Catalyst

"Catalyst’s menu may change but their bacon sandwich remains. Wedged between doorstop slices of pan de mie bread, it’s a ketchup-sodden breakfast of the traditionally British variety, with a little onion and dill relish thrown in there as well. The Holborn roasters has a Greek-leaning food focus, so expect things like a chicken and tyrokafteri flatbread, plus daily specials, and its own groundbreaking condiment in the form of their coffee sriracha." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, rianne shlebak

"Catalyst’s menu switches up regularly, but its magnificent sandwiches always remain at the Holborn cafe. A classic bacon number wedged between doorstop slices of pain de mie bread is a ketchup-sodden breakfast of the traditionally British variety, with a little onion and dill relish thrown in as well. But there are other things too: a homemade take on a familiar fish filet sandwich, only this one features chunky goujons big enough to make Captain Birdseye blush, a tangy homemade coleslaw, and a creamy slice of american cheese." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna

"Holborn is a good, central place to meet midweek and Catalyst is the best lunch spot around. The menu changes weekly but you can expect oozy eggs and thick-cut bacon in between a brioche bun, or the city’s best take on a fish filet, as well as bigger plates like octopus and orzo, or a homemade chicken flatbread. It’s daytime-only and there’s a smattering of seats in the airy cafe, so if you’re looking for an impressive hour-long lunch then this is your place. Grab a space looking out on to the street for people-watching in case conversation dries up." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, sinead cranna, rianne shlebak

"A cafe is an obvious choice when it comes to finding somewhere to hole up on your own, but Catalyst isn't the kind where you simply curl up by the nearest plug point. The predominantly daytime Holborn spot is one of the best cafes for food and drink in London. Its Greek-leaning menu, towering sandwiches, and superb house-roasted coffee mean that you can't help but get comfortable here. Especially on one of their stools by the window: perfect for watching the world go by." - Heidi Lauth Beasley, Jake Oliver, Sinead Cranna

"Now an institution on Gray’s Inn Road on a relatively dead stretch for freelance options, Catalyst’s wooden furniture with copper accents and a window counter offer a calming, bright base from which to explore coffee roasted in-house and an adventurous food menu (the newer mural is good for when it feels like it’s time to scream.) The food here has evolved so much that it’s now some of the outright most brilliant cafe eating to be had in the city: mageiritsa; cuttlefish and peas; still, some outstanding sandos." - James Hansen