A review of Franze & Evans

101 Redchurch Street, London, E2 7DL

On a hot day like today, one of the last things even I want to do is sit in a packed cafe and eat a full cooked breakfast. However, when the fridge is empty and heat exhaustion prevents a trip to the supermarket (the risk I might actually get into one of the freezers is just too great) the temptation of someone else slaving over a hot stove to deliver some sumptuous fare is inviting to say the least.

Arriving at Brick Lane to find an ambulance car tending to one of our local domestically-challenged, I was glad to be able to head away from the bustling street market and up the much more civilised Redchurch street to find Franze & Evans delicatessen. Languidly straddling the street corner, with floor to ceiling windows thrown open to invite a cooling breeze, you’d be forgiven for mistaking this corner of Shoreditch for somewhere a lot more, well, European.

The Mediterranean influence spills over into the decor and menu with packets of pasta lining the shelved walls and Tuscan sausages and slow-roasted Sicilian tomatoes making their way into the breakfast offerings. I went for the scrambled eggs with chives and slow-roasted Sicilian tomatoes on toasted sourdough and a latte, my better half opting for the slightly more adventurous Portobello mushrooms with spinach, poached eggs and a hollandaise sauce on English muffins with a cappuccino.

The ordering went smoothly, and once we’d extracted our meals from the ladies sitting next to us when they were inadvertently delivered to the wrong people the waitress was very apologetic. The espresso was lovely with a refreshingly definite difference between the latte and cappuccino, something I find rarer and rarer these days. The eggs were cooked faultlessly and portions were generous without being too optimistic.

 All in all it was a splendid breakfast experience, if a little pricey at over £20 for two breakfasts and drinks. Although in Shoreditch, what can you expect?

My only concern is that I was too full after my brekkie to manage any of their dribble-inducing cakes. Oh well, there’s always another day...

Check out Franze & Evans’ website.