The city’s east side has for years been developing to this blend of hip, alternative and, for sure, upscale. Luckily, some places maintain an authentic vibe, catering to those with a real knack for something different but not pretentious at all. Ozone Coffee Roasters is exactly that, serving delicious tasting coffee and some breakfast dishes you would drool over!
Early on a weekday morning, I found the door of Ozone as I was exploring the best coffee places around East London and walked right in. The moment I set foot in the 2-level establishment I could smell the coffee roasting from downstairs, hear the grinders by the coffee maker and see all of the open-plan kitchen at the back – what a delight!
A friendly hostess brings me to my table, more like a bent by the shaded windows, serves me the hot tasty cup of espresso and takes my order. Apart from a real emphasis on hospitality, this bunch of creative people that created this brand are all about serving healthy food without sacrificing flavor. They ferment, they pickle and prepare an all-day menu at the ridiculously open-plan kitchen where one can catch all the action.
Coffee isn’t just limited to espresso and its offshoots; there’s a daily changing pair of ‘slow-brew’ specials, and the expertly roasted beans show well with this treatment. They also feature some packs at the far end of the ground floor – unless you want to buy online.
Poached egg on sourdough bread with mushrooms, pickled onions and parmesan
Although you can still enjoy the yummy perks during the weekend and enjoy a good brunch, I highly recommend getting there early on a weekday to get a taste of the real East London. First time I visited, I got some field mushrooms on sourdough with fermented chilli, pickled onion and parmesan…. added a poached egg on top and devoured this like there was no tomorrow.
As cooks serve up breakfast to customers by the bar, they also cater to their daily prep for lunch making fresh pasta from scratch! In general, dishes here come with a twist (think eggs Benedict on bubble ‘n’ squeak cakes!) but something tells me that whatever you go for will not disappoint.
The Kiwi-owned café opened back in 2012, and ever since has been a great hit with office workers around the Silicon Roundabout of Shoreditch. The history of Ozone though started about 20 years ago when some friends decided to leave their successful jobs to pursue their dream, after touring Central America for six weeks, where they visited coffee plantations amongst other things. Karen Prichard, Paul Newbold and Karla Gichard of New Zealand and they regularly visit coffee farms in Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica and El Salvador in order to source the best beans.
The relationship and the quality have to be hand in hand. We are hunting for people who have the same DNA; the same values, passion and quality. We are looking for genuine relationships. – Paul Newbold
