Bluebelles of Portobello, on the top of Portobello Road in West London, got a facelift, everyone!  It was cute before, but now has a more modern design and a smarter layout. Bluebelles is a great breakfast or lunch option, especially when you want to sit outside on a sunny day and have consistently good breakfast classics.

To start, I’m actually going to get my least favorite parts of Bluebelles out of the way, so that we can end on a high note. Their service can be pretty slow and their coffee is just warm. I always ask for my lattes there extra hot, but it doesn’t matter. They must have an older machine and don’t steam their milk for very long because I have never received a hot beverage from Bluebelles. This is very unfortunate because I would get more takeaway coffees from there if the temperature was higher. One of their baristas told me that they get this complaint a lot. But, apparently not enough to do anything about it…

My last gripe is with the girl that opens in the mornings. She is consistently late, and when I pop in, at just after 8:00 for a takeaway pastry and coffee, she turns me away. I head down the street to the Goldborne Deli to fulfill my needs, and when I walk back by Bluebelles, she is open late, serving customers not ten minutes later. I would have preferred her opening on time, or at least asking me to wait a few minutes to save the business a customer, but it never seems like she cares. This consistent behavior would put this cafe into the “Don’t” category, typically, but I cannot blame an entire restaurant for one bad employee that they may not even know about. So, now on to the good parts.

I love the way it looks inside. The large windows and doors make for a great people-watching experience, even if you’re sitting inside. The colors are soft blues, creams, and earthy wood tones. The decor almost compliments the vibes of Pizza East, a neighbor down the street. You can feel comfortable heading into the establishment fresh from yoga or dressed in something more presentable. It’s just a place for everyone.

The food is really the highlight, though. The pastries and cakes are delicious. If I am having impromptu guests over, I will grab an assortment of their muffins, croissants, and cakes, cut them all in half, and arrange on a pretty plate for guests. Their remodeling made access to these treats easier and have them arranged in a more presentable way on their large, new bar counter. They used to have these items in the front corner on a table away from the register or coffees. It didn’t make for easy ordering when the place was packed, and I was always confused on if they were going for a self-serve area or not. The new design is much smarter. The latest layout has also included an area of pre-made sandwiches which is fantastic. That area of Goldborne Road and Portobello really needed additional options for lunch on the go. There isn’t even a grocery store that close by, so, now you can grab a sandwich at Bluebelles, if you’ve already hit Salumeria or the Goldborne Deli that week.

The main dishes at Bluebelles are just as tasty as the baked goods. My favorite is the Veggie Stack: grilled halloumi, veggies, and a nice poached egg. It has a lot of fresh flavor. They also have decadent croissant and blueberry french toast and always a fun juice of the day. If you want the basics, though, you’ll find eggs any which way, sides of UK bacon or sausage, granola and yogurt, and toasties. A little bit of everything all presented in beautiful, nice-sized portions.

The delicious food, new design, and the young, mixed crowd, makes Bluebelles an interesting and worthy eatery to visit. It won’t disappoint–whether you’re bringing your computer on a quiet weekday morning, or having a Sunday hangover brunch. Just head straight to Bluebelles of Portobello and be prepared to enjoy a nice meal in a nice neighborhood.

Bluebelles of Portobello
320 Portobello Road
London W10 5RU