Behold: the breakfast of champions.
And I mean literally multiple champions – this legendary London breakfast requires some serious teamwork to conquer. At the Florentine Restaurant in Lambeth, south London, customers can order a sizzling, shareable brekkie where an enormous ostrich egg takes pride of place. [Header photo: @jikmeng]
This isn’t a platter to be underestimated: it’s suggested that at least four people share in this, the fullest of Englishes, as an ostrich egg is roughly the size of TWENTY-TWO conventional chicken eggs. On the side, you’ll get all the usual trimmings: portobello mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, streaky bacon, Cumberland sausages and baked beans. And in the middle, a massive egg, with golden yolk, to cure the most persistent of hangovers.
This remarkable feast comes with a couple of important disclaimers. Firstly, the eggs are all sourced from a single flock of ostriches, who are alas quite fussy about their laying habits. That means the supply is intermittent, and ambitious diners should register their interest in advance – the team will be in touch when they’ve got an egg ready for your squad. Secondly, at £75 it ain’t cheap, but split amongst four, you should be able to handle it.
If you’re partial to oversized food items but indifferent to the umami of a golden yolk, the Florentine chefs do offer an alternative: the Herculean burger.
Putting a Big Mac to shame, this is a 2.2kg behemoth of succulent grilled meat, served with Montgomery cheese, portobello mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes, streaky bacon, black truffle, chips and sweet potatoes fries, plus five dips. Again, it takes a recommended four people to take on this particular challenge – or perhaps just one stupidly hungry man with a dream.
Ready to share? Book yourself in…
Location: 6 Hercules Rd, Lambeth, SE1 7DU. Nearest station: Lambeth North.
Opening times: seven days a week. Mon-Fri, 11.30am–10.30pm; Sat, 8.30am–10.30pm; Sun, 8.30am–10pm.
Price: the ostrich egg breakfast is £75 for four people, the Hercules burger is £65 for four people, but there is a whole other menu of regular-sized food!
Find out more: on their website.