It’s borderline criminal not to attend at least a few Sunday brunches throughout the warmer months – especially when the weather gods have been smiling on us. Brunch spots are ubiquitous in London, but restaurants like Sylva don’t come along so often. Located within Folkestone Gardens (nearest station: Deptford), Sylva is a neighbourhood spot that opened two years ago and has since become popular for its breakfast, brunch and lunch offering, with a menu inspired by Mediterranean and Middle Eastern home cooking.

We visited Sylva recently – here’s all about our experience and what to order.

What’s the vibe like?

If you like the feeling that you could be anywhere on the leafy outskirts of a big city, or somewhere in southern Europe that isn’t just your average Barcelona, that’s exactly what you get at Sylva. It’s quite tucked away – you won’t find it with your eyes closed – but if you keep an eye on the steady stream of people coming in and out of the park, you’ll spot it. There’s plenty of seating outside beneath a canopy of trees, creating a shady retreat from the summer heat, as well as a comfortable indoor space with the air con running.

The whole place has a lovely cosy, homely feel, and you can tell people are here to relax and linger for a while – catching up with friends, enjoying a leisurely brunch and soaking up the sun.

And what’s on the menu?

Expect brunchy-type plates like sandwiches and eggs-all-ways. To our pleasant surprise, no soggy and bland avocado toast featured. Instead, there’s a generously topped scrambled eggs toast covered in parmesan shavings (£11.20)- which was just ten times better than any avocado toast you can have. You can also add Serrano ham for an extra £2.

The Spinach Çılbır (£14.50) was very good too – rich-yolk poached eggs sit in a bed of yogurt, and it comes with a few slices of homemade bread to mop up all the creamy yogurt and spinach. Fear not for the harissa paste that’s scattered on top – it’s not all that spicy, just has a soft kick to it. Portions are decent for a brunch, especially if you add a cheeky sweet treat to your order (you most likely will – wait until you see what awaits you).

Bakes and desserts

Right, bakes and cakes aren’t really the best thing about brunch ever. But Sylva does things a little differently, so sweet treats take centre stage. Some of the recipes are theirs (including the pecan pie you see below), and everything is made in-house, often using ingredients grown in their own back garden, such as herbs and figs. It couldn’t get more homely than this, really, and everything we tried tasted exactly how it looks: like a big slice of happiness for the belly and the soul.

The pecan pie was naturally on the sugary side, so adding a scoop of ice cream is a smart bit of forethought. The polenta and lemon cake was dense and moist – a rich dough that’s got the perfect bite to it, served with homemade jam (optional, free, and worth every spoonful). Ours was melon, with bits of fruit in it. Load up a forkful of cake, drag it through the jam, and it’s a properly joyful bite. Beyond these two, there’s a full spread of homemade buns, a selection of delicious homemade ice creams, and the ever-reliable Basque cheesecake. As we mentioned, the sweet treats menu is extensive – and absolutely worth the calories.

Drinks and coffees

For the 5-o’clock-somewhere kind of people, there are a few cocktails on offer, including a few alcoholic twists on classic drinks (think orange juice and campari (£9.5 – as pictured below on the right). If you’d rather skip the alcohol, there’s fresh juice and lemonade too. We ordered the fresh herb pink lemonade with hibiscus, sage, oregano & mint (£4.7) and it was wonderfully refreshing.

Verdict

Sylva is an unpretentious place where you can truly feel at ease; somewhere to sit back and forget the clock is ticking. It feels unrushed and refreshingly welcoming – genuinely so – with the founder regularly coming out to chat with customers. We were even given figs to try from their fig tree in the backyard. It’s the laid-back spot you’ll want to spend an entire afternoon in, and you absolutely can. Off the beaten track, sure, but worth beating the track for.

Key details

Address: Folkestone Gardens, Trundleys Rd, London SE8 5JE

Website: sylvalondon.co.uk

Socials: @sylva_london

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