This is one of the new restaurants/coffee shops which has been set up in the great new Broadgate Circle ‘eating and drinking hub’ – see below for more details of what is available in this exciting new venture situated right next to Liverpool Street station and only a five minute walk away from the eastern side of the Barbican.
The Balcony space in front of Beany Green
Beany Green is a venture by former UBS investment banker Prue Freeman, who used to work out of the UBS offices overlooking her new, and perhaps her biggest, and most ambitious, coffee bar cum restaurant yet. She has several coffee/food outlets and mobile coffee vending vehicles. Prue is Australian and has tried, successfully I would say, to bring a down-under vibe to this bright location with a balcony overlooking the lower Broadgate Circle level.
Broadgate Circle is a veritable sun trap and although we visited on a bright sunny morning, but with a slightly chilly breeze, the sheltered nature of the Beany Green balcony made it a really pleasant place to eat alfresco and people-watch down to the level below. With the internal space a little limited we’re not quite sure how things will work out on cold, dull days – but then Beany Green does much of its business in take-away offerings for customers from the multiplicity of offices surrounding it. While we were there there was a constant flow of traffic at both the external take-away window and inside at the counter as well.
Beany Green, which opens as early as 6 am, but closes early evening, serves brunch, bold healthy salads, wraps and award-winning banana bread. It is licenced so alcoholic drinks are available to wash down your food, as well as the well-regarded coffee. Channelling Bondi in the City, street art installations form the backdrop to a relaxed Antipodean cafe furnished with deck chairs and offering a menu of in-house made goodies available to eat in or takeaway. Its coffee is renowned too. A review on TripAdvisor calls it the best coffee in London. We wouldn’t go that far, but it is good.
Our two breakfast dishes at Beany Green. Photo by Jennie Blouet
And as for breakfast, or rather brunch, my colleague went for the healthy option – Homemade maple granola with thick yoghurt, seasonal fruits (strawberries in this case) and coconut flakes (£6.50). This arrived as a seemingly enormous, and visually hugely attractive, plate load and was much enjoyed. I, on the other hand, only for the sake of the review of course, went for the full house Bondi breakfast (£12) comprising two poached eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms and avocado with a dollop of homemade chilli pesto on sourdough bread. This all arrived piled on an admittedly smallish plate, but was certainly a breakfast fit for an Aussie surfer – although in retrospect an Aussie surfer might well have gone for the healthy option. It was very good though. We washed it down with the excellent coffee.
There is a good range of dishes available on the Aussie Brunch menu along with fresh fruit juices and smoothies. Hot beverages include the usual range of coffees one expects from a coffee bar these days as well as chai, hot chocolate, Mocha and a good selection of teas.
The new Beany Green is already pretty popular. It’s not cheap, but it is certainly cheerful! But as a place to have breakfast on a sunny morning it is exceptional, and that would apply to lunchtimes too. Seating outside is on padded topped stools if you want to sit at a table, but there are also deckchairs for the casual lounger. There did also seem to be one table with four plastic chairs. We understand the Aussie brunch menu is only served until 10.30 am – which perhaps makes it more of a breakfast than a brunch.
Beany Green is at One Broadgate, Broadgate Circle, EC2M 2QS Tel: 020 7628 5888. Open Mon-Fri 6:00am – 5:30pm.
