Guest Review: Cafe Loren

Reviewed by Shafaq
Since seeing all the mouth-watering pictures on Facebook of the delights served at Café Loren in the Stables Market (Camden) I have been waiting for an opportunity to go try it out. This weekend, a friend from work and I set out on the adventure to find this little gem that apparently serves breakfast with a Mediterranean twist!
The café is a small venue literally under the Camden Lock bridge, with a quirky takeaway area just outside the cafe and seating inside. The atmosphere is quaint and the staff are some of the friendliest I have come across in London so far. The speciality of the café is ‘Shakshuka’ which in the Middle East is synonymous with breakfast. It’s a dish made of organic eggs and fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, onion and garlic, served with homemade brioche bread. The magic however, happens in the variety that Café Loren provide, which include several variations of Shakshuka with hummus, harissa, tahini, green pesto, feta cheese and cheddar cheese amongst many. You can get the eggs medium or well-done or whatever tickles your fancy and have a hearty meal for a fairly reasonable price between £8-10 for the main meal.

I personally tried the ‘Granny’s Recipe’ Shakshuka with well-done eggs on a bed on hummus and the tangy, aromatic tomato sauce and my friend had the ‘Balkan’ with the feta cheese and asked for some extra harissa sauce on the side. The portions were of a decent size and really fill you up for the rest of the day! We also shared a helping of the brioche French toast, soaked in maple syrup, covered with chopped apples and strawberries and a sprinkling of icing sugar to top it all off! We also ordered some fresh orange juice which was divine and a caramel frappe because it was the weekend and we went all out!

The menu is extremely vegetarian friendly, and also includes a variety of other breakfast items such as pancakes, French toast, eggs on toast and a variety of coffees, teas, milkshakes and desserts. The takeaway area outside also displays cupcakes, rainbow bagels and green (spinach) and pink (beetroot) buns!
Overall it was a great experience and the total amount of food that we ordered, plus drinks cost us an approximate of £17 each which I felt was a fairly decent price for a big brunch in London.
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About Shafaq

Shafaq Khan is a social media and marketing enthusiast living and working in London. Her love for all things food comes from her roots in Punjab, Pakistan which is also known as the heart of foodies! She loves to travel, photograph scenery and architecture, explore different cultures and experience different cuisines all over the world.