Modern Pantry - London

I've admired the Modern Pantry from afar a few times whilst wandering around Clerkenwell, which is becoming an increasingly hip part of London for food and drink types to head for. Just off the top of my head you have Workshop Coffee, Foxlow, Giant Robot, St John, Polpo, Prufrock, Craft Beer Co and Hix amongst I’m sure others that I’ve not discovered yet. All of these establishments are within an easy 5-10 minute walk of each other meaning you could easily start at Farringdon and head in a circle spending a pretty fantastic afternoon stuffing your face. 

The building itself is stunning; it’s only three floors but takes an imposing position at the top of St John’s Square and immediately draws your eye from Clerkenwell Road. The lower floors and seating space outside at the front make up the main eating area and the top floor was being used as meeting room on this visit. This was much to my surprise as the toilets are also on the top and as I made my usual nose around (I can never help myself) I almost blundered into in a pretty serious looking business meeting – closing the door would've helped avoid me making a fool of myself immensely. From what little I saw before I scuttled off, this looked like it would also have made a pretty swish private dining area for small groups.

Whilst I was blundering around upstairs, our coffees, orange and grapefruit juices arrived offering a vibrant multi-coloured start to proceedings. My Americano was fantastic, rich, strong and a real mid-morning head clearer. The grapefruit juice was just as I like only a tiny touch of sweetness mixed in with the tart citrus but it was too smooth to not be from a carton. The glass of orange juice was stuffed with fresh juicy bits and that all so reassuring sugary hit. 

"Modern Pantry Muesli"

A large bowlful of intensely creamy soaked Bircher muesli which came sprinkled with fresh ripe pineapple, a dollop of raspberry compote and crispy toasted seeds. This alone would’ve been more than enough to set me up for the day, for me it was exactly what I want from a breakfast – carby, not too sweet and with the muesli, which can often be very bland in the wrong hands, more than bought to life by the sugary fruit and seeds. Lovely stuff. 

"Raspberry and Ricotta Pancakes"

I’m hard pushed to remember pancakes better than this I’ve had elsewhere in the UK (or further afield in fact). It did mention on the menu that there's a 20 minute wait which almost put me off, especially at breakfast time, but honestly i'd have waited all morning if i'd known they'd be this good. They came served as a stack of 5 thick pancakes, which were almost verging on the consistency of soufflé. They were cooked well – retaining their form as individual pancakes and so as not to just collapse into a giant pile of mushy pancake dough. The portion was so generous that it was a battle getting through (especially given the muesli I’d already tucked away) but they were so more-ish they were just impossible to leave. The extravagant amount of fruit compote and raspberries throughout meant this must've been at least one of my five a day, right? The crème fraiche finish was an ideal partner to the dish, breaking up the intense sweetness of the compote. 

The final course we shared (well my partner in crime started and I finished) was one of the impressively large selection of vegetarian cooked breakfasts which in this case consisted of two poached eggs and toast with pan fried haloumi, spinach and slow-roast vine ripened tomatoes. Initial impressions weren't great as the dish looked so bland compared to the muesli and pancakes but flavour wise it was very well considered. The spinach and slow-roasted tomatoes were juicy and well flavoured, the eggs were poached perfectly - primed with the yolk and ready to explode with the merest exertion of pressure. The bread was lathered in butter and the halloumi had been really well cooked, with only had a hint of that usual rubber-like consistency, which absolutely goes through me like nails down a blackboard. Here it was thick, buttery and actually had genuine flavour to add to the dish rather than just be there as a pointless addition. 

The coffee was strong, the service was fast, food was all very good and we both left absolutely stuffed for just under £40. The addition of fruit or vegetables to each course at least made these feel healthy and as a very late slightly hungover breakfast this absolutely kept me going until dinner time which is all I could ask. If I worked locally it’d be my spot of choice for meetings and breakfast which can often be a meal that’s difficult to inject life into – they really cracked it with the menu seeming both reassuringly familiar but with an injection of their own personality.

Fig and Sparrow - Manchester

The extremely stylish Fig and Sparrow logo lets passers-by know that hidden within is a 'Lifestyle Store and Coffee Bar' and just by taking a peek through the window past the people that are often eating and drinking at the front bench you can just make out lots of cutesy household goods along the walls.

   

It'd be remiss of me not to mention the "Lifestyle Store" itself despite not being the focus of this review as they offer a wide range of goodies including greetings cards, lots of kitchen kit (everything from teapots through to plates and bread bins), cushions, art prints and wrapping paper. It's clearly an extremely well curated collection, everything very tasteful and compliments the decor of the store itself. It's always a temptation to pick up a treat for the flat on the way out.

Tucked away at the back of the store past the shop section is one of my favourite spots for a quick lunch, it's a very peaceful Scandinavian inspired place to sit and hide away from the world. Picture old wooden tables (that are fixed to the floors for some reason - presumably to keep the spacing set) and stools, clear walls, everywhere free of clutter and a tasteful blue tiled area around the coffee counter.

The drinks menu is printed onto the wall large enough for even those with the worst of eyesight to see from the tables. The food menu seems to be fairly regularly rotated and hangs on clipboards for you to browse before ordering at the counter. As well as coffees, they offer a wide range of flavoured teas (inc Himalayan Darjeeling, Samovar Orange Spice, Marrakech Mint) as well as fresh and fizzy juice options.

The twist that Fig and Sparrow bring to their food offering is that wherever it's feasible the dishes or side are served within little glass jars (clearly it wouldn't be ideal for soup for example). Whilst not entirely unique to them, it's a great little idea which is certainly unique in the NQ and gives them an identity of their own. The jars are housed in a large glass fronted lit up cabinet on the counter that gives you a sneak preview of what to expect from your order.

On this occasion I went for the sourdough toast with peppered salmon and rocket, cream cheese. The little jar had more than enough cream cheese and salmon to fully cover both slices of toast which was positive to see. The bread was a high standard sourdough from Trove which is a sure sign of quality. The even better news is that the sell Trove loaves to take away, the fig and walnut being a particular highlight.

For dessert I ate the maple and pecan tart, which was a great take on the classic. Large enough for 5-6 mouthfuls and crammed with chopped pecans and a lovely rich maple syrup flavour. I had a black Americano to go with dessert and it was a pleasant mild blend, with decent flavour but not particularly strong.

In total I paid £9.25 for coffee, the smoked salmon main and the pecan tart. I hid away in the back, read a book for half an hour while I ate and as a result left completely unwound and ready for my afternoon and for that alone it's impossible not to recommend Fig and Sparrow. The sheer range of cafes within a 5 minute walk of the NQ is ever-growing and and it's getting more and more difficult to choose a favourite, Fig and Sparrow is definitely up there.

Pita Pit - Manchester

I read an enthusiastic forum post recommending Pita Pit as a good spot for a quick lunch some time ago and finding myself exploring the other side of Piccadilly station one afternoon I decided to pop in and see if the praise had been justified. My immediate impressions were that it was a Subway copy – very similar layout, ie you order your pita at the tills then queue at the salad counter and choose what is added into your lunch. The comparison isn’t completely unfair but the choice and quality of food is definitely above that offered at their rival.

The main plus is that they have a grill (part of which is set aside for veggie fillings to avoid meat contamination) and so instead of serving chilled meats or microwaved meatballs they prepare the meat or other fillings quickly while you wait meaning the sandwich is a much fresher experience.

The range of drinks and snacks was also very broad – they had loads of healthy drink brands I’d never seen before, which is both a real treat for someone like me that can't resist trying any new flavours or brands I hadn't heard of before.

There was loads of literature lying around advocating a healthy life-style, focusing on their low-calorie ranges and even have a machine which provides free filtered cold water (with an indicator stating how many plastic bottles they’ve eliminated waste from). 

I went for a large spicy steak pita with harissa sauce. It was wrapped well and still warm by the time I got home and was extremely tasty and actually felt (shudder) healthy. The steak was very tender and harissa sauce had a real kick to it which was a real surprise – much different to the extremely sweet sauces I recall in Subway from years ago. My other favourite is the halloumi wrap with raita and extra pickles (their  recommendation) which is an absolute treat.

I have also popped in for breakfast on the odd morning i'm off somewhere from Piccadilly first thing and the options I’ve tried so far were similarly solid – the porridge with maple syrup is my current favourite but sadly the coffee was nothing to write home about.

If I ever find myself on the Piccadilly side of the city around lunch time it’s my go to place for a snack now. 

North Tea Power - Manchester

I stumbled upon North Tea Power when I came flat hunting in Manchester and as a result they will always hold good memories for me as one of the first places I sat and watched the world go by in the Northern Quarter. The shop itself looks great, if you were asked to explain typical third wave coffee shop décor you'd describe this exact place - lots of wooden tables and clean surfaces; the DIY vibe of the logos hand stamped onto the cups or the holders gives them a slight personality of their own. The staff are always very welcoming and music selection is always on point.

Essentials first – they serve a cracking coffee (every cup I’ve had has been to a very high standard) with various guest roasts on from week to week and offer a wide range of coffee shop cake staples as well as a short selection of toasted sandwiches. For those non-coffee obsessives they also have loads of soft drinks, a huge variety of teas and some US Craft Beer options which is good to see and differentiates them nicely from the other coffee shops in the city.

I must admit that whilst the inside looks great for some reasons its often baking hot inside and can be absolutely unbearable on a sunny day so I usually go for take-out. The rickety tables outside have their own charm but I’ve seen them take numerous casualties of spilt drinks.

I ordered a toasted Reuben on this occasion, the last time I had a sandwich to take away they’d somehow managed to prepare the sandwich in a toaster that must've been used for something coated in sweet sugary syrup – a real pain to not notice until I’d gotten home that I had a sugared cheese toastie (I’m slightly ashamed to admit I finished it anyway)

The good news is that the sandwich this time was good, the meat was more wafer thin supermarket slices than freshly prepared so I assume they’re either bought in or prepared on premises in a minimal kitchen. The stinginess on the meat was the only low point - the sauerkraut and melted cheese doing their job well in balancing it all, it was definitely filling enough to keep me going for the afternoon.

The maple pecan pie was fine but a bit paltry and disappeared swiftly in a couple of bites.

Finally, after spilling my first coffee and having to re-make it, I did end up with my long black coffee having milk in (despite asking for it without) but was in a rush so had to take it as was. Frustrating.

In total I paid £9.20 for the Reuben sandwich, the square of maple pecan pie and the long black (with milk). Whilst that might seem slightly excessive price wise given the comments above, it’s the rough and ready nature of NTP that gives me such strong affinity for it and despite some minor issues this time I wouldn't hesitate to head back. This is the only time they’ve made a mess of my coffee and it would’ve been replaced if I’d not been in a rush so it’s difficult to criticise them too much. Hopefully the competition from Caffeine and Co and Takk will make them step their game up slightly and avoid the minor issues I had on this occasion.

Bonus pics from the last few times I had coffee 'in'......