"215 Hackney's manifesto should be “a friendly cafe for people who believe there’s life outside of avocado and sourdough”. And we'll happily go around Stoke Newington canvassing for them. The Middle Eastern spot takes London’s repeat breakfast offenders—bagels, french toast, jammy eggs—and adds a smear of tahini butter here, a chunky baba ganoush there, and liberal sprinkles of black sesame seed and sumac on every golden yolk. The Jerusalem bagels and Hackney Feast—a fry-up with latkes instead of hash browns—are real high points. Regulars stop by for a chat and the ‘commuter grab’ (a sandwich, coconut chia pudding, and hot drink deal) and catch-ups are held beneath dangling light bulbs and shelves lined with books. It’s like being in a homely, community-led library, with great catering and no noise restrictions. photo credit: Koray Firat photo credit: Koray Firat photo credit: Koray Firat Food Rundown photo credit: Koray Firat Hackney Feast The homely, canteen-style silver tray tells you everything you need to know about this fry-up. It’s incredibly comforting and we like the addition of crispy, light latkes instead of hash browns. photo credit: Koray Firat Baklawa French Toast There’s a little note on the menu that says this is “ideal to share”. We’re here to tell you it’s also ideal to hoard. The brioche loaf is fluffy but the thick slice holds up to the generous squiggles of airy pistachio cream. Shards of crisp filo bring some welcome crunch, and the saffron and orange drizzle is a mic drop of a finishing touch. photo credit: Sinéad Cranna Morning Palestine We would go as far to say this breakfast is as comforting as a litter of Andrex puppies. The bagel is chewy, the rich yolks come scattered with sesame and sumac, and the tahini honey butter will cure sore throats and heartache." - Sinéad Cranna
