Guilt-Free Brunch at Bottles Spitalfields

It’s a New Year and ’tis the time for being good after a very bad 2018. It was fun, but it’s time to clean up our acts.

Whether that’s drinking a little less or eating a bit healthier, it means we’re shaking off our minced pie and mulled wine transgressions (sorry not sorry) and taking stock of our favourite indulgences and trying to give them a healthier twist: like weekend brunch, for example.

The Bottles brunch is deliciously moreish and ethical too

Many of us are trading our bottomless prosecco brunch for something a bit less more-ish. Bottles, a new Italian soul-food meets wine bar is the perfect place to clean up your act. The Sood Family–owned restaurant has a zero-waste policy. They use locally sourced ingredients. It’s in the heart of east London – in Spitalfields, the crossroads between Brick Lane and Shoreditch. Eating at Bottles feels like an exercise in carbon-footprint reduction. But it’s cold, you say – why venture out into the chill when you could very well set yourself up with brunch at home? So many reasons …

The ambience and decor is a lesson in Adulting 101: understated chic. “Rustic rock ‘n’ roll” with family-style tables that invite everyone to gather around together. Elegant wine glasses, Olympia cutlery, Steelite speckled plates (made in England, no less). What’s also great about Bottles is that the music isn’t too loud – ambience without overtaking atmosphere – like so many east London spots that aim to be club cafes. On the Saturday we visited, Bottles was spinning old school ’90s hip hop – let it be clear, we’re always up for Tribe Called Quest at any time of the day. A spattering of exposed Edison-style lighting and in an instant, your table setting at home completely IKEA.

What to eat? Well, the ingredients are fresher than fresh so even eating brunch favourites feels guilt-free. Try the Potato Frittata: at just £8 this fresh and light version of the comfort-food recipe, with pillowy rye bread that makes the dish taste like an Italian mama made it just for you. Or try the Oak Smoked Salmon and Avocado with Poached Egg on Toast with a sublime, orange-sunset-coloured runny egg – at just £11, it’s the stuff of brunch dreams and definitely outdoes your sad DIY avocado toast. Portions are decent – not too much so again, you’ll feel like you’ve really outdone yourself by not over doing it.

While you dine, you’ll notice locals popping in to stock up on wines for the weekend as Bottles didn’t just choose its name for fun – it’s a fully stocked wine cellar as well.