Anywhere that Vogue dubs one of London's best Paleo cafes is never going to be high on my list of places to visit. Not because I don't trust Vogue - it's more that I don't trust anyone who thinks that Paleo is a thing. In fact, any sort of diet - whether it be Atkins, the juice cleanse, the spinach soup detox or the surviving on dust ten dayer - and I'm out. Scarlett Green may prefer not to label itself, but that hasn't stopped others trying, so I headed down to the Soho spot to see if the shoe fits.
Scarlett Green is the latest sexy spot in Australian cafe-style chain Daisy Green.
We were seated in the sexier downstairs bar; unpainted walls and metal piping running across the ceiling contrast against the bright and popping art work, mainly of women in various states of undress. Looking for one of London's most photographed brunches? On a Saturday morning this is the place, with groups of beautiful girls and couples in floral prints and white shirts lounging in aquamarine booths. Double denim-dressed servers, who you kinda want to be your best friend, come round, offering advice and anecdotes about their nightly shenanigans.
In years to come, historians will look at Millennials as the generation defined by brunch. And the leading light? Places like Scarlett Green. The plates are beautiful, and for all my scepticism about charcoal toast and broccoli fritters, it's also delicious. In fact, I still wake up drooling from dreams of the fancy bacon roll (£13.10), a buttered roti covered in at least three rashers of smoked bacon, two translucent poached eggs, and a dollop of a holy f**k hollandaise, which was really fucking good, with a dash of chilli bringing out the smokiness of the meat. Shakshuka (£10.70) was true to the classic dish, though sided by black charcoal toast: a soft bread, that tasted mainly of bread.
At this point you're going to be pretty full, especially if lovely Lauren is throwing in avocado and bringing zingy green juices to the table, but I don't care. Order the banana bread sandwich (£9.70); an actual sandwich of two warm, gooey pieces of banana bread, encasing mascarpone, honey and berries - it's won an award, along with my heart.
The dream-worthy fancy bacon roll, that will shame all bacon rolls from here on out.
The DesignMyNight Digest
I don't know much about Australian cafe culture - my last trip to the country was spent chugging goon from plastic bags and getting off with Scottish men. But if it's all as good as Scarlett Green, then I'm thinking of booking a one way ticket to Down Under. If that's not in your price bracket right now, then stick with this spot, the interiors are good-looking enough to distract you from the beautiful crowds, and plates mix both healthy with completely and utterly gluttonous, plus, your Instagram won't suffer.
