Benugo

Not a bad little sandwich shop just on the main strip of Clerkenwell, tbh it’s always rammed in the week at lunch times with queues miles down the road so when I walked past the other day, saw it was quiet and wanted a cheap bite for breakfast I thought — yep, let’s check it out!
Friendly enough service, you can tell they get busy with their multi-​till ordering system as it was all a bit rushed even though there weren’t many peeps in.
The bacon roll (pimped up with my own choice of avocado) was pretty tasty and not a bad flat white.
Overall there is definitely a ‘chainy’ feel to this place — I’d happily nip in again for breakfast if on the hoof and short of time. £5.50 for a roll and coffee.

The atmosphere was really nice and the coffee was just as good (I ordered an espresso macchiato)! It wasn’t too busy and there was plenty of space to sit — unless I wanted to sit outside. The weather was lovely so all the seats outside were taken.
I was helped, checked out, and given my coffee quickly. AKA, no complaints!

The name Benugo gives me chills after the experiences with the dreadful staff at the Hanover Street branch. This one is immediately different, mainly because the staff are friendly and helpful and a real effort has been made. The shop is bright and high-​ceilinged with lots of fresh food on display. The whole thing is very appealing, the fresh sandwiches look great, as does the breakfast menu, and the seating areas are also comfortable and nicely lit. Their coffee is fine too, this is one of the better places in the area for a drink and a sandwich.

I have to say that I’ve never eaten here, but as it lays directly on my walk to work it’s my regular morning coffee shop, so based on the caffeine alone, I can report it’s a safe and enjoyable bet.
The morning menu features all of the classics, a good selection of teas and some very fresh juices that work particular well on a morning after the pub. The coffee is actually some of the best in the area, not too bitter but strong enough to certainly get you up and moving.
From about 8 – 9:30am it is quite busy but they’re good at dealing with the line, never more than ⁵⁄₆ minutes in and out.
Worth a pop i’d say, but for breakfast maybe look elsewhere.

This place looks quite a lot like a local deli, maybe not even just ‘local’, but ‘rural’ even. From the dark green wall tiles to the bits ‘n bobs hanging form the ceiling and the glass deli counter, this is a nice place to walk in to.
Is a little confusing as you order your food/​sandwich form the deli counter and then have to queue up to pay at another counter and then come back to the deli counter to queue up and wait for your food… lots of queuing and is a bit haphazard.
The food is good though, great warm sandwiches on offer with freshly cooked produce. Also serves as a shop for those finer ‘Italian’ food stuffs and you can eat in should you want to.
Nice lunch spot, good food, but doesn’t stand out as being quirky, different or noteworthy — kinda like the Ford Mondeo of the lunch world — a solid and reliable bet.

I don’t get the bad reviews, this place makes one great sandwich. I was looking for a nice higher-​end deli café in Clerkenwell and I’m glad I found Benugo. They offer a wide selection of delicious looking cured Italian meats (see the pics) any of which can be made into a sandwich. I had the daily special, which was a pork belly sandwich with apple sauce and spicy English mustard. Unusual yes, but sooo tasty.
I’m definitley going back to get a muffin one morning. So much better looking than the ones at Pret.

Ok, so I don’t have a terror story like the others which makes me wonder (hope?) that they’ve sorted out their staffing issues? Then again, I don’t do anything overly complicated here…
Here’s a common Laura + Benugo scenario:
I walk in around 8:15am
I order a skinny iced latte
I pay with a card
I receive no flack for paying a £1.95 bill with a swipe + signature card
I get handed my coffee with a smile
I enjoy the particularly strong coffee all morning
Everything about that screams a-​ok to me.

OK, i have to agree with the previous reviewer, the service is confusing and lacking. I had ordered a sandwich once and soup and they don’t really tell you where to go or how to do it so you just kind of stumble through the store hoping you’re ordering first or paying in the correct order. The checkout guy handed me a hot soup container and shoo-​ed me away, I was like. … well… A) this is burning my hand, B) I also had a sandwich, C) am I in the twilight zone? Finally, some other worker looked at me confused and was like OHHH … would you like a bag probably???
Well, yes… and my sandwich… which was somewhere else not being handed off to them even though someone had put it in a wrap and sent it down a line and the cashier guy charged me for it moments before thinking I should be happy with just my soup burning in my hand…

I have a proper vendetta against this place. Forced to use their wifi over a quick bite recently I attempted to order a £2.50 grilled vegetable sandwich. The laconic lady behind the sandwich counter informed me that she couldn’t make me that, but could rather make me something with less veg and swiss cheese. Sure, I said, it was a sandwich. At the counter I was charged £4. When I inquired as to how the sandwich I had ordered had nearly doubled in price I was informed that I had added a number of extras. I was not at all impressed. And their wifi wasn’t working.
Am I overreacting? I suppose I am. Surely to smear an entire café based on one bad experience would be the act of a particularly spiteful man. I might very well be that man. Buyer beware. Or ask more questions. Or just start eating meat.

The Benugo at the corner of St John St and Clerkenwell Rd is a super convenient spot for grabbing a quick lunch or breakfast. Everything’s under £4; so it’s a pretty affordable option too. Usually when I go for lunch, I pick up an Eastender, sandwich consisting of Cumberland sausage, egg salad, crispy bacon, rocket and chutney. It tastes good and is very filling. Other times, I get the New Yorker. It’s pretty fab too: rye and caraway rustic bread loaded with turkey, crispy bacon (yes!), Gruyère with Dijon mayo, lettuce and tomato.
Another great draw is that Benugo offers free WiFi. The clinical and clanky dining area isn’t the most conducive for doing a little lunchtime Internet surfing, but it’s more than adequate and better than a lot of other places to park your tush midday in this part of town. I usually just get my order to go anyway.