A toast to the mornings

wholesome meal

Waffles, cereals, sausages, baked beans and toast and all the other goodies that come with the quintessential English breakfast is a drool-worthy image that one would earlier see only on television or in films.

 But what is surprising is the growing number of restaurants and cafes in Bangalore that are offering it nowadays. 

Across the City, one can treat themselves to a hearty breakfast at places like Thulp, The Hole In The Wall Café, Leaping Windows, Freskka, The Ants Café, etc. In fact, the demographics seem to be more area-centric, with Koramangala itself having numerous places like Café Terra, Coffee on Canvas, The Hole in the Wall Café, Thulp and Om Made Café offering it. 

Rahul Karanan, owner and chef at Freskka, admits that he was reluctant about adding it to the menu initially. “I wasn’t sure if people will opt for it. But they do, especially during the weekends. Having an English breakfast isn’t like a normal meal. It’s a wholesome experience where you sit and enjoy eggs, pancakes, waffles and sausages unlike going to a darshini, quickly eating and leaving. It’s considerably more expensive than an Indian breakfast because only few places offer it as of now and also because the ingredients cost more,” he explains. 

Prathamesh Shenoy, a partner at Leaping Windows in Indiranagar, explains that people aren’t attracted to the concept of ‘English breakfast’ as much as the ‘assembled breakfast’. “The response is better to the idea of a packaged deal than ordering each item as separate side dishes.

 So it’s essentially the style of service that they’re going for, not the ingredients,” he shares. “At Leaping Windows, we offer the ‘Full House’ in pork or chicken, where the customer can pick their eggs in one of three ways, a choice of sides, a beverage and of course, the sausages. What sells is the fact that they get all of this together! On any given Sunday, we sell about 45 to 50 of such meals,” adds Prathamesh, who plays a big role in developing the café’s menu.

For foodies, the growing number of places serving such a delightful spread is cause for celebration. “Personally, my favourite place is The Hole In The Wall Cafe because it maintains a perfect blend of authentic flavours and the presentation of food. Places like Daddy’s Deli also do a good job of it. Bangalore isn’t really that much of a breakfast place. Such a breakfast is quite expensive but it’s worth every penny!” says Lakshmi Nayar, a young professional.

Aniket Vidyadhar, another foodie, says that his favourite place for the English breakfast is Urban Solace. “I really liked the waffles and view of Ulsoor Lake there!” he exclaims. “I haven’t tried it at too many places because I don’t know where else it’s offered. But more cafes should definitely consider including it. If it’s well-made, it’s a surefire crowd-puller on weekends,” he adds.