The new year brought bustling new businesses to Beckenham, but it is somewhat bittersweet to report that our local area has lost its beloved old cafe, The Big Breakfast, to a bright new contender, the Cosy Kitchen.
The new cafe was met with some dispute at first. After all, the Big Breakfast was loved for its all-day full English breakfast, earning it an impressive 4.5 TripAdvisor rating. Opening over 25 years ago, the Big Breakfast was one of the first cafes on the high street. A resident, Emilia Beveridge comments on the old cafe, saying ‘It was a great family place and the food was basic but delicious.’
Its replacement, the Cosy Kitchen, is run by the Q Bar and Kitchen group in Beckenham, which also runs the Q Bar and Kitchen further down the high street. The Q Bar and Kitchen is inspired by European and Middle Eastern tastes and it's clear that the Cosy Kitchen shares these influences as its menu includes a Mediterranean Breakfast and a range of mezes.
Open 7 days a week, the menu also preserves the classic English breakfast beloved by many who frequented the Big Breakfast, while adding on lunch and evening cocktail and brunch options.
However, there were a few kinks. For example, 2 complaints were made by residents about the original planning applications, saying that the site was not wheelchair accessible and therefore did not comply with the 2010 Equalities Act. This was reported to the Bromley.gov website, and amendments were made to the planning. Now a ramp is available for disabled access.
Despite the initial controversy, the cafe’s renovations ended up being rather beautiful. With colourful flowers and intricate tabletops, it is an eye-catching, trendy place, but only time will tell if the community will take to it as well as they did to the definitive local favourite, the Big Breakfast.
By Ipek Tsil Kara
