It's time we have a moment of reflection and, as Londoners, ask ourselves what brunch was actually designed for? No, it’s not the Instagram-perfect eggs and all-out karaoke parties it’s transformed into; no, brunch is, in its true form, a hangover cure. At its heart, it brings together alcohol and breakfast food, a pairing so great that grown women have been known to weep during the ritual (and not just due to the shame of the previous night, I promise you). While the meal now comes with sides of hot tub party and dine with your dog experiences, there is one place preserving its noble beginnings, and that is Ben’s Canteen in Earlsfield.
Venue & Atmosphere
While most of us would pay rent to our local boozer if the option were available, heading to the pub before 12pm raises friends' worried eyebrows quicker than telling them you're thinking of moving to zone 4. Fortunately for us, there is a way to pre-midday drink without invoking the 'we need a chat' line, Ben's Canteen has been inspired by Australia’s brunching culture and Britain's love of pubbing. On a sunny Saturday, wooden tables and chairs hug the corner building on the pavement outside, and the huge front windows are thrown open. Inside, the venue is all white walls, polished wooden floors and tall tables at the front, with a backroom separated by a huge bar topped by coffee machines and wine bottles. The back half of the restaurant is more cosy as bench seats covered with cushions run round one side of the room, and tables for two or four fill the rest of the space.
It’s simple and rustic without a trace of exposed brick or Edison lightbulbs (I’m sorry East London, I still love you). Instead, there’s a leaf print wall feature with ‘Be Awesome’ attached on cinema-style letters. Clearly the clientele have taken this platitude to heart as the place was filled with good-looking, 20 somethings, looking worryingly fresh faced for a Saturday. Despite it being the back room, skylights in the ceiling keep it light and airy, along with the tall potted plants sandwiched between tables.
The front half of Ben's Canteen is a light and airy space perfect for stopping by for a coffee, or come evening, glass of wine.
Food & Drink
When I’m hungover, the last thing I want is anything even slightly green entering my eyesight let alone into my mouth. It seems Ben is a man after my own heart as the menu at the Earlsfield canteen is so juicy and dirty, you want to read it under the covers. It takes brunch back to its core of big, fat plates that pick you up and dust you off such as recovery burgers and banana pancakes. I went for Eggs Pigs Out (£10), a personal favourite of the founder, and now a personal favourite of mine as a huge chunk of sourdough was piled with sweet juicy pulled pork, poached eggs and BC hollandaise - a smokier version of the original.
Sides are as equally as comforting, as Brunch Fries (£6.50) were topped with a fried egg, hollandaise sauce and spicy Nduja sausage pieces or simply sprinkled in addictive BBQ sprinkles (£4.50). If you prefer to drink your daily amount of calories, Ben’s Canteen has a brunch cocktail list as rich and as guilty as Donald Trump. Dirty Aussie Iced Coffee (£7.50) was an epic mix of rum, milk, coffee and Milo-dusted ice-cream, while the Peanut Butter and Banana shake (£5) was akin to drinkable Reese’s and so good my brother thought it appropriate to order two.
Running an all-day brunch menu, Ben's Canteen in Earlsfield serves up giant and delicious burgers.
If your stomach isn't quite as accustomed to absorbing copious amounts of dairy as two Devonians, then Ben’s also has a range of Bloody Marys and breakfast fizz. But if anything is going to slap you out of a sad and sour mood, it’s the Frose, and it’s a game changer. Originating in New York, Miami and Australia, Ben and operations manager Shane made it their mission to bring it to London. Basically a wine slush puppy, this bad boy is a mix of wine, ice and sweet vermouth, and is the sort of drink worth hitting adulthood for.
Originating in the States, Frose is a mix of wine, ice and sweet vermouth.
Summary
Do I want poached eggs in a hot tub at brunch? No, I do not. I want food and drink that’s so comforting I would swap a lifetime of hugs with my mum for it any day. Ben’s Canteen in Earlsfield is basically a hangover-curing palace with soft and light interiors, jail-time guilty plates and a boozy cocktail list. If that’s not enough, let me leave you with these three words: wine. Slush. Puppy.
