Sourdough Sophia - Essex Road

"Step inside this Islington bakery and into Sourdough Sophia's world. There is soft, velvet seating, there is a pink tiled bar—it is all loveliness and sugar highs everywhere you look. There's a cosy, homely energy where friends meet other friends' babies for the first time, and catch-ups are had over photo-ready Sourdough Sophia Bows—bow-shaped croissants filled with passion fruit curd. We're fans of the focaccia sandwiches, which are soft, pillowy, and won't hurt your sensitive palate. But some of the novelty pastries can be sickly sweet—a tiramisu cruffin becomes a personal challenge rather than a treat. Stick to the classics, though, and you can't go wrong. Food Rundown photo credit: Sinéad Cranna Chicken Schnitzel Focaccia This is an undertaking. We didn’t want to do anything after we ate this, apart from cradle our stomach and lie in the foetal position. It’s great, though. The focaccia is fluffy, light, and not overly oily, and the chicken schnitzel is crisp. Our one gripe is we would like the addition of a sauce with more of a kick, to balance the creamy mayo. photo credit: Sinéad Cranna Cereal Milk Cookie Cornflakes in a cookie is a breakfast food we’re very much here for. Especially when there’s a generous helping of caramelised white chocolate and chocolate chips. The malty, sweet, nutty flavour is delicious, but ours could have been a little gooier inside." - Sinéad Cranna