Village East

Village East

Address: 171-173 Bermondsey Street, Bermondsey, London, SE1 3UW

Village East on Bermondsey Street, a stones throw from London Bridge, is a chic restaurant which makes you feel like you’re dining in the heart of Manhattan. The restaurant is from the same guys that introduced us to the very popular Riding House Cafe in Fitzrovia, and you can tell it has the same smart, yet comfortable vibes inside.

From the moment you walk in you’re greeted by a front of house, who welcomes you and offers to take your coat. Despite looking fairly small on the outside, there is a lot of different seating inside. There’s a choice to sit at the bar, in a leather snug booth or table in the main dining area. We were luckily seated in a booth, perfect for just two diners!

Oozing with a New-York inspired industrial chic interior; it has bare brick, dark wooden pillars, exposed piping and open bar stool areas. The low ceiling and open kitchen adds a very modern eclectic feel. It’s pretty dark inside, meaning you can easily spend hours, brunching your way through the menu and a variety of coffees, juices and cocktails.

The “Village breakfast” (full English) and “Village Veggie breakfast” is served until 1pm. The rest of the brunch menu is available at weekends from 9.00am – 4.00pm. The service is laid-back, with the waiters in no rush to take your order, giving you time to enjoy the ambience of the place and thoroughly take in the menu, as there’s a lot to offer.

The coffee is roasted by Allpress Espresso in Shoreditch and has a lovely nutty taste. The Flat White (£3.00) is a good blend to wake you up, without leaving a strong after taste.

The eggs from the Avocado and Feta Benedict (£11.50) were perfectly poached, melting in the middle onto warm muffins topped with a hollandaise garnish. I’ve got to say this was one of my favourite brunch meals, beating a standard eggs Benedict hands down!

The chefs here do not just do eggs half-heartedly, these eggs were cooked to perfection!

It’s a pretty swish place to have your morning coffee, and in the evenings, there’s a nice brasserie menu for a fine dining group dinner or a low-key date. It has a number of levels and spaces – a bar at the front, dining room at the back and a space you can hire.

The menu is varied with a good mix of sweet and savoury dishes, from buttermilk pancakes to classic Avocado. The waiters are happy to accommodate changes and the main dishes on the brunch menu come in large or small sizes. Even the Bloody Marys (£8.00- £8.50) come in 3 varieties: Village Mary, Cucumber Mary and Beetroot Mary.  The service is slow but it’s nice if you’re not in a rush, as you won’t be hurried off your table.

I strongly recommend a stroll wandering round the boutiques of Bermondsey Street after to finish off your brunch date.

Brunch menu: Weekend Brunch is available from 9am-4pm every Sat and Sun.

Brunch for two diners: around £30.00 (for one course each, and two coffees).

Website: http://www.villageeast.co.uk

Author: Out of the Office Adventures. Photographs: All by Out of the Office Adventures.  Views: are my own and not influenced in any way.