The best brunches in London
delicious. team
Meeting people for brunch offers much to enjoy. You can take your time over food and drink, stretching into the afternoon – while still having a whole day ahead filled with promise. What will you do, where will you go? There’s something very indulgent about it, don’t you think?
Whether you’re looking for a local bite, a bottomless brunch for a celebration or something on the cheaper end of the scale, we’ve brought together the city’s best for you all in one place.
East London
Serving English and Sri Lankan breakfasts in Victoria Park since 2004 is Pavilion Bakery, and if you’ve never had string hoppers for breakfast, you’d do well to try them. With locations in Leytonstone, Broadway Market and Columbia Road, Pavilion has pastries that are second to none. The breads are also terrific, going through a long fermentation (up to 48 hours) to create complex flavours that make for a killer sandwich. Get a ringside view of all the birds on the lake while you eat, too.
Dudley’s offers classic fare done supremely well in its easy-on-the-eye, panelled-interior hotspot on Wood Street. The ‘dogfather’ brunch roll filled with sausage patty, bacon, egg, spring onions and their own dogfather spicy sauce are both winners. So too are the trout and poached eggs on sourdough with hollandaise and the classic, well executed three cheese toastie.
E Pellicci always justifies a trip to Bethnal Green Road, whether you’re based in East London or not. The ‘Britalian’ caff has been going since 1900 and is worth a visit just for the pleasure of listening to owners Nev and Anna’s banter, or for taking in the gorgeous Art Deco stained glass and Kat Slater wall art. But the food is exceptional, too, which makes this a triple-threat of a brunch location. If you’re lucky, you might be eating at the same time as another customer who’s celebrating a birthday, in which case hold onto your seat for the most heartwarming birthday singalong you’ve ever experienced. The cannelloni with chips or Pellicci Penne with bolognese sauce and a side of schnitzel are our top picks, because where else can you eat pasta for breakfast?
Planning a day treasure hunting in Spitalfields market? Fuel up with Club Mexicana’s Bangin’ Brunch, an entirely vegan affair with big Mexican flavours. There’s everything you’d expect from a brunch menu, only without the meat, from fry ups and fritters to ‘beef brisket’ tacos and ‘chick’n’ waffles. For us it was the chilaquiles (or breakfast nachos) that stood out the most. Piled high with a rainbow of toppings, including salsa roja, salsa verde, queso fresco, avocado, sour cream and roasted pulled jackfruit, you’ll be wowed at how fresh and exciting vegan food can be. Service is exceptional, there are enough margs and mocktails to shake a stick at and, with a glittering disco ball the size of a small planet hanging over the entrance, you know you’re in for a good time.
South London
Juliet’s in Tooting is owned by Aussies and does a great job of making you feel like you’ve left the scuzzy streets of South London for a fleeting moment and dived head first into the scent of gum trees and the sound of cicadas. The Vadouvan eggs with yogurt, chilli, carrot, samphire and dill are to-die-for. But the coffee hollandaise (pictured), omelettes and corn fritters won’t let you down either. Don’t leave this place to SW locals only: it might be a couple of bus trips or a trundle on the Northern Line away, but boy is it worth the visit. Plus once you’ve made the journey you can go and stock up on vegetables like dudhi and fenugreek in Tooting’s many South Asian grocers. So it’s worth the trip!
This Brockley sun spot is known for its brilliant toasties, top class coffee and stellar brunch menu, featuring big breakfasts of hash browns, Turkish sausages and halloumi, or perfectly poached eggs sitting on top of golden corn fritters. The breakfast roll of sausage patty, egg, cheddar, brown sauce and hot sauce in a brioche roll is a bestseller for good reason. Conveniently located close to the station, Good as Gold sees actual queues at weekends so arrive early or be prepared to wait.
Peckham’s Kudu offers brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11-2:30pm – the kind of lazy hours we appreciate. Waffles adorned with their fried chicken, fried egg, kimchi and maple syrup are on the menu, or perhaps their shaksuhka with parmesan crisps and baked kale (pictured) is more up your street? The sweet-toothed will be happy with caramelised banana bread tatin and the bleary-eyed might appreciate the JUGS of bloody mary on offer.
Located in a former Edwardian laundry (as the name suggests), this all-day bistro offers a cracking brunch. Antipodean owners Melanie Brown and Sami Harvey’s know what to do when it comes to breakfast, and you can enjoy it outdoors on their terrace in the summer months, or inside the charming building if the weather is cooler. Favourites are the Turkish eggs and breakfast sausage and hash brown roll, and the menu is offered until 3pm which we think is a very clever move. Opt for a refreshing pure green juice if you need a little pepping up, or go for a new take on the bloody mary, made with tequila instead of vodka plus wasabi.
Whatever you do, don’t sit down before you order! It’s not how things are done here. There’s always a queue at this handsome greasy spoon in Pimlico because the food is exceptional, and the vibe brings a slice of kitchen sink charm with the hazy comfort of yesteryear. The sausages are always brown, the tomatoes well grilled, and the only tricky decision you’ll have to make is whether to have white sliced or brown. A bottle of orange juice comes recommended.
North London
Since 2013, Ester’s café has been pumping out Stoke Newington’s best brunches for hungry locals, using amazing seasonal veg from Flourish Produce and Shrub Provisions. You’re guaranteed a line out of the door on Saturday mornings, as the Hackney regulars queue up for special plates of roasted pork collar with fried fava bean panisse, almond salsa macha, camone tomatoes and a fried egg, or a slice of french toast with blood orange compote.
Norman’s
Normans is a café in North London that people on the internet go nuts about, because the owners know how to take an excellent Instagram picture of their breakfasts. But the real reason to visit is nothing to do with aesthetics: it’s because the food is delicious and the service friendly. Norman’s takes everything that’s great about the British greasy spoon and makes it even better with the addition of high quality meat. Two breakfasts with coffees for £15 is a bargain and we salute the café making that happen in 2023. A special mention goes to the muffins with sausage, Red Leicester, homemade HP and hash browns – the stuff dreams are made of.
Granger & Co
A series of fun and friendly cafés founded by Bill Granger (Aussie food writer and critic, famous for his ricotta hotcakes), Granger & Co offers an informal communal dining set-up and seasonally inspired breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. You’ve got plenty of light choices for breakfast, including almond, buckwheat and pumpkin seed granola or toasted coconut bread and butter. There’s no other option at lunchtime: order the grilled cheese and kimchi sandwich and allow your mind to be blown. This is a great spot before taking a train journey out of Kings Cross or St Pancras. Make note: no bookings.
Double Standard at The Standard
If swish, boozy brunches are more your thing, may we introduce you to Double Standard’s bloody mary brunch? Inside King Cross’s the Standard hotel is a breakfast that puts the classic hair-of-the-dog cocktail front and centre with their DIY version, which asks you to choose from not one but four garnishes for your drink. Prawns (seriously!), stilton, boquerones or pickles are available (to name just a few on the tickbox menu). The food is richly satisfying, with the fried chicken and waffles and steak and eggs being highlights. Décor is easy on the eye, all burgundy sofas and plaid curtains, a little bit Mad Men a whole lot of chic. Get your Sunday best on and book a table.
You can’t say fairer than breakfast on an actual canal path. Lori de Mori and Laura Jackson’s waterside restaurant offers simple, comforting food cooked fresh to order in a busy and bustling kitchen. The fried sage eggs are a must-try, but none of the seasonal veg dishes will let you down: Lori and Laura know that letting their ingredients sing is where it’s at. Heirloom toms on toast, or asparagus served with ajo blanco will surprise and delight. When the sun is beating down on their spring green tables and you have a coffee in hand, there’s nowhere better to be on a London morning. Avoid weekends if you want to miss the crowds and note: there are no toilets on site.
Central London
The interiors at Mayfair’s Mount Street Restaurant are quite simple serene. Situated above the landmark The Audley pub, the restaurant has been designed by Studio Laplace, and is all graphic furniture, palladiano mosaic floor and a range of diverse paintings and drawings from commissioned artists. The plush window seats are the place to be, and when seated you can enjoy a view of the streets below, and a menu of classic British brunch fare including kippers, an exquisite omelette Arnold Bennett, bacon chop, or a full English. Don’t forget to try a marmalade martini, which are just the right side of sharp, and will bring a suitable spring to your step for a stroll through Hyde Park post-brunch. London brunches don’t come much better.
Imad arrived in London from Syria, where he had owned several restaurants and cafes, in 2015, having to flee his home country in search of safety. Thankfully his family were eventually able to join him, and in 2021, he opened Imad’s Syrian Kitchen in Kingly Court. Their brunch menu is a new addition, and on offer daily you’ll find a flavourful feast to set you up for the day. Choose from deeply rich shakshuka served with fluffy homemade flatbread, creamy fattoush, or ful, and pastries such as their riaayiq asal – an unmissable molten cheese affair filled with halloumi, feta and cheddar served with honey. Drinks include Syrian coffee and fresh mint tea.
The Colony Grillroom at The Beaumont
A swish, red leather clad restaurant where you can eat prawn cocktail for breakfast? Don’t mind if we do! The Saturday and Sunday brunch at The Colony Grillroom at the Beaumont in Mayfair is a sophisticated affair, complete with splendidly weighty silverware, a killer omelette, or a Full English with the finest meat and Arlington white eggs. Snacks to start are available (and why not) – the truffled toast with bacon jam is a pretty exquisite way to break fast. The very hungry can go for a full-on Tomahawk steak, Colony fried chicken or cobb salad. Breakfast needn’t always be eggs, you know!
Breakfast Knightsbridge’s The Aubrey includes lots of buttery soft shokupan served multiple ways: with avocado and sashimi salmon, in generous prawn sandos filled with diddy prawn patties with tonkatsu sauce and cabbage to bring crunch. There’s an incredible treatment of some of the meatiest mushrooms you’ll find, grilled with miso garlic butter, and okonomiyaki with a choice of tea smoked salmon. Sweet breakfast enjoyers will be pleased with the options of Japanese soufflé pancakes (our recipe works for those too desperate to wait to visit), matcha pancakes and a mille crepe cake with miso cream. And a trio of mochi buns is a perfect finisher for those who wish to make a day of the whole brunch affair. Bottomless champagne is available, but the cocktails are not to be missed, especially the saline Salome, or a Crystal Mary (a clear Bloody Mary – that has to be tried to be believed…). The menu is served Friday to Sunday.
After 10 years of delivering top-notch brunch to Londoners, Riding House Café is still going strong – now with three outposts dotted across the city. There’s something for everyone: with traditional brunch dishes (eggs benny, for example) as well as much more substantial fodder in the form of skewered meats and truffle mac ‘n’ cheese.
One of the best options in London if you have your breakfast sights set on pancakes. Choose from over two dozen different ones: from sweet (hello pear caramel) to savoury (pulled beef on a pancake?!) and even Dutch Babies (big puffed up ones, served in the pan they’re baked in, with filling in the middle). Food intolerances are well catered for, and there are non-pancake options if you’re in the mood for something other than a super stack. There are three locations in London… Our favourite? London Bridge as it’s perfect for post (or pre) Borough Market mooching.
This fun, new all-day eatery has just popped up on a pedestrianised street near Borough. They’ve hit the location jackpot, offering a buzzy bar and eatery in amongst the vibrant area of Bankside. Pop in for a brunch classic, such as their avocado toast or their whopping Full English. Head over later in the day for brasserie classics. And whatever you do, don’t deprive yourself of their spring margarita.
Do you get excited over porridge? Trust us when we tell you, you won’t find a better place for oats in all of London. The cosy location, nestled in the heart of Covent Garden’s Neals Yard, is our favourite part, with tables spilling out onto the courtyard in the warmer months. The dishes – such as banana, tahini, honey, cinnamon, sesame seeds and cacao nibs on five-grain porridge – are wholesome and tasty… perfect fodder ahead of a day of exploring.
This GEM of a restaurant serves up epic Peruvian brunch dishes in the coolest of surroundings. Famous for mouthwatering waffles (often spotted on the ‘Gram), Pachamama delivers sweet and savoury waffles as well as ceviche, Peruvian fried chicken and confit duck on rice. We could sit inside and soak up the weekend brunch atmosphere all day long – while sipping on a pisco sour or two, naturally. There’s a bottomless brunch at weekends, too.
Whether it’s a special occasion or you’re feeling boujee, COYA Mayfair’s Soul Grandioso brunch is a full blown party on and off the plate. It’s no ordinary boozy brunch: expect luxurious platters of Peruvian favourites, art-filled walls, upbeat music, dancing and glamour, all washed down with champagne. There are sharing plates to start, a stunning ceviche platter strikingly served over ice and your choice of main – the sirloin steak with crispy shallots, ají limo chillies and star anise was our highlight. Finish with an elaborate platter of desserts and fresh fruit for an ending to remember. Portions are generous and, with performers circling the spotlit tables, you’ll soon forget you’re in London. The price is on the higher end, so COYA is more for special occasions than every day – but it’s worth it. Point to note: if you’re on a special diet, check the menu before visiting to make sure they have enough choices for you.
Those jaw-dropping views. That iconic duck waffle. There’s only one place in the whole of London where you can feast on a crispy duck leg confit and fried duck egg waffle, 24 hours a day, with incredible 360 degree views. The prices are high but the experience is extraordinary and perfect for a special treat – although not if you have a fear of heights! Bookings are essential and best made a fair bit in advance.
After a proper grand experience? The Wolseley, an iconic restaurant on Mayfair’s Piccadilly, offers one of the finest breakfasts in town. Expect silver service as you choose from freshly baked viennoiserie, squeezed juices and all the breakfast classics. Push the boat out and order the Full English. It’ll cost you a pretty penny but it’s one of the best in the game.
Don’t overlook this dinnertime favourite haunt for your next brunch. The all-day breakfast, featuring the famous bacon naan and masala chai, is a much calmer affair than that of the evening rush – and arguably a better way to enjoy the Dishoom experience (plus, unlike dinner, you can book). For fans of a Full English breakfast, it would be a sin to overlook the Big Bombay sharing plate, which comes piled high with akuri, char-striped smoky bacon, pork sausages, masala beans, mushrooms, tomatoes and buttered buns. For lighter options, try the aforementioned bacon naan or the heaven-sent date and banana porridge.
We hate the term “Insta-worthy”. However… B&H offers one of the most photogenic settings for a weekend brunch in the city. Dine on sky-high pancake stacks while throwing back a mimosa or two (bottomless available) in this gorgeous greenhouse oasis. There’s a private dining room, too, which seats up to 16 – great if you’re seeking out a more secluded option for a special occasion.
Another great brunch option – one that’s sometimes overlooked in place of dinner or cocktails – is Caravan, which has various sites dotted around the city. Whether you’re looking for a light bite in the form of fresh fruit or golden spiced yogurt, or something on the more hearty side such as chorizo and potato hash, you’ll find it here – and brunch is served all day. Oh, and did we mention the passionfruit bellinis?
If any nation knows how to brunch, it’s Australia. This light and bright chain of Aussie cafés across the city offers tasty brunch dishes with great juices and cocktails to boot. At weekends, you can choose to add bottomless mimosas and prosecco alongside any brunch item of your choosing. Dishes are substantial: choose from a nicely spiced nasi goreng or giant bubble and squeak eggs benedict… You won’t leave hungry.
West London
The food on offer from Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan is life-affirming. Expect a shakshuka style dish of fried eggs in a soupy, rich and green chilli-flecked tomato sauce, or opt for a mezze style brunch of chickpeas with freshly made cheese and flatbreads, plus subtly-spiced, fragrant lamb kofte. You will not have a bad meal at this Notting Hill restaurant, in fact – bathed in sunlight flooding in through the roof windows, with one of the team’s lovely cocktails in hand (go for the Shattarita – a take on the margarita made with sumac and red chilli shatta) – you might just want to stay all day.
Urban Pantry in Chiswick is worth a visit out west. While the always-on menu offers brunch classics like avo toast, corn fritters and baked eggs (or try all three in their brunch feasting board for two), it’s the fortnightly changing seasonal specials that set Urby P (as it’s known locally) apart. Head to the gorgeous grid of the cafe’s Instagram to find out which specials are on when you visit. From baklava french toast to slow-cooked beef benedict, it’s a delightful surprise to see what the team has come up with. The café is dog friendly but you can’t book, so get there early.
The clue’s in the name: this cute cafe and espresso bar in Fulham is a local hero when you’re starving on a Sunday morning. Soak up the sun in the dog-friendly garden or people watch from the cosy window seats while sipping on the first-class house blend of Soul Man coffee. With notes of caramel, chocolate and peach, it’s good – and, if you love it, you can buy some to take home with you. For eating, the options are endless and generously portioned. We love the Gloucestershire Old Spot sausage sarnie and the courgette fritters with halloumi, both of which will keep you full long past lunch time. Dietary restrictions are well catered for on the menu.
Although getting a seat at this popular Fulham cafe is a bit of a task (evident by the queue spilling into the road at weekends), the smiley service you receive once you finally get inside makes the wait worthwhile. The menu is trendy and varied: think charcoal smoothies, truffle scrambled eggs and caramelised bananas on toast – everything you need for an Insta-worthy brunch that tastes as good as it looks. Vegans, vegetarians and gluten-avoiding diners are spoiled for choice. Bring your bestie and your dog and get set for a proper relaxing sesh, fuelled by great food.
Located in something of a no-man’s-land between Hammersmith and Shepherd’s Bush, Burnt cafe is a hidden gem worth discovering. The menu is exciting and innovative, taking brunch classics and giving them a twist. This season’s offering includes salt beef and sauerkraut croque madame, miso squash omelette and seasonally appropriate rhubarb buttermilk pancakes. There are also pastries from the Dusty Knuckle, homemade cakes and a stunning array of baked treats on the counter to pair with your coffee. The menu changes regularly to suit the season and focuses on the best locally sourced seasonal produce. No wonder it’s so hard to decide what to eat.
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