While on trips away I prefer not to have breakfast at the hotel, choosing instead to explore smaller, less formal, eateries nearby.
On a recent trip to London I had a chance to visit The Monocle Café situated just across from Chiltern Firehouse on Chiltern Street, London W1.
Brought to you by the people behind Monocle Magazine - the global affairs, business, culture and design bible - and the Monocle 24 radio station (click here to listen), the café opened in mid-2013.
This is Monocle's second café - the first being in Tokyo, Japan - and it is clear, both in design and from the variety of food offered, that there is a strong influence from the original.
We sat at a table in the basement and watched the food being carefully prepared in the small but busy kitchen. Service is polite and quietly efficient.
I had the Avocado Halloumi sandwich, and my friend had the Japanese breakfast. Both dishes were well presented, tasty, and represented good value for money - especially when compared to some hotel breakfast prices.
The café is a cosy setting, with many nice design features, including a private 'lounge' area for subscribers to the magazine.
I would have liked to have spent more time here but we were in a rush to catch a morning train at London Euston. We had just enough time to grab the latest edition of Monocle magazine and an Allpress Espresso for our journey home.
The Monocle Café is well worth a visit.
18 Chiltern Street, London, W1U 7QA
020 7135 2040
You may enjoy this interview between Monocle’s editor in chief Tyler Brûlé, founder of Monocle, and previously founder of Wallpaper* magazine, and the inimitable Karl Lagerfeld:
All images are courtesy of Monocle.