Duck & Waffle’s Festive Brunch rises above London this Christmas

Forty floors above the sprawl of London, as the city recedes into glittering miniature below, Duck & Waffle perches on the 40th floor of 110 Bishopsgate, its windows framing the sort of vista that makes ordinary meals feel ceremonial. This Christmas and into the New Year, the kitchen has turned its considerable talents toward a three course festive brunch that moves with the season’s rhythm and generosity.

The Festive Brunch runs on Christmas Eve from 9am to 4pm, and again on New Year’s Day. The journey begins with a welcome mimosa, followed by shared plates that set the tone: a Grand Pig in a Blanket arrives glazed with honey mustard, alongside cheesy polenta croquetas studded with black truffle mayo and caviar blini crowned with sour cream and chives. The ritual of gathering around such food, the crackling pastry and the salt of caviar, does something to time.

The heart of the menu unfolds in a choice of mains, each one a small narrative. The Festive Burger layers short rib and flank steak with American cheese, spiced cranberry and a crispy hash brown, all bound with gravy and finished with sprout slaw. The Seafood Platter brings lobster roll, king prawn cocktail and cured salmon, dressed with lemon aioli and an apple and endive salad. For those drawn to the restaurant’s signature, the original Duck & Waffle awaits: Gressingham duck confit with a fried duck egg and mustard maple syrup on a crisp waffle.

Dessert tilts toward the uncomplicated. An Orange & Apple Mince Pie Tart comes with custard and Calvados ice cream. A Biscoff cheesecake follows the biscuit through to white chocolate shavings. The whole effect, food suspended in light, the city rendered abstract far below, belongs entirely to this moment and this place.

Imagery courtesy of Duck & Waffle (@duckandwaffle).