Review: Opera Cafe

Few people would say that breakfast is their favourite meal of the day, but the new breakfast/brunch menu at Café Opera on Walton Street may well change your mind. Offering up a two-person sharing-style breakfast platter, it is perfect for those slow summer mornings or for a filling start to your day before work!

The centrepiece of the meal, named Sufra, is shakshuka eggs which came sizzling in a cast iron dish, surrounded by nine colourful and varied side dishes that you can eat on their own or use to top your shakshuka. The whole platter is served with bread and homemade flatbreads. Not only is it a great dining experience to combine all the different toppings and scoop up the saucy eggs with crusty bread, but each item was delicious. The shakshuka was definitely the best bit, we got the vegetarian version but you can also opt to have some sausage bits inside the dish as well which I can imagine would make the breakfast that little bit more indulgent.

From a zaatar dip to chopped gherkins, each colourful little side pot had something fun to try. The hummus was a classic and went great with all the flavours on the board, but I was but surprised by these tomatoey beans that rich and a bit smokey. I was very happy to see feta on the plate as I always think tomatoey eggs are made better with the addition of feta. Two falafel, which you could dip into the tahini or tomato dip, added some nice variation and the little cucumber and tomato salad added a nice freshness.

We went to Opera Café at 8am and polished the whole thing off, leaving very satisfied. I was barely hungry by the time it got to lunch, which is a sign of a great breakfast. Before leaving, we indulged in one of their pistachio cannoli that had a caramelised crispy shell, which was just the nice sweet treat to have as I drank the last of my cappuccino. We also tried one of their baklava, which happens to be one of my favourite desserts and this one did not disappoint. The addition of Sufra to the menu at Opera Café offers a great communal eating experience that changes with every bite, it was a lovely way to catch up with a friend and enjoy one of the best breakfasts I have had in a while. I will definitely be returning to order it again – and maybe sit in their suntrap of a terrace or lovely little courtyard as the weather turns warmer.