A new kid on this trendy quayside block, The Lime Leaf Café had hardly opened when the word spread around Derry city and beyond. Spread over two floors, it shares space with a hairdressers and is a first solo venture for owner Jonathan Heaney, formerly of two of Derry's most highly regarded restaurants, Browns and The Sooty Olive.
The vibe is urban and the food offering is bang on trend with breakfasts such as free-range scrambled eggs with truffle oil on sourdough and scampi or Mac n Cheese for lunch. Jonathan calls himself a cook rather a chef, saying simple use of great ingredients, with a modern twist, is his style.
Scrambled eggs with wild mushrooms and truffle oil on sourdough are a popular breakfast, for example, or you might try cubes of smoked salmon paired with potatoes, spring onions and dots of mayonnaise. Sandwiches include Pickled Tomato, Goats Cheese, Radish and Beetroot on Sourdough, while soup may be Cauliflower with Blue Cheese and Pickled Pine Nuts. Milkshakes are a big draw and sweet treats include cupcakes and creme egg rocky road.
Mainly a daytime place, but check out the scene in summer when the outdoor pavement space can be used for light food on summer evenings.
