Given London’s wholescale embrace of Mexican cuisine, and the Tex-Mex leaning of many of the city’s tacos and burritos, there’s a surprising absence in the food scene: the breakfast burrito. It’s a strange absence given English breakfasts have made their way into tarts, onto pizzas, and pretty much everywhere else. Fortunately, The Quarter Kitchen is on hand with their delicious creations to convert London foodies. And their breakfast burritos are so delicious, they may well inspire a wave of copy-cat creations to sweep the city.
The food
Glancing over the menu of drinks, and peering at the delightful-looking pastries, you’d be forgiven for not realizing what kind of food is coming out of the place. Somehow, in this rinky-dink ex-soup kitchen kiosk that’s not quite a stall and not quite a café, delicious breakfast tacos and burritos are the order of the day. They’re simple, with toppings/fillings such as egg and beans, egg and bacon, or sausage. But they’re deliciously effective – oh, and almost everything has hash browns in it, which earns them bonus points! Spice-detractors need not fear, either, as the salsas and accoutrements used at The Quarter Kitchen are low in spice, but packed with flavour.
Head down on the weekend and you’re likely to find The Quarter Kitchen serving up a special dish as well. Previous specials have ranged from green chorizo stuffed chicken wings, to yakitori al pastor, kimchilaquiles, and beyond. It’s all bold and fearless and downright delicious. They have the air of dishes dreamed up during the week, tinkered with, and immediately offered up to the public with impassioned fervour. The specials speak to the passion and creativity of the people working there, providing an insight into the culinary understanding through which they elevate ‘simple’ dishes.
And to make it even better? They serve their food until 3PM. There’s truly little better when you’ve woken up late with a hangover. Especially when you grab a coffee on the side and a cardamon bun for a sweet finish. It also helps that the coffee, made from a rotating selection of beans from some of London’s best small coffee roasteries, is among the best in the city.
Finding The Quarter Kitchen
Now, it’s not necessarily the simplest place to find – depending on where you start from. It’s situated in the south-west portion of the St. John at Hackney Churchyard Gardens. The easiest way to find it? Head to the intersection of Mare Street and Bohemia Place, and stroll along the path into the park next to St Augustine’s Tower. You’ll find it easily enough from there.
Head on down, grab a coffee, grab a burrito (or a couple of tacos), grab a seat, and find out what I’m talking about. You’ll be back for more. I’ve certainly been back my fair share of times since discovering the place…