It seems like those balmy sunny evenings might be a thing of the past now autumn is rolling around. This is a bit of a shame, as The Gentlemen Baristas pop-up in Covent Garden is a great spot for al fresco drinking, dining and people watching. It seems ideal then that their spot is glass-fronted, so from September onwards you can do all that from the comfort of being inside. It’s a slightly new direction for GB, who have drafted in chef Mark Greenaway to man the kitchen with an all-day menu of food rather than solely focusing on coffee.
Depending on what time you’re visiting, there’s a varied menu. If you’re bang on brunch, options include a coffee-infused buckwheat waffle; turmeric scrambled tofu and smoked salmon florentine, with a selection of brunch cocktails to wash it all down.
Outside of brunch there’s all-day menu of crowd-pleasers and modern small plates. We dove straight into the small plates – a crunchy asparagus salad with soft egg, sprouting broccoli & green beans and roasted cauliflower with labneh, sumac and pomegranate both stood out. Whilst the salmon and crème fraiche sandwich had a good amount of salmon to cream ratio, the star of the show though was by far the baked camembert with truffled honey and crackers.
If there’s one bit of advice we can give you, it’s make sure you save room for dessert. The Happy Endings mocha soft-serve complete with homemade waffle, a double shot of espresso, and Pump Street choccy sauce went down an absolute treat. A solid spot in Covent Garden to bag a bite without the tourist price.
Open every day, 8/9am – late
8-9 James Street, London, WC2E 8BH
thegentlemenbaristas.com