London-inspired fare in Winchester's burgeoning brunch scene

Winchester is not a town famed for its brunch scene, but that appears to be changing.

Josie’s is the offspring of its first branch in nearby Bishop’s Waltham and has become such a popular brunch spot in only a few months – despite not being able to book – that queues form outside the door most Saturday and Sunday mornings.

The vibe feels very London – picture exposed filament bulbs above the counter, infused water and drinks served in mason jars and floor-to-ceiling windows that make it beautifully light.

In fact, the owner of the same name, Josie, regularly sends her chefs to the capital – to Shoreditch in particular – for inspiration, owing to the equally trendy and rather long menu.

​Josie’s is perhaps most famous for its pancakes – they’re incredibly thick and unsurprisingly go down a treat on Instagram, but we were both in the mood for savoury. Well, aside from our drinks.

Orange juice (£2.50) is freshly-squeezed at Josie’s which I’m sure we’ll all agree is a million times more delicious than its carton-poured variant.

The smoothies are brilliantly creative too – a peanut butter, banana, strawberry and granola smoothie (£3.95) was so filling it could’ve been a meal in itself but was also so delicious I had to finish it.

There are lots of dairy- and gluten-free options, and my gluten-intolerant friend and I were both powerless to resist the allure of the bubble and squeak cakes (£7.45) which are soft and creamy like mash on the inside but crisp on the outside.

Topped with eggs poached to perfection and a beautiful hollandaise that wasn’t overpoweringly rich, it was a sensational dish. I made mine even better by adding halloumi and avocado too, for what is not improved by the addition of both genius items? My one qualm is that the avocado wasn’t quite ripe though.

As brunch is of course two meals, it’s completely acceptable – and quite frankly recommended – to get a portion of sweet potato fries alongside and Josie’s are fluffy on the inside, with a crisp exterior and cut to a good size too.

If you haven’t eaten yourself into oblivion by this point, the cake counter is brimming with all sorts of baked treats from millionaire’s shortbread, macarons and blondies, to croissants and sweet almond pretzels. Go for the raspberry and white chocolate blondies; they’re excellent, dense and squidgy with a crumbly top.

To top it all off, the staff were delightfully friendly and the service was super quick – probably so they can get more of the hungry queuers in.

Josie’s, 28 Jewry St, Winchester SO23; 01962 865215; josieswinecoffee.com

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Edamame beans on toast with lemon and chives

Serves 2

1 tablespoon olive oil 
6 tablespoons edamame (soya) beans 
1 clove of garlic, crushed juice of 1 unwaxed lemon 
small handful of chives, finely chopped 
pinch of coarse sea salt 
2 thick slices of sourdough 
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (optional) 
4 cherry tomatoes, quartered 

Garlic, lemon, and chives season edamame beans beautifully in this modern twist on a breakfast classic. Frozen edamame beans are available from many large supermarkets. They are very versatile, so keep a handy bag in the freezer.

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In a pan, heat the olive oil and edamame beans over a high heat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and quickly stir-fry for another minute. Reduce the heat to low-medium. Add the lemon juice to the pan. Stir the chives through the beans along with the salt. Cook for a further minute and then smash the beans roughly.

Lightly toast the bread until crisp and golden. Pile the beans high on the bread and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil for an added fruity flavour, if desired. Top with tomatoes before serving.

15 Minute Vegan by Katy Beskow (Quadrille £15) Photography: Dan Jones