I don’t like hanging out in public loos at the best of times but it's the day after the office party and there’s nothing else for it. Fortunately this public loo serves cocktails, indulgent brunch plates and has tartan blankets in which I can wrap my battered body. Brooksby’s Walk in Hackney is a tiny hidey-hole spot, strewn in fairy lights and offering East Londoners absolute comfort in this most indulgent of seasons.
Venue and Atmosphere
It’s a Sunday in Hackney, Chatsworth Road Market is filled with the bearded and the tattooed, and independent cafes and restaurants are overflowing. Brooksby’s Walk sits slightly out of the humdrum and from the outside, looks much like a public toilet - a ruddy brick block. But then as they say, it’s what’s on the inside that counts and their interior is enough to melt any heart. Enter through the "Men's" sign to a wooden corner of a bar, filled with ice skates, a Christmas tree and festive hangings. To the right, a rickety staircase leads up to the roof terrace, which, come winter, has been covered in a tall, white, Bedouin-style tent.
Channelling winter snug, one entire wall is dotted with fairy lights, while the other is lined with windows that look out onto the street. Fluffy white blankets and tartan throws are hung over chairs to snuggle into and tin bowls are filled with refreshers, lollipops and palma violets. With space for about seven tables, the venue is cosy; couples drift lazily in and out, making the most of such a cute setting, while a birthday party of well-heeled, very un-hungover looking people chatter in the corner.
Brooksby's Walk's roof terrace is covered in a Bedouin-style tent during winter.
Food and Drink
Brooksby’s Walk focuses on seasonal produce, with an emphasis on the hearty and warming this winter. Brunch is a British affair, filled with dishes such as ham hock and fried eggs. Three fat herby pork sausages were served with a gooey fried egg, sourdough bread and a rocket salad (£8), to make a great hug of a dish. Avocado was heaped onto wedges of bread and topped with oozing poached eggs (£6), while the side of bacon was perfectly crisped.
If I’m not drowning my sorrows in booze, then I’m trying to smother them in dairy; a feat made possible at Brooksby’s Walk. Get the plate of cheese (£12) which consisted of four squidgy slabs; a white goat’s cheese which was deliciously sharp, a harder triangle of Comte, soft Munster and my favourite, the blue Persille de Chevre.
What better after a heavy night than more alcohol? Brooksby’s Walk’s list is fresh enough to tempt even the sensitively stomached and designed by Jim McMahon of Hawksmoor fame. I started with a tequila-filled Passing of Thyme (£9) which was mixed with lemon juice, thyme and soda and helped to numb the pain of Saturday evening’s shenanigans. Warming cold fingers and topping my favourite hot cocktail list was the Spiced Rummy Mead (£6) - a steaming wine glass of buttered rum, mulled mead, cider, apple and lemon.
Pork sausages and fried eggs are part of brunch at Brooksby's Walk.
Summary
If you’re looking for somewhere to hibernate, Brooksby’s Walk will keep you warm this winter. From brunch filled with meaty sausages, wedges of doughy bread and fried eggs through to a cocktail list with enough booze to send you into a slumber, this Hackney spot is snug enough to drive away any winter blues.
