Mon Chai

somewhere on st benedicts street, between the independent shops and the particular quiet that end of norwich holds mid-morning, mon chai has built a reputation that doesn't need much explaining. coffee is the obvious draw, but the small-plates menu matters too, and the fact that it leans vegan and vegetarian without making a performance of it means you're not choosing between good food and good ethics. brunch here isn't a compromise. the kitchen clearly thinks about what goes on a plate the same way the bar thinks about what goes in a cup. locals have worked that out, which is why the place sits so firmly in the rotation for people who actually live in this city. if you're starting a morning in norwich properly, st benedicts at breakfast is a reasonable place to land.