4 /5 10Fold “Mr Rate Escape”: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (4.5/5) | 9/10
Breakfast at Break the Fast London (Bromley Road) feels less like a quick bite and more like an experience worth sitting down for. Ordering The Works gives you a true sense of what this place does best.
The plate arrives brimming with colour and comfort: pancakes stacked thick and fluffy, hash browns fried to a golden crisp, seasoned beans tucked neatly into their little pot, soft scrambled eggs, ribbons of turkey bacon, slices of fried plantain, and a chicken sausage. The pancakes are the first thing that catch your attention airy and soft, with just the right bounce in each bite. Paired with syrup that’s likely golden syrup, the sweetness isn’t overwhelming but instead melts beautifully into the sponge, tying the plate together with a quiet richness.
The savoury elements land just as strongly. The hash browns are everything you hope they’ll be l crunchy outside, buttery inside while the plantain is fried to perfection, offering that caramelised edge before yielding to a tender, sweet centre. The beans are small in portion but mighty in flavour; seasoned and rich, they bring depth to the plate, though the tiny serving leaves you wishing for more. Turkey bacon proves reliable and tasty, but the chicken sausage unfortunately lags behind mild and under-seasoned, it feels like the one note in the dish that doesn’t quite sing.
Still, the plate holds together with balance and thoughtfulness. The scrambled eggs are creamy without being runny, the fruit on the side mango, kiwi, passionfruit is refreshingly ripe and genuinely fresh, not just there for decoration. Together, it makes for a meal that feels considered, comforting, and satisfying from start to finish.
What makes Break the Fast even more interesting is its wider menu. There’s a clear Caribbean influence here that sets it apart from most breakfast spots: dishes like ackee and saltfish or the jerk chicken loaded fries bring a welcome sense of identity and flair, while at the same time there’s space for vegans too, with options like tofu-based breakfasts or avocado and tofu toast. It’s a menu that manages to be both creative and inclusive without losing its focus.
Altogether, this is a café that’s doing something different in the breakfast scene. With more generous bean portions and a better-seasoned sausage, it could easily reach perfection. As it stands, it’s still a memorable and well-executed experience that I’d happily recommend whether you’re here for the pancakes, the Caribbean touches, or the thoughtful vegan options.
