HALCYON Kitchen

There are lots of places with a full English on the menu but for anyone looking for a more London style brunch experience in Leicester then Halcyon Kitchen on Queens Road, Leicester, walking distance from Victoria Park is a wonderful option.

It’s a modern, stylish, cafe restaurant with shared long dining tables and an adjacent comfy space for coffee, a pastry and a watch of the news or sports. The big screen TV is not a distraction for dinners as it’s in the next room and never on loudly.

The thing I love is the homemade avocado smash they serve with their breakfast and the super crispy not greasy hash brown which I don’t think are homemade as they are perfectly shaped but always cooked to perfection. I once heard Gordon Ramsey say you have to have one thing on your menu people will return for even if it’s something basic like a cheese on toast or bubble and squeak. halcyon kitchen have done this with their avocado smash, it’s got heat from chilli, floral flavour from coriander, the zing from lime and is totally delicious, home cooking comfort I return for.

I used to be around the Stoneygate area much more often and so I was in there all the time, I like to eat Breakfast, a big breakfast, it sets you up for the day and Halcyon Kitchen is one of the few places in Leicester that does a more modern take on the greasy fry up and a mug of builders tea, which is available if you want it, in a stylish, earthern ware cup and saucer.

I love the fresh smoothies, made with or without milk and no one looks at you funny if you ask for a dairy substitute or a herb tea. I digress but I popped into a greasy spoon in Wigston for a cup of herb tea on the go and left empty handed, it was Tetleys or nothing. So to people outside Leicester, UK this snoop might sound a little weird or precious where coffee brunch hubs like Our Public or Gails Bakery are on every corner but around the Queens Road Stoneygate area there’s nothing like Halcyon Kitchen except maybe Cue on Allandale Road which is Halal. Halcyon Kitchen is not.

Aside from Breakfast Brunch where the other options include homemade oatmeal, fruit plates, granola, pastries, croissants, whole meal toast generally healthier choices and more international cosmopolitan menu they have a proper pizza oven and the pizzas are lovely Italian style well cooked homemade pizza dough, not soggy with a variety of toppings. A few places do have pizza ovens to be fair in the neighbourhood, Morton’s Bistro in Gilmorton comes to mind but the pizzas at Halcyon kitchen are stand out tasty, another reason to go if breakfast isn’t your thing.

It’s a family run place so always find the service warm and welcoming and they are quick too so you won’t find yourself hanging around waiting for your food. You can be in and out for breakfast in 45 minutes, something I really like too especially when working and time is of the essence.

You can make a reservation, it does get busy especially at the weekends but usually not necessary if you are happy to join in the spirit of the place and share a table.

The crowd is usually young professionals, dog people, it’s dog friendly, student and university types, leggings and exercise clothing wearers and mums groups particularly in the mid morning time slot. Oh and visitors, I’ve heard a few different languages being spoken in Halcyon Kitchen, it’s a real eclectic mix of people enjoying the food and good vibes.