It's not just bone broth and spiralised courgetti: with two cookbooks and a new TV show on the way - Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley have now opened their first cafe inside the new Body Studio at Selfridges. We popped in to try out their brunch menu - and yes, there is a sausage sandwich.
What's it all about?
Selfridges have had a big overhaul - transforming the third floor into a haven of healthy living and wellbeing. The 30 seater Hemsley cafe is tucked into one corner, with an all day menu which moves from brunch to salads and hot food from noon till 9pm.
The menu reflects their 'nourishing, nutrient-dense' philosophy - you won't find any refined carbs but there are plenty of hearty options.
A sausage sandwich? Really?
We tried a good range of dishes - including some meaty sausages and fried eggs on a flax seed bun with a punchy cultured ketchup, and a pair of 'muffin' vegetable and cheese frittatas. Our favourite, though, was the very generous pile of avocado, tomato and feta on 'toast' made from courgette and quinoa: it might not resemble conventional bread, but we couldn't fault it on flavour.
Anything to drink?
As you'd expect, there's an extensive menu of juices and smoothies: we tried the 'Hardcore' all veg juice - although you can opt for a sweeter version with some added fruit. There's coffee by Origin, but we stayed in the groove with a pot of refreshing green tea by the Rare Tea Company. Top marks for sourcing.
It's healthy - so no desserts, right?
Happily there are puddings, albeit gluten and refined sugar free - we thought it best to sample all of them. The carrot cake was a good effort, full of crunchy walnuts and plump raisins. A giant shortbread type cookie with dark chocolate was rich with almond and coconut, while you can't go wrong with the 'Paradise bar' of dark chocolate covered coconut.
Overall thoughts?
It's colourful and different, with well sourced ingredients. As we left we could see big bowls of salads arriving for the lunch crowd which also looked very tempting. The Selfridges team have clearly put a lot of effort into the menu: if you're looking for a fresh, light option in the West End - it's worth seeking out. And don't forget to pop up to the glorious rooftop bar for an alfresco drink afterwards.
The Hemsley and Hemsley Cafe is in Selfridges on the third floor, inside the Body Studio. Find out more about the Hemsley and Hemsley Cafe.
Hot Dinners were invited to Hemsley and Hemsley. Prices were correct at the time of writing.
