It’s the most important meal of the day, but in recent years breakfast has been somewhat forgotten thanks to its cooler, trendier sibling: brunch. But while a long, leisurely brunch which merges into afternoon drinks is great on a Saturday, it doesn’t really fit the bill on a busy weekday morning. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up London‘s best breakfast spots for the early birds among you, ideal for grabbing something on the way into the office, or dropping by for a pre-work breakfast meeting.
London’s Best Breakfast Spots
Oatis, Notting Hill
Can’t start your day without a hearty bowl of porridge? Head to Oatis, the ultra-Instagrammable Notting Hill cafe where steel-cut oats are the star of the show. Choose from an array of oat-based dishes: sweet bowls are topped with the likes of banana and tahini butter, or peanut butter, blueberries and nut butter. Alternatively, opt for one of the savoury oat bowls, such as the Steel Cut Club, which sees a bowl of oats served with chicken breast, crispy bacon and cherry tomatoes (don’t knock it ‘till you’ve tried it). Elsewhere on the menu you’ll find pancakes, smoothies, coffees and more – plus an all-too-tempting array of pastries, including a devilishly good pistachio croissant. Everything is available to takeaway, but if you have a bit more time it’s worth sitting in to soak up the beachy interiors and relaxed vibe.
127 Queensway, London W2 4SJ, oatiscafe.com
The Twenty Two, Mayfair
The Twenty Two Members Club
Mayfair’s hottest new members’ club, The Twenty Two, serves a suitably stylish breakfast every morning. Hosted in the blue dining room, it’s the perfect spot for morning meetings or catch ups with friends, with a range of hot and cold dishes on offer. If you’re after something light, choose between overnight oats with pear and maple syrup, an acai bowl with granola or a chia pudding with coconut and mango – or opt for one of the fruity shakes. For hot dishes, meanwhile, there’s a mix of sweet and savoury dishes: truffle scrambled eggs on sourdough, spinach and pea shakshuka, or French toast with caramelised apples and sultanas. Pair with a build-your-own juice and a coffee for the ideal start to your day.
22 Grosvenor Square, London W1K 6LF, the22.london
Mount St. Restaurant, Mayfair
Step through discreet doors into London’s best restaurants for art lovers, hidden atop The Audley. The spectacularly light-filled Mount St. Restaurant has a brand new breakfast and brunch offering. Sip mimosas, breakfast martinis or bloody mary’s under the watchful gaze of Andy Warhol and Henry Matisse’s work, and notice as the sun pours through towering windows, moving across the room as you tuck into eggs, and resting in golden pools and slices across the red chairs (art in their own right, designed by Matthew Day Jackson) and the stunning specially-commissioned mosaic ‘Broken Floor’ by Rashid Johnson. Indeed, the room is an artwork in itself: rich wooden tables are topped with Sophie Taeuber-Arp lamps, Salt & Pepper Cruets by Paul McCarthy, and the most delicate of wine glasses. Executive Chef Jamie Shears has creatively reimagined breakfast: dip asparagus soldiers into soft boiled eggs or tuck into bacon chop served with bubble & squeak and a duck egg. Or keep it simple with the classics: all the eggs (Benedict, Florentine, you name it) are well represented, alongside the likes of London Rarebit, porridge, Swiss bircher muesli, kedgeree, and the classic Full English Breakfast, all exquisitely elevated into the realm of the divine. By Olivia Emily
First Floor, 41-43 Mount St, London W1K 2RX; mountstrestaurant.com
Caravan Fitzrovia
The fifth and newest branch from the Caravan franchise, Caravan Fitzrovia’s breakfast menu is served from 8-11.30am, Monday to Friday, making it an ideal option for city workers keen to grab a quick pre-work bite. There are fruit and grain bowls, as well as a selection of toast options (sourdough, grain, gluten free seeded loaf) topped with your choice of avocado, spreads or eggs. If you’re really in a hurry, there’s a to-go menu, featuring croissants, muffins, buns and pastries. They also serve really good coffee, which is usually a sign of a good breakfast place.
152 Great Portland St, London W1W 6AJ,caravanrestaurants.co.uk
26 Grains, Covent Garden
After spending a year in Copenhagen and seeing how much the Danes love their grains,Alex Hely-Hutchinson was inspired to set up 26 Grains: a tiny Covent Garden cafe tucked away in colourful Neals Yard. Pretty porridge takes centre stage here – miles away from your average bland bowl of oatmeal, 26 Grains’ porridge creations are works of art. Thinkalmond milk oats with butter, coconut palm sugar, apple and hazelnuts; or spiced oats with pear, cacao crumble and greek yoghurt. After something savoury? There’s plenty to offer there too, including your classic avo on sourdough rye, and mushrooms with salsa verde, parmesan and egg on sourdough. A health foodie’s heaven. You can also try Alex’s creations at her second venture, Stoney Street in Borough Market. Here porridge is served withapples, blackberries, lemon cream and butterfly sorrel, alongside milk crèpes and slow roasted tomato galette on fennel and coriander seed pastry.
1 Neal’s Yard, London WC2H 9AW,26grains.com
HIDE, Mayfair
Want to upgrade your morning? Make it Michelin at Mayfair’s HIDE – open for breakfast from 7.30 until 10.15 am on weekday mornings, and from 9am at weekends. Occupying a spacious corner spot on Piccadilly, with expansive views over Green Park, HIDE is a three-floor establishment serving three meals a day. For breakfast, with a menu designed by head chef Ollie Dabbous, you’re in for a real treat. From warm coconut milk porridge to famous French toast, from green eggs with ripe tomato and toasted crystal bread to a classic avocado toast, there’s everything to suit the savoury lovers and those with a sweet tooth alike. There’s also an open bakery – serving signature breads and viennoiseries, freshly baked each morning – as well as classic juices and hot drinks. The contemporary wood aesthetic makes for a light and airy environment, perfect to ease you into the day – and make sure to snap a picture of the magnificent staircase.
85 Piccadilly, London W1J 7NB, hide.co.uk
Chiltern Firehouse, Marylebone
Marylebone‘s Chiltern Firehouse is notoriously hard to book, but word on the street says it’s easier to nab a table in the mornings. Their breakfast menu features a selection of classics with a luxury edge: the porridge is infused with vanilla, while soft boiled eggs are served with Ogleshield cheese and truffle soldiers.
1 Chiltern St, London W1U 7PA,chilternfirehouse.com
The Good Life Eatery, Chelsea
A favourite among the London health brigade, The Good Life Eatery might just be the capital’s healthiest breakfast spot. You’ll most likely have seen their creations on your Instagram feed – but dishes here aren’t just about appearance (though they are very pretty). Will you go for the BYO avo-on-toast (build not bring, luckily)? A bowl of homemade granola with coconut yoghurt, fruit and hemp seeds? A chestnut and almond waffle served with banana mash and berry & chia compote? Whatever you choose, be sure to pair with one of their famous superfood smoothies – we recommend Coco Butter: a mix of peanut butter, banana, dates, vanilla and coconut milk.
Multiple locations, goodlifeeatery.com
Duck & Waffle, Bishopsgate
It’s definitely not a grab and go sort of place, but being open 24/7 makes an ideal breakfast spot for early mornings. Perched on the 40th floor of the Salesforce Tower, it’s worth going here for the views alone, but the breakfast is also excellent.Their titular dish is an interesting combination: two fluffy waffles topped with crisp-skinned duck confit and a fried duck egg, drizzled in maple syrup – sounds strange, but it’s surprisingly tasty. If that doesn’t float your boat, a selection of sweet waffles are also available, including the Caramelised Banana, served with hazelnut chocolate spread, vanilla ice cream and peanut crunch. Looking for something healthier? Try one of the new vegan breakfast bowls: our pick is the Green Bowl, mixed with avocado, banana, kale, kiwi, celery, cucumber and apple.
110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY, duckandwaffle.com
Juice Baby, Chelsea
Unsurprisingly, juices take centre stage at this small Chelsea eatery. Choose between a selection of cold-pressed creations or go for a thicker, more filling smoothie, such as the popular Nut Butter Fudge: peanut butter, banana, raw cacao and dates, or the ever-so-healthy Skinny Greens, featuring kale, avocado, cucumber, spirulina and the like. They also serve up some of the best acai bowls in London, topped with almond butter, granola and cacao nibs – the dream breakfast for a sunny morning.
398 King’s Rd, London SW10 0LJ, check them out on Instagram
Rude Health Cafe, Fulham
Head to this Fulham spot for a big bowl of award-winning porridge (yes, world porridge championships exist). Toppings-wise, choose between three bowls: blueberries, mascarpone and berry compote; coconut yoghurt with granola and honey; or salted maple syrup with banana and nuts. There’s also sourdough, rye or gluten free toast on offer, which you can spread with either nut butter, jam, or smashed avocado with beetroot and chilli. Give it a go – it would be rude not to.
Kiln House, 212 New Kings Rd, London SW6 4NZ, rudehealth.com
Farm Girl, Multiple Locations
With its rose petal lattes, strawberry croissants and liquid gold lattes, Farm Girl offers one of the trendiest breakfast menus around. If you go to their original Notting Hill branch you’ll likely have to queue – the cafe fills up early with gym bunnies fresh from their morning spin class – but their other two venues lend themselves well to a quick breakfast. Dishes are ultra-healthy, with a menu that reads like an A-Z of the most on-trend ingredients of all time: buckwheat pancakes; toasted hazelnut loaf with coffee infused ghee; matcha lattes; millet & chia seed porridge topped with pomegranate molasses; sweet potato toast with labneh with avo mash… you’ll be positively glowing before you’ve left the premises.
Multiple locations, thefarmgirl.co.uk
Colbert,Chelsea
You can enjoy the classic ‘petit déjeuner’ at Colbert until midday all week, making it the perfect early brunch spot. Inspired by French pavement cafés, it’s perfect for people watching as one of the hottest spots to see and be seen in the capital. Try the unbeatable eggs Florentine and sip on a café crème for the closest thing to Parisian chic in London.
50-52 Sloane Square, London SW1W 8AX, colbertchelsea.com
Featured image: Brooke Lark, Unsplash
