Antipode - Hammersmith and Fulham

As two Australians who lived in London many years ago, we were well aware of the consistently bad coffee in the city. After multiple disappointing cups from cafe Nero, Starbucks, and Pret A Manger, we had given up on even trying to get our morning caffeine fix. That was until we stumbled upon Antipode. The milk in our coffee wasn't scorched and the beans were bursting with rich, roasted flavor. To all the Australians in London, make sure to visit this spot for the best coffee in the city!

Our breakfast stop Saturday morning just a block south of Hammersmith Station. Enjoyed the selection of music played ranging from jazz to electronic (though if a few decibels lower, we would have eaten indoors vs. outside). The Shakshuka with poached egg was spicy, tamed somewhat by the accompanying yogurt. Our other plate had avocado on toast also with poached egg. The coffees were enjoyable. While we had lattes this day, it was nice to see an option available for V60 drip, Sitting outside, we took our time with morning breakfast, watched the passersby en route to Hammersmith station. A nice breakfast option near Hammersmith Station.

I had high hopes of finding something reminiscent of an Australian/NZ cafe with great coffee, but was a little let down. There were outdoor tables, but being right on a major and busy intersection, the outdoor seats were noisy and polluted. Staff were friendly, (although none Antipodean! there was a good selection of breakfast/luncheon items and good array of coffees/teas to choose from. I didn't expect to see crocodile or kangaroo burgers on the menu, but there were no Antipodean specific foods at all! I expected lamingtons, something with macadamia nuts, cherry ripe slice, lemon myrtle biscuits etc, but instead saw Spanish platters, chipotle beans kimchi. The tea was at least Aussie, but only 1 wine was antipodean and the sole Bundaberg product was a ginger beer- no rum! I had the turmeric latte, which they will only make with almond milk. Unfortunately, it tasted stale and I was left with a yellow sludge at the bottom of the cup. I realise raw turmeric in a cup does leave sludge, but I've had far better turmeric lattes without the stale, gloopy taste. The food did look nice, and far better than a regular greasy spoon cafe. I was just a little disappointed that the name didn't quite reflect what I was expecting to find.

Stopped in for brunch here and ordered a latte and Shakshuka. The latte was exceptionally strong and bitter, so sadly I had to put it aside. The Shakshuka was full of flavour, but very spicy, so again I couldn't eat much of it (the sourdough that came with it was nice though). If you like a kick to your breakfast this may be the place for you. However i'll be sticking to the place a few doors down that has a wider range of dishes for different tastes (and great coffee).

The coffee at this restaurant has a Melbourne vibe and is excellent. There are plenty of gluten free options available, and the gluten free bread is good quality. The staff are very friendly and welcoming. I will definitely be returning.