For a sophisticated yet relaxed bite to eat, look no further than Aubaine
Just a stone’s throw away from Hampstead tube station, is Hampstead’s branch of Aubaine. On a warm Saturday afternoon we sat outside as Aubaine is located on the high street, aka the perfect place to people watch. However, the location is not the only reason to choose a leisurely brunch at Aubaine…
The food is delicious, fresh and fulfilling. When you have a craving for French food, this is the place to go. We dined on the Petit Déjeuner Francais which consisted of authentic Toulouse sausage, Alsace bacon, free range eggs (cooked as you like), Portobello mushrooms & Provençale haricot beans. Accompanied with a generous helping of farm house bread to mop up the egg yolks that will ooze all over your plate. When you crave salty, fatty goodness this is definitely the plate you want to try. Although it’s the perfect place to enjoy a leisurely brunch, it’s also a wonderful venue to eat dinner in the evening. Also, the Hampstead branch has just opened a jazz bar upstairs open every Friday and Saturday for customers to relax and unwind.
Every last Friday of the month they have live music which adds to the laidback vibe, this combined with a balcony looking over the street makes it the perfect way to pass a Friday evening over a glass of wine.
It goes without saying that the food is delicious and hearty, not pretentious or lacking in portion size but the overall atmosphere in Aubaine is fantastic.
From the moment we stepped over the patio we were greeted with attentive (yet not overbearing) service by all of the waitresses and we knew it was going to be a meal to remember.
The décor in Aubaine is typically French and quaint consisting of delicate white carved chairs with lavender cushions, padded booth seats, low hanging lights, flickering candles and pots of peonies and lavender dotted along windowsills and tables. The downstairs dining section has an open patio to allow a cool breeze on a summer days as well as mirrored windows reflecting light and adding to the airy vibe.
The upstairs bar again echoes the theme of light and space with long windows that lead onto the balcony and fill the space with light. As I mentioned earlier the staff at this particular venue are wonderful and after speaking with the manager of the restaurant for a while I could see why this particular branch was a firm favourite with locals as the quality of customer service is second to none.
It seems this Aubaine nestled in the high street really is the perfect place to replenish after a long day of doing nothing on Hampstead Heath. (Because we all know how much energy doing nothing takes!) Aubaine really is an example of elegant relaxed dining that you should try at least once, although you’ll probably be visiting again after that first visit.
Aubaine
82 Hampstead High St
London
NW3 1RE
