I used to live just round the way from Benugo’s cafe in Clerkenwell. I came to trust it as a reliable place for a tasty and reasonably priced lunch and a far better than average cup of coffee. Before all the fuss about folks trying to find London’s latest must-eat street food as well as all the hoopla about trend setting baristas pulling perfect flat whites from up their magical sleeves, Benugo was simply and confidently offering customers quality cafe and deli style food, beverage and service for busy people on the go.
Since moving on from that EC1 flat, I’ve stopped frequenting Benugo as much but still keep the small group of London-based eateries on my radar as I ramble about town. Honestly, every visit at any of the handful of locations has been a positive experience. And I must mention that I’ve been impressed to see how Benugo’s managed to maintain its fairly high standards.
So, I’m pleased to report that Benugo has recently opened a new flagship cafe at the corner of Long Acre and Bow Street near Covent Garden. The new venue is great news (for me at least) because I find myself bopping through that part of town all the time, and Covent Garden dining options are rather hit or miss in my opinion. Minus a few frugal exceptions, all the hits that I can think of around there are all pretty expensive too.
I tried out the new Covent Garden Benugo yesterday for lunch. It was a late lunch too; some might have called it an early supper. The cafe has amazing hours: 7am to 9pm every day of the week with a basic but beautiful assortment of sandwiches, salads, soups, wraps, cakes and more for breakfast, lunch and snacking. I went with one of my faves, the New Yorker (smoked turkey breast, crispy bacon, gruyere, tomato, iceberg and Dijon mayo on freshly baked and nicely toasted caraway bread). It was delish – the perfect blend of crunchy, crispy, creamy and juicy. Well constructed too – I was able to eat it with one hand while heading to an appointment without making a mess of myself (and if you know me, you’ll realize that’s quite a feat!). I slurped on an Americano as well. It hit the spot. In all, I spent around six quid which I thought was decent value.
There’s not a whole lot more to say really except that the new Benugo at 63 Long Acre (WC2E 9JN) is a welcome addition to this bustling area. Check out benugocafedeli.com for more information.
