Pedler
Pedler
Meditteranean and American
58 Peckham Rye, SE15 4JR
££
Pedler is a small restaurant which opened in Peckham not too long ago. It is open for dinner from Tuesday-Saturday, and serves breakfast, brunch and lunch Thursday-Sunday. Alike to its surroundings, the menu is small: always a good sign, usually meaning fresh produce and good quality.
Four of us went to Pedler one Saturday for a Birthday Brunch, booking in advance is essential as there was a fairly large queue when we arrived at midday, and the inside absolutely packed. The venue itself is pretty dark and actually feels a little cramped. I guess this sets the scene for dinner but it could definitely do with some better lighting towards the back of the restaurant for brunch and lunch.
We ordered three fresh oranges juices and one smoothie, which consisted of coconut, mint and watermelon: an interesting mix, but not quite as tasty as I thought. The orange juices were good, but in a small glass with quite a bit of ice, meaning we didn't get that much for the £3 we paid for them. For food, we had three Pedler Breakfasts: eggs, Little Bird gin sausage, smoked back bacon, house baked beans, flat mushroom, black pudding, slow roast tomato, toasted bread & maple salted butter (£10) and I had the Benedict: smoked house bacon or smoked salmon, eggs, kale, hollandaise. I originally opted for the salmon, but they had run out so had to go for the bacon instead.
The food was OK, but nothing special and I see why Pedler has received some bad reviews online for its food. The full English brekkies were decent portions, although the black pudding tasted too much like cinnamon and not enough like black pudding. My breakfast, the Benedict, was placed on the thickest piece of bread I’ve ever seen, and one of my eggs weren’t runny. What's more, I didn’t like the bacon which the waitress had raved about, which is probably just a case of personal preference (I like the thin crisp, streaky kind – this was the thick, proper porky, slightly soft kind). I was also a bit baffled as to how a brunch spot runs out of smoked salmon by midday, and why someone couldn’t just pop to the shop and leave me none the wiser.
If there was one part of Pedler which saved the day, it was the service. We had the loveliest, most upbeat and friendly waitress who made us feel right at home from the get-go. Despite being food being slightly too much on the homemade side (if I’m paying for poached eggs I want them a sure runny thang), the overall experience was a pleasant one. However, I think that given the amount of beautiful brunches available in the capital (particularly the south), I probably won’t be returning.
OVERALL RATING: ***
https://www.pedlerpeckhamrye.com/
