Pavilion Bakery in Victoria Park: Sri Lankan String Hopper Breakfast in the Sun

Could this be the most picturesque setting for a Sri Lankan breakfast or brunch in London.

Whilst the sun is out, we highly recommend a visit to the lakeside “Pavilion Bakery” in Hackney’s Victoria Park.

Get there nice and early as the spot is very popular, not just for the idyllic scenery but the thoughtful vegetarian dishes.

The owner Rob Green recently announced his four sites (London’s Victoria Park, Broadway Market & Columbia Road — and one in Newquay, Cornwall) will be going meat-free. It will continue to serve fish & egg sourced responsibly.

Their signature dish – String Hoppers (Idiyappam) with Turmeric Egg Curry, Dhal, Coconut Sambal, Pickles & Pol Roti.

Idiyappam consists of rice flour pressed into noodle form and then steamed. The traditional Tamil cuisine is popular across Sri Lanka where its known as String Hoppers.

It was for this reason we made the 90 minute trek from west-London. Unfortunately for us we got there too late! The Sri Lankan breakfast had sold out!

After getting over the initial disappointment we opted for a fantastic continental breakfast.

We are planning a return visit soon.

Established in 2007, the Pavilion Bakery is a quintessential English cafe whose values and products are attached to the roots of the owner’s Sri-Lankan story.

Rob Green spent time volunteering at an orphanage in the foothills of Sri Lanka. There he made contact with tea plantations and began selling the organic, aromatic tea blends in London. Following the success of his Sri Lankan tea stall on Borough & Broadway market, Rob opened the Pavilion at Victoria Park in 2011.

The company continues to donate a portion of the profits back into funding the orphanage he volunteered at in Sri Lanka.