Are you a cereal savourer or serial breakfast skipper? Either way, Elisha Young’s top local recommendations will get your morning off to a delicious start
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day’ – we’ve all heard the saying before, and, whether or not it’s true, people often feel strongly about their morning (or early afternoon) meal. Some can’t imagine a daily routine that doesn’t start with hearty food to get them going, while others get by on a black coffee for morning motivation.
I fall somewhere between the two. Although I rarely eat breakfast during the week, I’m also passionate about all breakfast-related foods. Pancakes, waffles, granola, yoghurt, French toast and eggs of all variations are welcome on my plate at any time of the day.
At university, I never bothered to make myself breakfast, but would regularly get up early at the weekend so I could beat the queue and score a slice of banana bread French toast from my favourite cafe. While you won’t catch me making a full fry-up, I also hold very deep-seated and particular views about how I like my poached eggs.
Trying something new
Visit Jian Bing House for Chinese crepes
Our lens for breakfast food in the UK can be peculiarly narrow, but for the more adventurous among you, one of the most popular street food breakfasts in China is jian bing: thin, crepe-like wrappers with a variety of fillings, including egg, deep-fried crackers, chilli sauce, meat and pickles.
In Cambridge, you can visit Jian Bing House on Market Square to try this delicious – and extremely portable – dish. Choose the spiciness level of the sauce and your preferred meat, or tofu if you’re a vegetarian, then watch as the staff skilfully manoeuvre the jian bing dough onto the crepe griddle and cook your order right in front of you so you can enjoy it piping hot.
Another favourite is Kanto, which will appeal if you’re in the ‘nothing but a black coffee’ camp. Serving up award-winning baked goods and sandwiches, this cafe has my favourite drinks selection in Cambridge and is one of the only places I trust to make a good matcha latte. I particularly recommend the strawberry matcha latte with oat milk, the turon cold brew topped with a banana brown sugar cream, and the ube cloud, which is coconut water paired with an ube-flavoured cream top. You can also grab a pandesal to nibble on – a light, airy, not-too-sweet bread roll commonly eaten for breakfast in the Philippines.
Cafe style
For a more classic take, Fitzbillies on Trumpington Street is a Cambridge institution that serves almost any brunch dish you could want, ranging from a full English to eggs benedict, florentine and royale, plus more international options like shakshuka, American-style pancakes, and falafel and hummus salad. Essentials such as hash browns and black pudding can be added from the sides menu. But it’s the Chelsea bun French toast that’s particularly indulgent, especially served with whipped Greek yoghurt and berry compote.
There also seems to be an unusually high concentration of popular breakfast spots down Mill Road: Cafe Blue Sage, Hot Numbers Coffee, Urban Larder and Relevant Record Cafe, to name just a few.
Go to Scott’s All Day for American staples like fluffy pancakes
Black Cat Cafe is often recommended for the excellent eggs, but it’s also a good choice for a reasonably priced fry-up, especially since you can easily switch out components you don’t enjoy by asking politely. When I visited, I was impressed by the buttery scrambled eggs, herby sausages, perfectly cooked mushrooms and thick rashers of bacon. There are also vegetarian choices, such as the strained yoghurt with mixed berry and rosewater syrup compote, which is light, refreshing and delicious.
Just a few metres down the road, you can find Scott’s All Day. When I mentioned on Instagram that I was there as part of my breakfast research, I received enthusiastic messages about the friendly staff, speedy service and amazing food – and people seemed to wax especially lyrical about the bottomless brunch. So, if you like to start your day with a side of beer or mimosa, Scott’s is the place to go!
My recommendation would be the pancakes, which are thick, golden brown and incredibly fluffy. But the whole menu is a crowd-pleaser, featuring whimsically named dishes such as No Carbs Before Marbs, Pescatarian and The Lumberjack, among a host of reliable favourites.
The variety of choice in Cambridge proves that breakfast can be anything you want it to be. And – regardless of whether or not you believe it’s the most important meal of the day – it can certainly be the most delicious!
A real hash of it
Want to try the best hash browns around? Visit the Griddle Bar and Meathouse in Ely and, a little further afield, The Old Store in Snettisham, Norfolk. Both offer crispy, golden-brown fried potatoes, perfectly salted with a soft, fluffy centre.
See Elisha’s Instagram @elisha.eats and read August’s article for up-to-date reviews of eats around Cambridge
