Shoreditch: Aussie Grind and avocados

Founded by an Australian musician, Shoreditch Grind features a healthy Antipodean-inspired menu and an upstairs recording studio.

It’s cool, quirky and hip and the brunch is pretty amazing too!

Shoreditch Grind is the original of four restaurants across London. It opened in 2011.


The setting

Located on Old Street Roundabout, right above the underground station, Shoreditch Grind is quick and easy to get to and perfect for people-watching. Our tip is to sit on the bar facing out through the full-length windows – which also  provides great lighting for that Instagram shot!

There’s a vintage cinema display outside and exposed brick walls.

The décor is minimalist – metal pipes run along the high ceiling and a neon sign spells out “cocktail baby” above the bar. Rumour has it, they make the best expresso martini in town! There are plenty of tables available both indoors and outdoors, plus you can take-away.

The staff are particularly accommodating for allergies and are happy to make adjustments, such as swapping almond milk into the porridge instead of dairy.

The little things

I loved the gorgeous ceramic crockery and the red coffee cups and saucers that perfectly match the red neon signs. The free wifi makes this an inviting place to sit with your laptop and catch up on emails.

Each dish is made from fresh, seasonal ingredients, ideally sourced locally, and the presentation has clearly been carefully considered.

Plus, you know you’re in good company given there’s a wall stacked with the autographs of the celebrities who have visited, from Kate Nash to Gabrielle Aplin.

The fresh juice jest

Their juices and smoothies come bottled from Press London but taste very fresh and are made from high quality ingredients.

I got the Green Smoothie, made from spinach, avocado, cucumber, apple and banana, as well as a cold-pressed Amber Juice – orange, carrot, apple and ginger. Both were divine!

They also offer a variety of multi-coloured lattes such as a fluorescent pink beetroot latte and a golden turmeric latte.

What we ate

We ordered three mains (and three drinks) between two very hungry girls. The smashed avocado was ripe and chunky, freshly mashed with lemon juice and chilli flakes. It came with two runny poached eggs with bright orange yolk, and crisp sourdough toast – although I was surprised that they do not offer gluten-free toast.

The açai bowl is a delicious blend of frozen açai berries and banana, decorated with coconut flakes, flaxseeds and blueberries.

We also got gluten-free porridge, which I requested with almond milk.

It had a creamy consistency and was topped with crunchy granola for a contrast in texture, as well as a handful of berries.

What else?

If you’re a coffee fan, they sell tins of their Grind House Blend Coffee, both in whole beans and ground, which is roasted daily, plus they mix a mean cocktail.>


The bill

Smashed avocado and eggs  £8.50
Acai bowl   £6
Porridge   £5
Amber juice   £4.25
Green Smoothie  £4.50


What made us glow

Beautiful and nourishing food in a landmark hipster setting with a laid back vibe.