
REVIEW: Bottomless Brunch @ HotBox, Spitalfields
WHAT: A hipster haven of sparse decor, potent cocktails and mountains of smoked meat.
If any restaurant’s Instagram can tempt you to book up a boozy weekend brunch, it’s that of Hot Box. Jaw-dropping snaps of chunky smoked meat, oozing egg yolks and mini-cauldrons of mac ‘n’ cheese immediately reel you in, all thoughts of an early morning gym session totally out the window.
The decor is sparse, distinctly Shoreditch – in here it feels like night time all the time, more the better for the beautiful people arriving in their droves, ready to get a bit pissed and catch up over cocktails and naughty cheat day dishes.
WHY GO? All-you-can-drink Mimosas, Prosecco and five variations of Bloody Mary beckon you to shrug off the week just gone – go straight for the ‘Smoked’ version, spiked with bourbon, smoked pork Jus and smoked sea salt. Dirty, yet decadent.
Belly-busting burgers, beef ribs, smoked pork and fried chicken are the reason people keep returning to this meat haven, but brunch purists (and those with smaller appetites) can indulge in familiar egg-based dishes with a twist or the surprisingly plentiful veggie options.
We tried roast corn and avocado with sourdough toast, topped with a side of smoked pork belly (just right) alongside skillet-smoked meat hash and golden, bubbling mac ‘n’ cheese. Five mimosas later, you’ll find yourself staring over at other peoples dishes, wondering whether it’d be too weird to go for round two – did we mention they do deep-fried Oreos for dessert?
HOW MUCH: Liquid Brunch is £25 per head, inclusive of unlimited Prosecco, Mimosas & Bloody Marys within a 2 hour sitting. Food is charged on top, ranging from £7 for eggs benedict to £16 for a huge plate of pork ribs.
WHERE? 46 Commercial St, London, E1 6LT
WEBSITE: Hotboxlondon.com
Photo credit: Hot Box via Facebook