Caravan Exmouth Market — Restaurant in London

Caravan Exmouth Market Review (300 words)

Located at 11–13 Exmouth Market, Caravan has been a fixture since 2010, serving globally-inspired all-day food, freshly roasted coffee and cocktails in a bright, industrial-chic space . Its corner spot with floor-to-ceiling windows and a summer terrace creates a lively, communal vibe amid the Clerkenwell market bustle.

The menu invites mixing small and large plates drawn from a fusion of flavours—from Middle Eastern tahini to East Asian miso and New World spice. Highlights include jamón and smoked San Simón croquettes with saffron aioli, wet‑market‑style salads, and the green quinoa bowl packed with miso-tinged broccoli  . The SquareMeal review applauds its creativity and vegetarian-friendly options, while Gayot praises its small‑plate fusion approach . Dishes like crispy soft-shell crab and Sichuan pepper squid in the early review captured adventurous palates .

Coffee lies at Caravan’s heart—the on-site roastery ensures standout flat whites and espressos, earning loyal fans . On weekdays the breakfast menu is a robust draw, with cornbread French toast and golden-milk granola singled out as favourites .

Service and atmosphere tend to be friendly and buzzing, though at times busy and noisy during peak hours, and staff can feel slightly overstretched . One recent TripAdvisor guest praised the swift, considerate response to a brunch mishap, highlighting solid customer care .

Criticisms often centre on portion sizes versus price—the modern‑European dishes, while inventive, occasionally feel underwhelming for the cost, especially mains like schnitzels or fish . Nonetheless, value-conscious diners appreciate the breadth of dietary options and thoughtful presentation.

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Bottom line: Caravan Exmouth Market offers a vibrant all-day dining experience with globally-inspired dishes, artisan coffee and a lively atmosphere. Ideal for brunch or sharing small plates with friends—but be ready for a bustling crowd and portion sizes that match the...

I had been here so many times throughout the years living in London and the food and service was always great. I was appalled when I returned to visit this year.

The service was so unbelievably bad beginning with being ignored at the door for about 20 minutes (this was mid-morning on a weekday - not a busy time) because "they were setting up the kitchen for lunch" and so, for whatever bizarre reason, the host would not seat us or take a drink order.

When we were finally seated, we were asked what we wanted by some exasperated server who seemed like she just did not have the time of day for anyone. A friend arrived late and was not served for an extended period of time, so she went to the bar to place a drink order. The server for our table then proceeded to yell at her that she would have to sit outdoors. My friend explained that she was seated with us and the server said she would attend the table shortly. Again, she came to the table and was incredibly curt. Being embarrassed at my recommendation, and with my friends complaining about how rude the server was, we decided to leave after drinks.

I normally tip 20%+ but obviously we weren't going to send a message that the service was good, so we left about 10% on 3 drinks. The server asked if there was a problem when she returned to collect the bill and we explained to her all of the above, essentially saying that the service was wanting. She rolled her eyes and walked away. She then CHASED US OUT OF THE RESTAURANT to give us the 10% tip back. I have never had an experience like this before and I am shocked and horrified that anyone thinks a service-oriented business can operate in that manner and stay afloat.

I will never return, nor will I...

Caravan's an interesting place and despite expectations we left thoroughly underwhelmed. It's a casual coffee brunching stop with some sexy hanging exposed filament lights, with wooden stools and a really nice interior which doesn't feel out of place working as more of a restaurant at night.

I'd heard it's a good place to eat brunch and we ended up there for an early dinner. They do good coffee, it's also another one of London's eateries that provides cute (if not twee) tiny adorable milk bottles alongside your coffee, and you can buy the beans to take home. They've got this nailed.

But we had a really confusing dinner. With options of getting a number of small plates between us or one larger each, we opted for a mix of meals. It's all made to sound rather fancy (we had to google one of the ingredients). Sadly though, dinner turned out to be veer more towards fancy words rather than quality dishes. True, the Vegetable Momo was tasty, but it wasn't consistent across all the meals. I really can't recommend it for a delicious meal out. It was unusual and interesting but I didn't leave satisfied. We also had a cocktail each which, whilst tasty, didn't stand up to places like Joe Allen and Freud's for the cost. Desert was fine, though marred by the main course. The bill racked up pretty quickly for what it was and the obligatory 12.5% service charge (for some pretty typical service) didn't help either.

In short, go for coffee - it's good and the milk bottles are cute. But find an alternative for dinner - perhaps Caravan at King's Cross which is said to be an entirely and much more...