Located on the sophisticated streets of St. James in London, Avenue restaurant brings a slice of the Manhattan brunch lifestyle to London. Yet, despite the endless American classic dishes, the ambiance stole the show. We had to check it out for ourselves.
Located only a few minutes away from Green Park station, Avenue, a contemporary American restaurant and bar, recently launched its bottomless brunch menu loaded with an array of dishes. From buttermilk pancakes and sticky ribs, to French Toast. What did we think?
DRINKS
They key word here is ‘Bottomless’. You simply can’t go wrong with an endless supply of drinks when they are this good. You can choose from either unlimited Bloody Marys or Prosecco for £18pp. The Prosecco was nicely chilled and super crisp, and the service was brilliant, as the waiters made sure our glasses were always topped up. Even though we enjoyed the bottomless Prosecco, we would suggest that if you cannot get through more than a glass or two of Prosecco, then it would be better value for money if you simply order a single drink from the drinks menu, as you don’t want to pay £18 for one glass. If Prosecco isn’t your thing, you can opt for milkshakes, fresh juices including lychee and pineapple options, or hot beverages.
FOOD – Brunch
Cost-wise, there are two options. You can either get the two-course meal for £25.50 or the three-course option for £28.50. The well-designed and simple menu is split into two – ‘Brunch’ and ‘Mains’, so you simply pick one dish in each section. It’s worth noting that the ‘Brunch’ options come in smaller portions compared to the ‘Mains’.
As there were many classic egg dishes, we first ordered the Eggs Benedict, which came with one muffin. Overall, it was a satisfactory dish. The bread was soft and thick, and the hollandaise sauce was lightly seasoned. I would have loved the sauce to have had a little more lemon to give it a twang, and if the sauce was a little thicker.
We also ordered their Stacks of Pancakes with Bacon and Maple Syrup. This dish is served with three pancakes, and while they were soft, they were not as thick as I’d hoped. They had a savoury flavour too, which worked perfectly well with the sweetness from the maple syrup. Additionally, the saltiness from the bacon nicely complemented the pancakes. If you like your bacon crispy, then you will love this dish!
FOOD – Mains
We had to try the Rack of Sticky Pork Ribs and Fries! Although they were rather small portions, we really enjoyed the ribs as they were beautifully cooked; soft and easily falling off the bone which was great. The BBQ sauce was also nice, not too sweet or too tangy. The chips were crispy, thick cut and nicely seasoned with sea salt.
To ensure we fully embraced the full American experience we also sampled the Hamburger with Cheddar, relish, gherkins and fries – so basically a cheeseburger! We suggest getting the burger medium or medium well done as it’s more juicer. This is a very filling dish, and as you’d expect, messy too!
Overall, for me, the ambiance and service were the real winners of the night. Also, for such a sophisticated venue and three-courses, it is reasonably priced. From the paintings, to the wine glass display in the centre of the room, the interior design is incredibly impressive. If you want American classics with a hint of sophistication and glam, without breaking the bank – then come here for the experience.
Visit: www.avenue-restaurant.co.uk
7-9, St James’s St, St. James’s
London
SW1A 1EE
Image credits: Esther Oluga / Melan Magazine
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