202 Café – London, England (7.5/10)
Jul 2nd, 2009 by admin
Background:
When our Canadian friends wanted to go to Notting Hill on a Saturday, my immediate thought revolved around where to have lunch. I normally either avoid Notting Hill altogether on the weekends or ensure that I have a reservation. However, because this was such a spontaneous outing, the lunch venue also had to be decided on the day. I had a couple of options in mind, Tom’s Deli and Ottolenghi, but fortunately our friends wanted to return to a place they’d visited last time they were in London. And I was more than happy to try a new place. It turned out to be Nicole Farhi’s 202 Café, which has been around for a few years now. When I first read about it, I was a little skeptical about dining in a home furnishings store. However, I was to be proven wrong.
First impressions:
Reservations are only accepted for dinner, but when we checked in the morning, the waiter reassured us that the wait for lunch would only be 5 or 10 minutes. Returning at 1pm exactly, the wait was exactly that, 10 minutes. We were first in the queue, and others behind us had to endure a far longer wait. Seated at one of the best tables and far away from the queue, we proceeded to enjoy a pleasant and relaxing lunch. I was impressed with the service, given how busy the café was. The waiters were efficient and polite and responded to every request positively, whether it was tap water with ice and lime wedges, or espresso with water served on the side.
Menu:
The breakfast menu ends at noon, to be replaced by the brunch menu. There was a selection of twelve to fourteen mains, plus a few daily specials on the board (including a Kobe burger for just £15.95?!). Most dishes sounded light and appealing and very ‘New York brunch’ (how I miss those). In the end, we settled for two fish and chips with mushy peas (£12.50), having established that the fish was haddock and not endangered cod, and two portions of smoked haddock fish cakes with spinach, poached egg and chive sauce (£11.95). I must also recommend the white hot chocolate, of which I had two cups.
The chips were thick-cut and delicious, the mushy peas so light and fresh, but unfortunately the batter was too thick for the piece of fish. However, the star dish has to be the smoked haddock fish cakes. Two enormous cakes arrived on each plate. I would have been perfectly content if just one had arrived with a side salad, but to be served two for brunch was a real treat. Every mouthful of delectable chunky fish and potato was slowly savoured. The poached egg wasn’t quite soft and runny enough for my taste, but with such incredible fish cakes, I wasn’t going to grumble.
The verdict:
I could never afford to buy more than a spoon at Nicole Farhi (okay, I do own a skirt from many seasons ago), but brunch is perfectly do-able, and a pleasant experience. Despite the packed tables, the waiters remained remarkably calm and catered to our every (quirky) need. I very much appreciate good service, which should be the accepted norm rather than something I write about with amazement. After 1pm, the queues are unbearably long, so time your arrival unless you like observing others eat. While tucking into my fishcakes, I reminisced about the two years I spent enjoying leisurely weekend brunches in Manhattan. 202 is a pretty good NYC substitute in London. Please let me know if there are other great brunch places in London that you recommend!
Brunch for 4 including wine, coffees, hot chocolates and service charge cost £90.
10 – Perfection, 9.5 – Sensational, 9 – Outstanding, 8.5 – Superb,
8 – Excellent, 7.5 – Very Good, 7 - Good, 6.5 - Above Average, 6 – Average
All the London restaurant reviews on World Foodie Guide
Contact details:
202 Café
202-204 Westbourne Grove
London W11 2RH
Tel: 020 7792 6888
Opening Hours
Sunday: 10am – 5pm
Monday: 10pm – 6pm
Tue/Saturday: 8:30am – 10:30pm
Breakfast until 12pm
Brunch until 4pm
Helen Yuet Ling Pang @ World Foodie Guide
Just as well you were seated from, and I hope, where the great shot of the dining room was taken. I hate being fenced in. As for brunch suggestions Gallery Mess Cafe hits all the right notes.
Wow both pics of the dishes you have look like the perfect way to start the day. I am really enjoying the fish and chip shot as I certainly miss those and its something when I order in the States that I am usually disappointed in, and of course I love smoked haddock so those cakes look divine. If I lived in London I may be a constant figure at 202.
Hi,
Glad you had a good time at 202. We went there a few months ago and I agree that the service was pretty good considering how busy they are. As a former New Yorker (okay, I wasn’t born there but lived there for a while), I didn’t find the brunch we had to be all that great. In the same neighborhood, I prefer the relatively newly-opened Daylesford Organic, Raoul’s (their Italian eggs are bright orange and good) and Lucky Seven. Another perennial favorite of mine for brunch/lunch is Violette Cafe in Belsize Park. I have been going there for about 10 years now, and the brunch fare is pretty good and consistent. They also have good, big fresh juices and some good specials of the day which tend to be more lunchy with Eastern European elements to them. Other brunch favorites that are more central are Automat, The Wolseley (which can be hit or miss), or The Providores on MHS. Your blog is great, keep up the good work.
All the best,
LF
I’ve been a few times for brunch on a Sunday having first learned about it after eating at the one in Manhattan. Both very similar with perhaps the room in New York a bit bigger but I think it’s only one level whereas I think London has a downstairs.
Foodwise, both were similar but Manhattan was more memorable for me as I had an amazing steak sandwich there.
Whenever I’ve been to the London one it’s always been full of the areas yummy mummy’s and their husbands and Ralph Lauren clad children. Always a nice atmosphere though and I agree about the waiters – always good even considering it gets very busy. Never sat outside but I can imagine that would be rather nice on a sunny day. For the area I’ve always found it quite reasonable too.
Fat Les – I’m just like you! When I make a booking, I always ask to be to the side of a restaurant, rather than in the middle. I need a wall behind my back…
OysterCulture – I’m getting hungry looking at the fishcakes and remembering how good they were (and I’ve just had lunch!). It is a nice place to have a rest if you’re out and about in Notting Hill, so when you come to London…
Laissez Fare – hello! Thanks for all these brunch recs, they’re great, and most welcome. I did contemplate Daylesford, but the wait would have been too long at lunchtime, without forward planning. I love The Wolseley and Providores and Tapa Room!
Patrick – thanks for the comparisons on the two branches, most useful! I was pleasantly surprised by my visit, even though it’s never been on my restaurant wishlist. I’ll know where to go in the future…
Helen Yuet Ling
I’ve never heard of this place before, but then again I rarely venture out west. I love brunch, it’s one of my favourite meals of the day and not enough places do a good one. Similarly, I’ve not heard of many places doing decent fishcakes, so you really struck gold!
Lizzie – I rarely venture out west either. It’s a good place to bear in mind if you’re in that part of town, and Daylesford Organic (even more pricey I should imagine) is right next door. These fishcakes were superb and you would have liked them. None of that mush here, but substantial pieces of fish.