Big Foodie Mission

So we leave the flat on a drizzling weekday on a mission for firm favourites as there is no experimenting required for us today. We want something familiar, something comforting and reassuringly simple. We know what we want and we know where to find it but before we start eating we take a quick detour for one of London's finest coffees.....

... and so we find ourselves at Flat White in Soho. Run by a bunch of Kiwis who know a thing or two about the bean and serving Square Mile coffee, it's the place to get your morning injection if you like a seriously great tasting kick-start.

a thing of great beauty

With a much brighter outlook on life we leave Flat White still contemplating whether we should have had another cup. Determined by grumbling tummy's we push on to the iconic Brick Lane for, no NOT curry... salt beef bagels. I've been to Brick Lane plenty of times, never had a curry here.

all night long

someone should tell them they keep spelling bagel wrong. sheesh

 I can't go past these bagels, they are amazing. neither can the hoards of people we have to queue with in order to secure one. Someone further up in the line orders 20 for the office and the whole place groans. Glad i'm not on a lunch break but I am still hopping from foot to foot in anticipation. It's only a few weeks since my last one but my partner in crime for the day hasn't had one in 4-5 years!

WHAT NO PICKLE???

remedied!

 It's just as good as always, soft chewy bagel, massive fist full of soft full flavoured salt beef, English mustard and pickle - if you ask for it. We forgot but sorted it out quick smart!

busy busy

the business end of the business

I'm still hungry. Probably because I inhaled my bagel and my brain doesn't quite know if eaten yet. The only thing to do is quickly make our way down the other end of Brick Lane for another tasty snack before my brain and stomach make contact and figure out what's going on.

yep, sweet AND spicy.

 Sweet and Spicy is a joint i've been to a few times in my travels to London and has one of those things on the menu so good that you can't believe everyone isn't doing it. It's a kebab with puni bread and a shish kebab, marinated onions and a kick ass spicy sauce. It's soft, warm and SPICY. I love them. You can get single or doubles, both are dirt cheap. there's also a special one with curry sauce or something in it which sounded like my next visit.

Don't let the humble looks fool you, this one packs a punch

They also have a selection of great looking curries, breads and rice for very little coin.

shish kebabs awaiting the afternoon rush

random photo near Petticoat Lane

 We start wandering back towards Liverpool St station and I remember the little chocolate shop in the arcade behind it. Leonidas makes exceptional chocolates, not cheap either but we are here for something I had years ago and have always remembered. Their hot chocolate. it's wicked. You get a free little choccy on the side too. I dumped mine straight in the cup to melt with the hot choc. So rich and warming, a great way to round off a solid bit of eating.

boss lady didn't like me taking photos inside of her beautiful shop

Flat White is at 17 Berwick St, Soho W1F 0PT

Beigel Bake is at 159 Brick Ln  London E1 6SB

Sweet and Spicy is at 40 Brick Lane  City of London E1 6RF

Leonidas is at 20 The Arcade  City of London EC2M 7PN