Grind — Restaurant in London

Decent little spot right by Old Street station.

Ordered an oat milk flat white, a full English breakfast and pink negroni cocktail to finish.

The coffee was high quality, as was the food. The most important thing about a full English is the quality of the meat. The sausage and bacon were butchers' standard - the white pudding decent too. As for the veg/fruit, tomatoes fresh and organic, spinach unexciting but blanched (always preferable) and not overly limp. The eggs were some of the best I've had in London. Perfectly poached and a hot blood orange colour in the middle, reminding me of the fresh, non-commercial eggs I grew up eating in the countryside.

The hash brown was crispy, large and slightly fluffy in the middle. I did find it along with the tomatoes and spinach to be a little bland. Whilst I appreciate that salt and pepper can be added by customers, it should not be their responsibility to season every item on the plate. There was one more staple part of the dish that I found incredibly disappointing - the mushroom. Granted, they are more difficult to cook than people think, but a chef should now how to cook a mushroom. They take longer than you expect. Whilst the mushroom appeared cooked, it was not. It was still full of water, they must be given time for the water to fully evaporate, accompanied with salt (and dry fried for the first few minutes) otherwise you simply have a rubbery, slimy disk on your plate.

The staff were friendly but it's one of those places where you're brought a menu and you can't order from the person who gives it to you. There is always someone else 'on the way'. Often there seemed to be errors of communication (or a complete absence of it). We were left to our own devices for over 10 minutes before finally being seen to. In that time another group had entered and placed their orders. When it came to ordering a cocktail, the opposite happened and we appeared to have two waiters tending to our one need.

Whilst I'm not usually one to split hairs, especially when having a simple fry-up on a Sunday morning, Grind paints itself as an establishment of very high quality, with premium prices to match. In my book that means you should be under more scrutiny. Whilst the staff were nice people and served with a smile, I never really felt welcomed, and was simply passed over to other members of staff when asking for basic things like menus or sauces.

Decent staff and high quality food. Literally all the right ingredients to make this place great. The cocktails were delicious too. Doesn't quite get 4 stars...

If there's one word that encapsulates my experience at 'Grind' in London, it's "contrasts." From the tantalizing flavors of the breakfast dishes to the frustrating service hiccups, this restaurant offers both the highs and lows that make for an interesting dining adventure.

Let's start with the surroundings. As I stepped into Grind, I was immediately struck by the vibrant energy and sleek decor. However, the unfortunate construction noise from the surrounding areas and the constant drilling and crane operating sounds were like an unwelcome symphony that disrupted what could have been a more peaceful dining atmosphere. It's worth noting that the management might have little control over this, but it did impact my overall experience.

The servers, on the other hand, seemed to be grappling with the chaos around them. Breakfast hours are meant to set a positive tone for the day, but it was evident that the staff were overwhelmed, even at this early hour. A bit more organization and preparedness would go a long way in enhancing the service quality. Despite reminding them politely multiple times, we had to wait for cutlery, water, and extra plates, which can be quite frustrating.

Now, let's delve into the culinary journey. The full breakfast, pancakes, and French toast were undeniably the stars of the show. The chef's prowess in the kitchen was evident as each dish was a symphony of flavors and textures that tantalized my taste buds. However, the brilliance of these dishes was overshadowed by the steep price tag that accompanied them. While I'm more than willing to pay for quality, the prices felt a bit too rich for a standard breakfast outing.

It's worth mentioning that our bill left us with some sticker shock – a hefty 150 pounds for a breakfast for five is undoubtedly a steep investment. While I appreciate fine dining experiences, I also believe that the balance between quality and value should be upheld.

In conclusion, 'Grind' has its charms and its challenges. The delectable breakfast offerings are a testament to the kitchen's skill, but the service struggles and the disruptive construction noises did put a damper on the overall experience. I hope that the management takes heed of the feedback and takes steps to improve both the service efficiency and the dining ambiance. With a bit of refining, 'Grind' has the potential to shine even brighter in London's bustling...

Based on the recommendation of friends who often visit during their breaks and after-work gatherings, we decided to try out this coffee shop for breakfast. Unfortunately, the waitstaff turned out to be the worst we have ever encountered.

The waitress made no effort to hide her extreme annoyance, directing it towards us during our interaction. After placing our food order, another staff member promptly approached us with the card machine, insisting on immediate payment incl. service fee. Initially, we assumed it might be a standard procedure due to the possibility of customers leaving without paying while sitting outside. We paid, only to later observe that other customers outside were not subjected to such a rushed payment process. The discriminatory behaviour we encountered left us feeling immensely irritated and we just wanted to leave this place.

Furthermore, when my partner ventured inside to inquire about the location of the restroom, the waitress simply stared at him and made vague hand gestures towards the door leading outside onto the street and said that she doesn’t know of any public toilets nearby……. This absurdness led my partner to ask for clarification once more, before she finally pointed out the stairs to the restroom behind her. Despite spending over £45, we still had to endure this unnecessary “answer”.

Although the food itself was good, the highly negative interactions with the staff overshadowed our experience. Regrettably, we have no intention of returning to this coffee shop and cannot recommend it to anyone seeking some...