Where to Have Brunch in London
London's best brunch spots: while away hungry mornings (and afternoons), with a feast of the best brunch recommendations
This incredibly popular bar and roastery recently expanded, serving unique and appetising alternative brunch dishes in two London locations, taking inspiration from all around the globe. Their coffees alone are a good enough reason as any to go. Caravan will be bringing hungry Londoners a delightful sounding black coconut rice with pineapple, lime and coconut yoghurt, or for something a little more substantial, we're intrigued by their kimchi pancake with pork belly, a fried duck egg and topped off with bbq crème fraiche. If you're after more typical brunch food (with a Caravan twist) try the prawn and chorizo omelette served with piquillo, almonds and chipotle lime mayo, or the baked eggs with tomato pepper ragout, greek yoghurt, toast and merguez sausage. Yum.
St John Bakery Room, Maltby Street
The St John Bakery Room brunch is a wonderful weekend treat. Not simply limited to its famous donuts, the Maltby Street St John Bakery Room offers an excellent welsh rarebit, if you're in need of recovery, as well as seed cake and a glass of madeira for the sweet-toothed. If you're feeling a more traditional pick-me-up, you can get a bacon sandwich with ketchup from 10am. It's the best hangover cure south of the Thames.
Duck and Waffle, Heron Tower
To escape the humdrum and heat of the city, why not head to the restaurant atop the Heron Tower and give yourself a true sense of perspective. With views to The Shard, this unique restaurant is the highest in the city. Their brunch menu features a huge range of Belgian Waffles with all the trimmings, and of course their iconic duck/waffle combination, made with crispy leg confit and served with mustard maple syrup. There's also the scrumptious sounding wild cornish pollock meatballs, or, for a sweet round-off to a hearty breakfast there are maple caramel apples topped with cinnamon ice cream.
This restaurant tucked away in Bond Street has started serving up an alternative Peruvian brunch at the weekends. From sweet and savoury waffles to ceviche (as well as all the normal menu offerings) there's something here for everyone. Smoked cheddar tequeños and Pork belly chicharrónes will keep you sated whilst you're waiting and the house sea bass and samphire ceviche is a must-try. Plus, more Pisco Sours than we've ever seen on a menu. A more upmarket feel than Andina or other recent Peruvian additions to London, we heartily recommend Pachamama a fun, alternative brunch.
Providores and Tapa Room, Marylebone
This combination of contemporary dining room and intimate cafe on Marylebone high street offers a diverse menu throughout the day. They're renowned for their brunches (which are served in both atmospheric dining rooms) and feature a roast sweet potato, spinach, basil, red onion and feta tortilla, with red pepper, pickled radish, mizuna, and parsnip crisps – if you're after something of the lunch variety. For a breakfast with a twist, try their Turkish Eggs, straight from Changa restaurant in Istanbul – composed of two poached eggs on whipped yoghurt with hot chilli butter and seeded granary toast. Finally, for those with a sweet tooth, there's their delectable sounding french toast, stuffed with banana and pecans and served with grilled smoked streaky bacon and vanilla verjus syrup. Delicious, finely executed dishes in a relaxed and stylish environment.
Hally's, Parson’s Green
This Californian-inspired hangout prides itself on serving up innovative, fresh food. After a culinary road-trip through the Golden State, Anna Halliday and her husband Philip Beatty wanted to bring California's simple, innovative food to Parson's Green in a laid-back environment. The pair focus on organic and ethical products. The relaxed café brews up organic monmouth coffee, as well as a delicious sounding porridge with granny smith apple, agave & toasted almonds. For a heartier meal there's smoked salmon on rye with cream cheese, avocado, capers and lemon or ricotta pancakes with berries, fig, honey and crème fraiche.
Cut the Mustard, Furzedown
Cut the Mustard, a tiny café in South London's Furzedown, offers brunches made in their excellent deli. This talented crew focus on seasonally varied food, in an unpretentious style. Their variations on Eggs Benedict, the Mack Salmon, Miss Piggy, and the Popeye, (with smoked salmon and guacamole, smoked bacon and asparagus, and portabello mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes) are sumptuously poached, with excellent coffee from the local Volcano Coffee Works maintaining their South London community roots.
Newman Street Tavern, Fitzrovia
Near Oxford Circus, Newman Street Tavern provides a lovely spot for a summer brunch. Their seasonally varying, organically sourced food can come in the form of a traditional brunch, like Eggs Benedict, and their Roasted suckling pig with crispy Tamworth bacon offers more of a twist. The special 'Psycle' menu offers two courses for a reasonable £15, with the likes of organic yogurt served with poached seasonal fruit to start and smashed avocado and poached egg on sourdough toast. Their main brunch menu is delicious as well, with more substantial options like nicoise salad and steak tartare with fried egg and greens, all followed up with smoothies in this well-lit space.
Tina We Salute You, Dalston
This art gallery-cum-cafe in the heart of London's east end serves up an eclectic menu in intimate surroundings. With a hearty sounding hot chorizo baguette, or American-style meatloaf and fried egg, there are definitely plenty of strong flavours to help soak up a post-party hangover. They offer beigels (spelt the proper way) with a choice of topping, including enticing avocado with chilli and lime. And we're particularly excited about the taktouka (Morroccan tomato and green pepper salad) with poached eggs on sourdough.
Q Grill, Camden
Q Grill's Sunday Brunch converts your traditional brunch into a BBQ extravaganza, The 'Blues' Sunday Brunch near Camden Yards offering live music throughout your Sunday. Traditional brunches are on offer, from Eggs Benedict to bacon butties to scrambled eggs with kiln smoked salmon, but if your head or stomach demands something different, the main menu is available too - A delicately marinated sea bass ceviche dressed with salt, lime and chilli – and given a crunch with some fried plantain – makes for a perfect light start, or for those after vegetarian fare, Q Grill serve up some tasty salt baked and smoked beets accompanied by goat’s cheese and maple tossed walnuts, accompanied by wines, craft beers and cocktails.
Megan's, St John's Wood
This North London Brunch has something for everyone, freshly squeezed fruit-juices if you're feeling delicate, Eggs Benedict if you're feeling more elaborate, and London's best fry-ups for the rest. Alternatively, you can get an amazing sharing board (for two or three people) with whole baked camembert with garlic and rosemary, or you can head south with the Mediterranean Board: red lentil falafel, houmous, smoked aubergine purée, grilled halloumi, and pork and beef meatballs with tzatziki, accompanied by a Mediterranean G&T, from Megan's 'Hair of the Dog' recovery cocktail range. Perfect for anyone, in any state.
Nopi, Warwick Street
Ottolenghi's venture Nopi brings a short, simple breakfast menu that doesn't compromise on flavour. The popular Israeli chef brings his all-vegetarian cuisine to the masses, offering a choice of morning pastries baked to perfection, and sourdough with poached or scrambled eggs. Traditionalists will be glad to hear that there's also french toast on offer, served up with a delicious sounding topping of star anise sugar, berry compote and orange yoghurt, or for a taste of Ottolenghi's home country why not sample the shakshuka, which comprises of braised eggs, piquante tomato sauce, smoked labneh (strained yoghurt).
The Workshop Coffee Co., Clerkenwell
This artisan cafe on Clerkenwell Road serves much more than coffee - though they've built a reputation for that too, with a string of award-winning coffee shops across the capital. Their brunch menu features apple bircher muesli with fresh strawberries, Labneh and pumpkin seeds, as well as a Mexican-style breakfast offering of huevo rancheros with braised beans, fried egg, jerk sauce and jalapenos. There's also a unique take on french toast made with brioche, poached rhubarb, orange mascarpone and hazelnuts. For something more on the lunchy side of things there are a number of savoury offerings including buttermilk fried chicken with lemon, fennel slaw, and red chilli, or smoked haddock fish cake with crispy kale, poached egg, jalapeno mayonnaise.
The Modern Pantry, Clerkenwell
Traditional brunch food, done to perfection; The Modern Pantry's take on Eggs Royale, featuring tea-smoked salmon with poached eggs, toasted English muffin and yuzu hollandaise sounds a treat. Next, their raspberry and ricotta pancakes come with a sweet and light topping of berry compote and crème fraiche. And their reinterpretation of an omelette is making us salivate: featuring sugar-cured New Caledonian prawn, spring onion, coriander and smoked chilli sambal, it's definitely one to try. A clean, bright venue serving up luxurious breakfast dishes – all at a very reasonable price.
Granger and Co. Restaurant, King's Cross
Another King's Cross brunch option, Bill Granger's latest opening brings healthy, colourful, and delicious fare to the area. Temptations such as ricotta hotcakes served with banana and honeycomb butter are joined by Aussie twists on brunch, jasmine tea smoked salmon with cream cheese, dill, pea shoots, and edamame on toasted rye, and even the fascinatingly tropical bone broth with wild greens, poached egg, fennel kraut, pickles and kelp noodles. These are accompanied by the more traditional freshly squeezed juices and daily scones, buns, muffins and tray bakes. Granger and Co. Restaurant battles Caravan for the title of most exciting brunch in King's Cross.