Last week, while Charlotte and Craig were still here, the three of us went to have breakfast at Duck & Waffle. I had heard of this place before from friends, Time Out, and the Londoner and had badly wanted to try it. The restaurant is on the 40th floor of Heron Tower, it’s open 24/7, and bookings at normal hours are hard to come by. I was drawn by the promise of great views and good food, and luckily Charlotte and Craig were game to be dragged out of bed for a 7:15am breakfast reservation. 

Truthfully, I was really excited, but also I was really nervous. I was making my friends get out of bed super early – while they were on vacation – to go to a possibly over-hyped restaurant. Thankfully, the whole experience was superb. At 7:15am, the place had a number of other diners but wasn’t full so the vibe was relaxed (ideal at such an early hour). It was also perfect because we got a spacious table in the corner by the windows so we had full views of London. I imagine at peak times getting a table in the middle of the room would be heart breaking. But, from where we were sitting we saw the Thames, Tower Bridge, the Gherkin, trains passing, and people commuting. I almost felt bad for those people 40 stories below. They were commuting to work, while I was having a lovely cappuccino in the sky with friends.

And look how gorgeous that cappuccino was! While you’re looking at the photo, tell me, what do you think about taking pictures of your food when you’re at a restaurant? I know some people hate it, but I’m cool with it (clearly, I do it all the time). I do acknowledge that taking too many pictures of your food is annoying, distracting, and can keep you from truly enjoying your food and the company you are with. I get it. It can be done wrong. But done in moderation (2-3 snaps per dish?), it’s ok by me. In fact, I have three good reasons for why I take restaurant food photos.

First, sometimes your food looks beautiful and it’s nice to appreciate the skill and effort that someone took to provide you with something so lovely. I mean, look at that cappuccino. It’s perfection, the milk is amazing, and it makes dining out feel more special than getting a takeaway cup from a coffee shop. And that leads me to my second reason: sometimes dining out is a special experience. Sure, you might go out because you don’t feel like cooking –  but sometimes you go out to celebrate an occasion, to feel fancy, and to experience something new. When you go on vacation you take pictures of the places and things you saw because it’s a special experience. Why should food be any different? My restaurant food photos are souvenirs the help me evoke sensory memories of the nice times with friends and the new foods that surprised and delighted.  And the third reason for restaurant food photos is that sometimes I love a place and I want other people to be inspired, be hungry, and try it. When I love a restaurant or a food, I want everyone to go there and have as lovely as a time as I did.

Which brings me back to my lovely time at Duck & Waffle. All three of us ordered the signature Duck ‘n’ Waffle (pictured above next to the cappuccino). We felt compelled to try the namesake dish, but Craig and I didn’t read the menu too well. He didn’t realize there would be a duck leg, I didn’t realize there would be a duck egg, and Charlotte just rolled her eyes at us being silly and asleep. It came with a mustard maple syrup, which sounds scary but was divine. It was a hint of sweetness and little tangs of mustardy heat. It was a gorgeous accent to the duck and waffles and was in no way overpowering. I really feel it helped unite all the pieces of the meal. In addition to savory, we were also drawn to the sweet waffle offerings. The three of us decided to share the bananas brûlée (above) – which was a waffle with a banana, homemade nutella, and ice cream. It was decadent and I was a little in love with the crusted brûléed sugar on the banana. I want to make this at home.

We ended our meal with a little walk around the restaurant to take in the views one more time. Before the fog rolled in Craig showed where we could just make out buildings in Greenwich. We admired the crazy orange tree in the lobby, the chandelier made of bottles, the gorgeous blue floor tiles, and the well stocked bar. It was a wonderful breakfast, and we still had the whole day ahead of us for touring. As we got into the elevator and whizzed back down to the street, I was really happy with our trip to Duck & Waffle. Everything, the food, the decor, the views were just as good as I had heard it would be. I loved it, and I would go back again, and even buy the cookbook so I could have more delicious food at home – and this time I wouldn’t have to eat at 7:15 am. 

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