch dessert is a concept Caravan makes impossible to avoid, offering pomegranate and custard-filled cruffins (a hybrid of a croissant and a muffin), croissants swirled with fluffy meringue or better yet, baked twice, filled with fig compote and topped with sesame brittle, aka the fanciest fig croissant you’ll ever eat.
Address: Yalding House, 152 Great Portland St, London W1W 6AJ (favourite location)