The Best of London’s Brunch Scene

Everyone loves brunch – it is the perfect excuse to indulge on a weekend morning. London is definitely not short of excellent brunch spots, and here are some of my best recommendations:

Riding House Cafe chorizo hash browns1. Riding House Café

Tucked in just behind Oxford Circus, the Riding House Café is busy any time of the day, but brunch is where they excel. Think giant hash browns, perfect pancakes, great coffee, breakfast cocktails full of nutrients, and a fantastic atmosphere. I recommend booking ahead if you can, but if you do turn up spontaneously, the wait shouldn’t be too long.

Breakfast Club Pancakes2. The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club has popped up in several locations in the past few years, but their quality has not been diluted at all. Their American-style brunch dishes are enormous and served with crispy bacon and fluffy pancakes drenched in maple syrup, just as they should be. The Spitalfields branch is just a short walk from Travelodge Liverpool Street and a great way to start out a day at the market.

NOPI3. NOPI

The Soho outpost of the Ottolenghi culinary empire, NOPI has one of London’s most epicurean brunch menus. The eggs are done well, but it’s their unique combinations of fresh and unexpected ingredients that make this spot unrivalled in London. Their house specialties, such as sticky black rice with mango and coconut milk, will bring you back time and time again but, if you’re slightly too late for breakfast, the Middle Eastern-inspired lunch menu will tempt and satisfy just as well.

The Modern Pantry4. The Modern Pantry

Antipodeans are known for their sizeable brunch offerings, and the Modern Pantry leads London’s New Zealand/Australian brunch scene. Think wonderful eggs benedict or creamy yoghurt with granola and pistachios served with unbeatable coffee and fresh juices. With a lovely bright interior and friendly service, this Clerkenwell restaurant is a weekend destination of its own, right around the corner from the Travelodge Farringdon.

Dishoom Bombay Breakfast5. Dishoom

Dishoom serves Indian fusion at its best. Their Covent Garden restaurant brings a vibrant Bombay atmosphere to central London with open kitchen, a spicy aroma, and bustling crowd. I recommend the sausage naan roll, but you won’t go wrong with their full Bombay breakfast either. Just make sure you enjoy it with their lovely House Chai.

Tom's Kitchen6. Tom’s Kitchen

Canary Wharf has recently benefited from the arrival of Tom’s Kitchen. Family friendly but very classy, Tom’s Kitchen’s menu is enormous and features something for everyone. However, the French toast consistently gets rave reviews. They also have a popular branch at Somerset House, not far from the Travelodge Covent Garden.

Have you recently discovered any great brunch locations?