Congratulations – you've officially made the first step towards eating the very best brekkie that London has to offer! From hangover cures to pure and utter decadence; here's some of the finest breakfast offerings in the Big Smoke.
Georgie Mortimer - EXECUTIVE EDITOR•
We thought it was about time we gave breakfast a little bit of love, seeing as brunch has kinda been hogging the limelight in recent years. After all, we all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So, without further ado, here’s a roundup of 16 egg-cellent London breakfasts that you must try before you die.
1. The Regency Café, St James’s
The Regency Café opened way back in 1946 and continues to serve proper British grub to this day. The interior is very unpretentious, with basic art deco features and pictures of Tottenham Hotspur players on the walls (sorry Arsenal).
What it lacks in fanciful design it sure makes up for with the food. The fry up is a total bargain at just £6.95, with the option to add extras (e.g. bubble and squeak, hash browns, black pudding) for an extra £1.20. You may have also spotted the café in various films and TV shows, including Layer Cake in 2004.
📍 17-19 Regency Street, SW1P 4BY.
🚇 Nearest stations are Pimlico and St. James’ Park.
2. Ottolenghi, Various locations
To experience the best shakshuka, the infamous dish with eggs immersed in a sauce of tomatoes and peppers, Ottolenghi is the spot. As well as Middle-Eastern classics, they also have a stunning array of pastry and all sorts of sweet dishes to tuck into. Just try to say no to those Buttermilk pancakes – which can come served with blueberry compote or maple apples and sesame praline butter. Yum!
📍 Various locations across London. Find your nearest one here.
3. E Pellicci, Bethnal Green
A firm favourite for breakfast-in-London, E Pellicci have been drawing in punters for over a hundred years. It’s easy to see why – they’re absolutely bloody fantastic. The inside boasts classic wooden and ornate-panelled décor, the staff are absolutely lovely, and the local caf even has Grade II-listed status. While all the food here is bangin’, we’d recommend going for ‘Have The Lot’, which comes in either a veggie or a meaty option. Eggs, sausages, hash browns, bubble and squeak, mushrooms, fried bread – sign us up!
📍 332 Bethnal Green Road, London, E2 0AG.
🚇 Nearest station is Bethnal Green.
4. Honey & Co, Various locations
Another great Middle-Eastern spot, at Honey & Co You’ll find cheesy burekas filled with feta, garlic yogurt, zaatar, fried egg, a classic sabich sandwich which is stuffed with fried aubergines in a chilli and garlic dressing served with pitta and a fried egg or you could also try ‘The Big Breakfast’ which includes a variety of mezze to share alongside any style of eggs on the side.
If you’re looking for some sweet indulgence then the Bloomsbury bun or the ricotta, almond & vanilla cake with poached Yorkshire rhubarb is a must try!
📍 Various locations across London. Find your nearest one here[/trackLink].
5. Mount St, Bond Street
Mount St does a brilliant job of taking British brunch classics and elevating them with a twist. You can find smoked trout benedict, devilled kidneys on toast and other British staples like a full English breakfast, bacon and sausage butty and every possible style of eggs on toast. All of that while admiring the beautiful art collection in your surroundings, isn’t that lush?
📍First Floor 41-43 Mount Street, W1K 2RX.
🚇 Nearest tube stations are Bond Street and Green Park.
6. Brother Marcus, Various lcoations
Brother Marcus’ breakfast is out of this world. Their menu is filled with weird and wonderful things, but the star of the show is surely what was formerly known as the Step Sister, now called simply ‘Sweet Potato Fritters‘: a tasty tower of gluten-free sweet potato, courgette and feta fritters served with avocado, crispy kale, turmeric yoghurt and a poached egg.
Not only is it mind-blowingly delicious, but it’s also incredibly ‘grammable – much like the restaurant itself. Oh, and be sure not to leave without trying the harissa eggs or the smokey shakshuka.
📍 Various locations across London. Find your nearest one here.
7. Dishoom, Various locations
We’ve raved about this London breakfast a few times and, trust me, there’s a reason for it. Light puffy naan bread surrounds layers of crispy sugar-cured bacon, melted cream cheese, fresh coriander and chilli tomato jam. The Dishoom bacon naan laughs in the face of the British bacon buttie.
In fact, we’d go as far as saying you can’t call yourself a true Londoner until you’ve tried one (exaggeration maybe; but you get the idea!). Match it with a lassi or a cup of their refillable chai and you’ll be set for the day.
📍 Various locations across London. Find your nearest one here.
8. The Wolseley, Mayfair
Don’t be put off by the celebrity clientele; you don’t have to be rolling in it to breakfast like a king at The Wolseley. The restaurant is famous for having the best Eggs Benedict in London and, at £15.50 a plate, it’s hardly got a Mayfair price tag (well – not the worst). They also have a fantastic afternoon tea if you’re looking to stay all day.
📍 160 Piccadilly, Mayfair, W1J 9EB.
🚇 Nearest station is Green Park.
9. Eggbreak, Notting Hill
Guess what? There’s eggs on the menu at Eggbreak. And when we say eggs, we don’t just mean the ‘done any way’ kind. We mean done every way: ways that you didn’t even know were possible. Try the Sweet Potato with goat’s cheese, honey, kale, pine nuts, dill yoghurt and poached egg if you’re after something different and downright delicious, or opt for their Spicy Piggy Bun with Gochujang-spiced pork patty, homemade chilli jam, ginger, fried egg and American cheese. It really is an egg-cellent place to start the day and a worthy entry on this roundup of the best London breakfasts.
📍 30 Uxbridge Street, Notting Hill, W8 7TA.
🚇 Nearest station is Notting Hill Gate.
10. Caravan, Various locations
No London breakfasts round-up is complete without a mention of Caravan and their baked eggs with spiced tomato, pepper and chickpea ragu, rose harissa, greek yoghurt, flatbread and parsley. It’s easily one of our favourite places for early morning feasting. If you haven’t been here yet, you seriously need to ask yourself what you’ve been doing with your Sunday mornings.
📍 Various locations across London. Find your nearest one here.
11. Granger & Co., Various locations
Granger and Co. make their ricotta hotcakes (that’s pancakes to you and I) thick and fluffy, with a texture as light as heavenly clouds. They’re served with banana and honeycomb butter (yum), giving you just the right amount of sugary sweet energy to start your day.
📍 Various locations across London. Find your nearest one here.
12. , Liverpool Street
If you’ve not yet made your way up the Heron Tower for brekky, you must get Duck & Waffle‘s signature dish when you do. The combination of crispy confit of duck leg and a fried duck egg, both served on a crisp yet fluffy waffle, is surprisingly delightful. It’s topped with a tangy mustardy maple syrup for the perfect amount of sweetness alongside the savoury.
It’s not the cheapest of London breakfasts, but you also get an unbeatable view of the capital. Oh, and it’s also one of London’s few 24/7 dining spots; if you’re after a late/early meal to hit the spot.
📍 110 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AY.
🚇 Nearest station is Liverpool Street.
13. 26 Grains, Neal’s Yard in Covent Garden
The fab 26 Grains offers a seasonally-changing menu of colourful porridges packed full of nutrition and all the good stuff. Tucked away in Neal’s Yard near Covent Garden, the Scandi-inspired menu offers delightful dishes such as Spiced Apple Porridge with apple compote, cardamom granola and maple yoghurt, as well as Five Grains Porridge with blood orange curd, sesame brittle and yoghurt.
They also whip up some blow-your-head-off coffees, vegetarian and vegan options and some lovely herbal teas.
📍 1 Neal’s Yard, London, WC2H 9DP.
🚇 Nearest stations are Covent Garden.
14. The Breakfast Club, Various locations
The Breakfast Club is loved by many, and for good reason. Their piled-high pancake stacks, topped with lick-your-plate-clean maple syrup and vanilla cream should definitely be on your breakfast bucket list. However, if you want to avoid the queues, it’s probably best to find a time during the working week to go. Nothing’s worth getting hangry about.
📍 Various locations across London. Find your nearest one here.
15. Where The Pancakes Are, Various locations
The Dutch babies from Where The Pancakes Are come in a sweet and savoury variety: The ‘Apples & almonds’ Dutch babies come with native apple varieties, almond paste, fresh berries, almond flakes, plus house cream or vanilla ice cream, and the savoury version ‘Cheeses & herbs’ is filled with cheddar and goats cheese, roast thyme & rosemary, rocket & parmesan, with lemon and olive oil. A strong contender for the best London breakfasts we say.
📍 Various locations across London. Find your nearest one here.
16. Fallow, St James’s
One of London’s most buzzed-about restaurants also serves up a mean breakfast – with what might just be some of London’s best breakfast sandwiches. Fallow’s Royale sandwiches may only be available during the week, from 07:30 until 10:30, but they’re well worth seeking out. (Heck, we’d even say they’re worth calling in sick to work for – but don’t tell my boss I said that!) Served inside their signature croissant rolls, you can choose between a classic sausage patty, salmon, or grilled mushroom – each with their own accompaniments. Their Blood Pudding Benedict is also well worth sampling – our video team reckon it could convert any blood pudding sceptic!
📍 52 Haymarket, SW1Y 4RP.
🚇 Nearest station is Piccadilly Circus.
So there you have it – a roundup of 16 of the best London breakfasts. What better way to start your day than by tucking into one of these bad boys hey?!
Fancy a greasy spoon and a full English fry up instead of these London breakfasts? Here’s our rundown of some sizzling London fry ups you need to get in your belly right now.
Tags:breakfast, british food, cereals, fusion food, healthy food, northamerican food, pancakes, pie, vegetarian
