The Best Brunch in London

The best part of a weekend has to be long, lingering brunch with family or friends. Here are Bon Vivant’s suggestions for the best brunch in London.

Caravan, Clerkenwell

Caravan offers a weekend brunch menu to rival any in London in a relaxed and effortlessly cool setting on Exmouth Market in Clerkenwell. The New Zealand influenced restaurant has its own coffee roaster, so flat whites are very popular too.

The open plan layout and double facing glassed front make this an ideal location for enjoying a vibrant part of London. Caravan has a second outpost on Granary Square behind King’s Cross station, Caravan King’s Cross, both of which serve some of the best coffee in London.

Hawksmoor, Shoreditch

Although more widely known for being one of London’s best steakhouses, Hawksmoor is fast becoming renowned for its weekend brunch menu offering a mammoth Hawksmoor Full English for two people to share and roast beef with all the trimmings available on Sundays.

The Modern Pantry, Clerkenwell

Anna Hansen’s acclaimed Clerkenwell restaurant The Modern Pantry serves an excellent weekend brunch in light, bright surroundings on a beautiful square in Clerkenwell, claimed by many to offer the best brunch in London.

The restaurant also has a large terrace to make the most of the sunshine in the summer months, making The Modern Pantry one of the best alfresco restaurants in London.

Cecconi’s, Mayfair

Serving fine Italian food from the morning until the early hours, Cecconi’s is a perfect spot for breakfast, brunch or lunch and a great way to break up a day’s shopping on nearby Bond Street.

Cecconi’s is fun and glamorous, with a real buzz about the place – and Prosecco on tap in never a bad thing, especially for a weekend brunch.

The Wolseley, Mayfair

The Wolseley has maintained its place as one of London’s chicest destination for breakfast, with businessmen and fashionistas flocking there for the grand dining room and people watching.

The Wolseley is one of the classic restaurants in London for a power breakfast meeting and certainly offers some of the best brunch in London.

34 Restaurant

The new brunch menu at 34 Restaurant offers eggs with a twist – lobster, crab, grilled asparagus, black pudding, smoked salmon, chorizo and much more. Grills include spatchcock chicken, pork belly, swordfish and steak; and brunch staples like buttermilk pancakes, pasta and Caesar salad are also available.

A Sunday roast with all the trimmings is available for Sunday brunch.

The Delaunay, Aldwych

The Delaunay, sister restaurant to The Wolseley and Brasserie Zedel from restaurateurs Chris Corbin and Jeremy King, sits on the corner of Drury Lane and Aldwych.

The restaurant is open seven days a week – until midnight from Monday to Saturday and 11pm on Sunday – serving breakfast, afternoon tea, and à la carte lunch and dinner menus ‘inspired by the grand cafés of Europe’. They also serve some of the best brunch in London.

Riding House Café

The team behind the acclaimed Garrison and Village East in Bermondsey opened the Riding House Café, an all day Brasserie offering a selection of small plates to share as well as traditional main courses in Fitzrovia. The restaurant has a great vibe and a ‘buzzy’ bar area too.

Pizza East, Shoreditch

Housed in the Tea Building, adjacent to Shoreditch House, Pizza East forms part of the Soho House Group, where the vibe is a cool mix of American and Italian. While the menu focuses on pizzas, including a full English breakfast pizza, the menu does offer more traditional brunch items as well.

Dean Street Townhouse, Soho

Dean Street Townhouse serves classic British cuisine from first thing in the morning until the early hours. The weekend brunch menu offers a full range of breakfast classics as well as a traditional Sunday roast. The pitchers of Bloody Mary are always popular too!

York & Albany

A short stroll from Regents Park you’ll find Gordon Ramsay’s York & Albany, housed in a converted coaching inn. After brunch, you can visit the adjoining deli, Nonna’s, to purchase items to take home with you, or you could even check in to one of the bedrooms in the hotel upstairs.

Lantana

This delightful coffee house is nestled down a lane in Fitzrovia. Lantana’s Australian ownership is reflected in the brunch style dishes, flat whites and relaxed atmosphere.

The cakes are particularly good and breakfast dishes always delight. Lantana offers some of the best brunch in London.

The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club, just off Upper Street in Islington, offers a casual, quirky environment for a weekend brunch. Serving a range of classic brunch dishes, from pancakes to eggs Benedict, at an affordable price, the café is very popular, so expect to queue!

Fifteen London, Old Street

Fifteen London is the flagship of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen group, which aims to give opportunities to disadvantaged youngsters. An emphasis is placed on making everything in-house and particular praise must be given to the homemade jam, which alone is a reason for visiting.

Saturday Jazz Brunch at Le Caprice

Le Caprice has launched its Saturday Jazz Brunch featuring the musical styling of Dom Pipkin. Best known for his soulful New Orleans sound, Dom has played sessions with the likes of Ray Davies and Morcheeba, and is currently the man leading the band for Paloma Faith. Saturday Jazz Brunch happens twice a month from 12.30pm to 4pm.

Apero at The Ampersand Hotel, South Kensington

Set in the bright and airy cellar arches of The Ampersand Hotel, Apero brings a stylish and satisfyingly gentle twist to a weekend brunch.

The menu covers pretty much all the classic choices, from the Full English Breakfast, Grilled Kippers and Eggs Benedict to some slightly more adventurous alternatives such as O’Sheas Beef Onglet and Fried Egg, Beetroot Risotto or Pancakes with honeycomb butter and caramalised banana.

There’s also an excellent selection of cocktails and mocktails. The feel is relaxed, fresh and crisp; with glossy white tiles, beautiful teal and navy leather seating and dark wood finishes.

London’s top hotels are also well known for their brunch offerings, including Helene Darroze’s champagne brunch at The Connaught and the St John Hotel on Leicester Square is popular for their the ‘Breakfast Buns’.

If you liked this top 10 feature on the best brunch in London, why not read our guide to the most romantic restaurants in London, the best cocktail bars in London or the best alfresco restaurants in London?

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Emyr Thomas

Emyr is the founder of Bon Vivant's concierge service and one of the main contributors to the luxury lifestyle and travel blog. Emyr has always had a passion for travel, dining out and trying new places, and you can be sure that if there’s a new restaurant or hotel opening, he’s there at the bar with a glass of champagne.

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