Brill

27 Exmouth Market EC1R 4QL

Editor's Review

Jeremy Brill opened Clerkenwell Music in 1999 adding coffee and bagels in 2006 and finally becoming Brillafter a refit in 2011. Brill is so firmly established in the Exmouth Market community it has the lived-in feeling of a local institution. In 2015, Brill began a relationship with The Officina Coffee Roasters, developing their own espresso blend which is very well made at Brill and suits milk superbly.

When you enter this quirky, welcoming coffee shop, it’s a treat to see shelves of CDs and vinyl and you can enjoy the now ancient pursuit of browsing the racks – the pursuit I seem to remember spending most of my waking hours involved in once. There are music books and magazines to read and plenty of room to sit and chat – even a quiet garden out back.

Brill are fiercely independent and very focussed on quality; Jeremy famously cycles to Brick Lane every morning to collect 80-100 fresh bagels and he also serves up Forman and Field Smoked Salmon, Seven Seeded Bakery bread and pastries and cakes from Galeta and Dee Light bakers. You can also enjoy granola with fruit and fresh orange juice or one of the famous bagel combinations for breakfast with lunch options including -salad bowls, avocado on toast, the ever classic salmon and cream cheese bagel and their much loved cheese and everything bagel, impossible to eat daintily! Give it a try.

Review by Phil Wain.