In the continuing hipster transformation of London Road, the people behind Marwood Cafe in The Lanes bring their tenuously Withnail and I themed coffee house to the area. Presuming Ed is a radical make-under of the former bank premises offering value for money investments in refreshments and bites to eat.
Fresh mint tea and Loulou.
I took my 6 year old only day after school last month. After fetching some much needed shopping on London Road I was looking forward to not being forced to plump for a chain for a hot drink and cake. London Road has been well served for cafes (some traditional caffs) but Presuming Ed is a colourful, less contrived addition to the area. The cakes on display at the counter drew us in immediately with the obligatory Brighton gluten-free option, beetroot chocolate cake. We eventually chose carrot cake, a hot chocolate for Loulou and a fresh mint tea for me. I’d already reached my caffeine quote for the day and admit to seeing an alluring photo of the mint tea on their Facebook page, it’s not easy to come by.
The food menu consists of ‘sarnies’ - which are showcased in a glass cabinet near the cakes - with super simple varieties such as ham and cheese and more refined combinations of halloumi rocket and sunblush tomato. Snacks include granola with yoghurt and berries, olives and good old fashioned toast on a choice of breads. There’s nothing confusing about the drinks menu either, with the usual array of posh coffees and herbal teas. No filter coffee though, which is proper black coffee in my view.
What tipped my curiosity to check Presuming Ed out is their meetings rooms which are free to book. As a freelancer with little to zero budget I am often left holding meetings in coffee places and obviously prefer a private space. There are an increasing number of establishments offering this service, you just hope they have good food and coffee! You can book Presuming Ed’s via their website, so it’s quick and easy too.
I’m leaning towards liking the transformation of the area. We reap the benefits of pubs with good ale choices, pop-up kitchens and cocktail bars without having to go into the city centre but I can’t help feel that there’s shades of uber-trendy Shoreditch or Hackney creeping in. London Road always had it’s own identity, albeit slightly shabby and confused but with real local characters. We can only hope for a blend of the new vs old communities rather than total gentrification and at this stage, it’s working.
