Foxlow – Balham

15-19 Bedford Hill, Balham, London SW12 9EX

Food: 3.8

Service: 3 (very pleasant, laid back waiter but we did wait a bit more of twenty minutes to have the food)

Price: £20 per person (without alcohol)

In the lively neighbourhood of Balham, Foxlow is a very good option to consider for a tasteful and relaxing brunch. We are now a bit further away from the City or Westminster, but Balham is a nice, varied and young spot beyond the invisible border of zone 2.

Foxlow is bubbly and young like the customers that hang out here. Young couples, young families and big tables of friends. It’s a nice atmosphere, a bit nostalgic of an American diner style but with a more sober British twist. 

I found the food honest, fresh and pretty filling. You can definitely enjoy a good burger here but we also tried different brunch options. We had steak and eggs with green harissa: the steak was nice and pink, served in slices in a sort of Italian “tagliata” style. The green harissa was nice and tasty but we would have done with more on the plate. The dish was accompanied but fries with a very pleasant touch of rosemary. 

I had a vegetarian option of avocado and feta toast with poached eggs. I truly enjoyed the big amount of avocado and the very nice and fresh chilli flakes that flavoured the toast. Again, maybe I could have done with a bit more feta on the plate, which was kind of overshadowed by the avocado. The eggs were nicely done though, with a bright, creamy, red yolk – as I personally like them. I also asked for a side of mac ’n cheese that I have to say definitely surprised me. Full of flavour, but not overpowering. As much as it is a pretty simple dish, I loved the crispiness on top of the little casserole and the stringy but creamy heart of cheese in the middle. Not exactly a light side maybe, but still this is basically what you dream for when you go on a brunch on a lazy late morning. 

There are different branches of the restaurant – I would easily suggest it as a good option when roaming around outside zone 1-2…a good idea for all of us when willing to explore a bit more of our beloved London.