Introducing “The Mayfair Breakfast” at the Barley Mow
As a foodie, it will come as no surprise that one of the best parts of staying in a Hotel is waking up with the expectation of a fantastic cooked breakfast. It’s a lovely start to the day, but sadly, a cooked breakfast is a rare treat for me. So imagine my excitement when I was invited to the launch of the new breakfast menu at the award-winning Barley Mow in Mayfair.
The Barley Mow pub & restaurant opened in 2022, and it’s no exaggeration to say it has been a huge success. The Barley Mow has two distinctly separate areas with a busy pub area and upstairs, the relative calm of a fine dining restaurant.
I made my way upstairs to the dining room for breakfast with much anticipation.
The breakfast menu has been designed by Cubitt House Chef Director Ben Tish and the pub’s Head Chef Chris Fordham Smith. The menu will mix classic breakfast dishes and a few hearty house specialities.
I nearly forgot also to credit Barley Mow’s General Manager George Dean (who we interviewed last year for the website); if you have visited the Barley Mow, you will, of no doubt, met George; he is the perfect host.
Onto the breakfast menu, highlights of the classic Mayfair breakfast dishes include:
Oysters Bloody Mary
Carvery selection, Sugar Pit-Cured Pork Loin, Cacklebean Eggs, Rosti Potato, English Mustard Hollandaise
Sugar pit-cured bacon butty, pub sauce (also available for takeaway from the pub)
Onglet steak and eggs, café de Paris butter
Sourdough crumpet, poached Cacklebean eggs, brown crab hollandaise
Scallop, bacon and Stornoway black pudding roll, pub sauce
Traditional Pub Breakfast, pork sausage, sugar pit-cured bacon, confit tomato, Cacklebean eggs, and homemade baked beans
Mushroom ‘Cumberland sausages’ (vegan)
Devilled kidneys on toast
TBM House granola, Neal’s Yard Greek yoghurt, rhubarb
As you would expect there is a wide range of hot beverages to accompany breakfast.
It is only proper for those of us who might be having breakfast as part of a celebration day; the Barley Mow offers what they have rather cleverly named “eye-openers”, served from 10 am.
These include a bloody Mary, a breakfast martini and a bloody Caesar.
I can see these being popular, and I would have done my job properly if I had not tried at least one on my visit; I’m delighted to report that the breakfast Martini was lovely.
So, having seen the menu prior to my visit, my anticipation was high. I’m sure you have already picked your breakfast from the selection above, but I know you like to hear what I had. You probably don’t, but as regular readers will testify, it will not stop me from telling you😀.
I went for the bacon, black pudding, and scallop roll. I have never had scallops for breakfast, so this was my opportunity to try, and I’m pleased I did, as this trio of ingredients goes so well and makes a sublime breakfast roll. I did not stop there; from the carvery selection (which is a great idea for breakfast), I tried the Sugar Pit-Cut Pork Loin, and somehow, a Cumberland sausage also ended up on my plate to try.
It’s often said that cooking good food starts with the quality of the ingredients. From what I’ve today and past experience, The Barley Mow and Cubitt House take the providence of the produce very seriously, and the result shows on the plate.
So that is my breakfast experience at the Barley Mow. It’s the perfect way to start the day, if you are hitting the shops (Oxford Street is a five-minute walk away), talking business, or, as I mentioned earlier, on a day of celebration.
Barley Mow
82 Duke Street, Mayfair, London W1K 6JG
Breakfast is served 8 am -11 am, Monday to Saturday.
