Sunny's

"Sunny’s is a bright and airy coffee shop in Walthamstow that subscribes to social media’s ‘clean aesthetic’—hanging rope plant pots, dangly light bulbs, and pine pegboard shelves for status symbol bags of coffee beans. But don’t write it off as a cut-and-paste east London coffee shop. The family who run this spot are much warmer than the minimalist interiors suggest. This is a place where regulars stop for lingering chats with staff, dogs are petted absent-mindedly by laptop-users, and cups of masala chai are nursed by gossiping friends. The menu is full of classic brunch dishes, and some have been given an Indian-inspired twist—like the Mumbai cheesy beans on toast and bacon paratha roll. It’s comforting, generous food, with lots of vegetarian options. This is not going to replace your favourite brunch spot, but we like to drop by when we’re in the area for easy morning meals and golden retriever-levels of friendliness. photo credit: Sunny's photo credit: Sunny's Food Rundown photo credit: Sinéad Cranna Sweetcorn Fritters You don’t come to Sunny’s for elegant, delicate little plates—the puck-sized, thick sweetcorn fritters exemplify that. They’re packed full of sweet nuggets of corn and spring onion. We like that there isn’t even a hint of grease, and we really like the addition of chilli jam. You have the choice of adding halloumi, poached egg, or mushrooms. For us, it’s the saucy, runny yolk every time." - Sinéad Cranna

"Coffee Boxx is a brunch spot with a lot of heart. It’s along Walthamstow’s trendy Wood Street but it’s not aloof or doing coffee extraction TED talks. Instead it’s somewhere for the community to pile into—everyone, not just the ones with hand poke tattoos. It’s the kind of place where if someone sneezes, they’ll be met with a chorus of ‘bless yous’. The staff shout out, ‘the usual?’ pretty much every time the door swings open, dogs are greeted by name and pad out onto the heated terrace, and laptop users (yes, there are plug sockets) fuel morning meetings with generous plates of Mumbai cheesy beans on toast. The solid vegetarian dishes are a mix of Indian and classic brunch dishes. See a tikka wrap and eggs paratha roll. Although there are peanut butter and jam bagels for children, and a straightforward avocado on toast too. Walthamstow isn’t short of coffee shops, but this one stands out for its golden retriever-levels of friendliness. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Food Rundown photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Mumbai Cheesy Beans On Toast If you order this, congratulations, you’ve just discovered a new comfort food. Doorstop thick sourdough and tomatoey, mildly spiced beans come covered with melted cheese. And then a gooey fried egg. And then a showering of crispy onions. It’s the kind of thing we’d make if we were hungover, but it’s much prettier here. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Mumbai Eggs Paratha Roll This isn’t the prettiest or most delicate paratha or omelette we’ve had, but it does deliver on flavour. The spicing is nice, it’s a little smoky, and we’re big fans of the tamarind and chilli aioli that’s thickly drizzled on top." - Sinéad Cranna