Two weeks ago I celebrated my birthday and as an advocate of shameless self indulgence, that meant lots of cake, ice cream and pizza, all washed down with even more red wine. At my party, a dear friend of mine announced that my birthday gift would be whisking me off to a secret London spot for a treat the following week.
The day arrived and my excitement and intrigue was palpable, even though I was secretly wishing that this treat would magically reverse the effect that the aforementioned birthday celebrations had had on my waistline. We stepped closer and closer to where X marked the spot… and to the doors of The Edition hotel just away from the busy hustle and bustle of Oxford Street. Oh well, the diet would have to wait!
Delighted with my surprise, I skipped through the doors into the grand entrance hall of this fantastically opulent hotel, and traversed the lobby bar, so large and softly lit, an excellent spot for people-watching and daydreaming on any London day or night. Sadly, we weren’t stopping for a drink this time, as our table had been laid out at Berners Tavern restaurant and was waiting for us.
As the waiter led us to our seats, I gazed at the hundreds of framed paintings that characterise this wonderful and unique space. No wonder the restaurant is a celebrated award winner for its interior. The clientele too are a unique mix and the restaurant was packed on this busy, sunny Sunday with a mixture of chicly dressed hotel guests and young, smart, London locals. The restaurant has been described as London’s most “jaw droppingly beautiful all day diner” by Metro and I must say, its hard to disagree.
The menu masterminded by Michelin starred chef Jason Atherton, is concise but diverse, whether you fancy a light snack, bigger meal, or a classically executed British Sunday roast.
I am unable to think of many things in life more joyful than perfectly put together breakfast washed down with cute cocktails in the middle of the afternoon. My friend and I opted for the full feast, obviously. I was presented with an Instagram worthy dish of avocado on a hunk of sourdough toast, topped off with two perfectly poached eggs.
Extras served in tiny, ornate silver trays, dotted our white clothed table; smoked salmon, sautéed tomatoes, and succulent bacon, each more rich and wonderful than the last. To drink we sipped iced coffee, and to elevate our brunch to heavenly realms, added two ‘room with a view’ cocktails; citrusy, sherberty, and dotted atop with delicate edible flowers.
As we finished our wonderful meal, I was reminded of a previous visit, where a couple had got engaged right inside the restaurant to rapturous applause, and Berners Tavern really is that kind of special memorable place to treat someone special. Even if that person is… just yourself!
