10 Late Breakfasts And Brunches In London You'll Love

Whether in search of a greasy fry up or a sophisticated pain au chocolat, London is an absolute haven of world class brunch spots. From fine dining restaurants to street side cafes, market stalls and take away joints, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the vast array of options on offer. To help you out we’ve updated our 10 must try brunch spots to highlight only the hottest restaurants to brunch in right now.

The Modern Pantry

Cafe, Restaurant, Ice Cream Parlour, Snack Bar, Diner, Fusion, European

Staff at The Modern Pantry aim to ‘please and excite the palate by fusing everyday cooking with modern ingredients’ and they certainly succeed in doing so with their brunch offerings. Innovative and delicious dishes on offer include a choice of organic eggs served with toast, chorizo, slow-roasted tomatoes and plantain fritters; Cornish crab rarebit; and spiced red wine poached tamarillo, Greek yoghurt and manuka honey. Just as much time has been taken to create perfect flavour combinations for the drinks as well as the food. Order a jug of sweet jasmine iced tea for the table or get into the weekend spirit with a delicious pitcher of Bloody Mary.

Brawn

One for people-watchers, Brawn is located just off the bustling Columbia Road, famed for its Sunday flower market. Serving charcuterie-based dishes ideal for a late weekend brunch, the offerings of saucisson, prosciutto and hand-chopped Tuscan style beef are all truly special. Brawn takes care to source its produce locally wherever possible, both ensuring that ingredients are fresh and of a high quality. The artisan loaves are ordered in fresh from the E5 Bakehouse, the cheeses are matured in Androuet in Spitalfields and the coffee beans are sourced directly from Allpress. Sample all three of these sustainably sourced ingredients at once by ordering a selection of cheeses, a plate of sourdough and a piping hot cup of coffee.
Brawn, 49 Columbia Road, London, England, UK, +44 207 729 5692

Duck & Waffle

Cocktail Bar, Restaurant, European, British

The highest restaurant in the UK, Duck & Waffle is situated on the 40th floor of the Heron Tower, offering its guests unrivalled views over the City of London as well as incredible tasting dishes. Bookings can be made online up to two months in advance and the tables sell out quickly, so brunch at Duck & Waffle is rarely a spontaneous affair. Served both Saturdays and Sundays from 9am until 4pm, brunch can be as posh as you like it. Keep it simple with the two organic eggs any style on sourdough, opt for the traditional full English breakfast, or go all out and order a selection of oysters instead. Unusually for such sophisticated eateries, Duck & Waffle is open 24/7 serving food around the clock to London’s hungry revellers.

Gail’s Kitchen

Restaurant, European, American

This award-winning eatery serves a medley of European and American-themed brunch dishes from 10am every Saturday and Sunday. Book a table at Gail’s Kitchen to enjoy a plate of pancakes, maple syrup and streaky bacon or the more unusual breakfast of banana bread, sour cream and dates. A glass of prosecco or bucks fizz is of course the perfect accompaniment to any brunch, but Gail’s also has a few non-alcoholic liquid delights for its driving and teetotal guests, such as the beautifully sweet sparkling fruit cooler with fresh strawberries. Those that believe that every meal should end with dessert will be pleased to know there is a choice of six after dinner treats on the menu including a plate of fresh out of the oven cookies served with a glass of milk.

Ginger & White

On a bid to teach British folk what a cup of coffee should really taste like, food stylist Tonia George and restaurant managers Emma and Nicholas Scott teamed up to create Ginger & White. Now one of London’s most adored coffee shops, Ginger & White is also a hugely popular weekend brunch destination. Unlike so many of the capital’s cafes, this one decided to do without the French and Italian fare and stick to what the owners knew best – proper British food. Sourcing their ingredients from local farmer’s markets and artisan bakeries, every dish here has been created using the finest selection of ingredients. Try a British bacon and spiced tomato ketchup buttie for the perfect hangover cure, or bring out your inner child with a plate of toasted sourdough topped with homemade peanut butter.
Ginger & White, 4a-5a Perrin’s Ct, London, England, UK, +44 207 431 9098

J+A Cafe

Named after the sister duo that runs this cute little cafe, J+A Café focuses on healthy comfort foods to keep guests full from breakfast until dinner. An unmissable eatery for anyone hankering after their mum’s cooking back home or feeling nostalgic for their youth, J+A is all about keeping the kitchen at the heart of the home and welcoming all guests through its doors with a warm smile. Serving brunch the Irish way, dishes on offer include smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on freshly baked Irish soda toast; the J+A breakfast of sausage, tomato, mushroom, bacon, black pudding, boxty and fried eggs; and good old fashioned porridge with a dash of syrup. Tucked away down the back of an East London yard between Clerkenwell Road and Sutton Street, this cafe is unpretentious yet extremely inviting.
J+A Café, first floor, 1+4 Sutton Lane, London, England, UK, +44 207 490 2992

Kopapa

Cafe, Restaurant, Contemporary

A Maori word meaning ‘a gathering, to be crowded, and a building to store food in’, Kopapa’s name is certainly fitting of the constantly buzzing atmosphere of this high-end fusion restaurant in London’s Covent Garden. Open all day, Kopapa focuses on serving energising breakfasts throughout the mornings, hearty brunches at weekends and small plates of inventive dishes in the afternoons and evenings. Here the chefs take great advantage of seasonal produce and as such the menu changes regularly to reflect the availability of local produce. For a great start to a weekend exploring this incredible city, order the avocado toast with chilli, goat’s cheese, mint and lemon oil or the chorizo hash with two fried eggs, rocket, chili sauce and crispy shallots. Of course it would be rude not to indulge in a brunch cocktail too – the Orchard Fizz is divine.

Riding House Cafe

Choose to sit at an individual table, at the grand candelabra-lit communal dining table, in the more secluded dining room or even at the bar at the Riding House Café. A great choice for a delicious weekend brunch, this restaurant is adorned with an array of antiques and unusual animal-themed wall lamps giving it that quirky feel that Londoner’s love. The brunch menu is a blend of classic breakfast items such as the delicious lobster benedict and buttermilk pancakes, with other dishes more usually associated with lunch including a cheeseburger, raw salad and venison casserole. A series of small plates and table sharers are also available, perfect for picking at whilst catching up with loved ones over coffee.
Riding House Café, 43-51 Great Titchfield Street, London, England, UK, +44 207 927 0840

The Book Club

Much more than just another brunch spot, The Book Club is somewhat of an institution in quirky Shoreditch. Adopted as an office space by freelancers in need of human contact throughout the weekday mornings; a treasure trove of live events, intellectual talks and art exhibitions in the evenings; and a ping pong and dancing spot on the weekends; the fact that The Book Club also serves a great brunch is a no-brainer really. Served from 10am-5pm on Saturdays and Sundays, diners can keep it healthy with a steaming bowl of thick porridge topped with brown sugar, cinnamon and forest fruit compote or take full advantage of it being the weekend and order the pulled pork on a brioche bun with tomato, BBQ sauce and hand cut chips.
The Book Club, 100-106 Leonard Street, London, England, UK, +44 207 684 8616

The Delaunay

Restaurant, Brasserie, Cafe, European

Tables at The Delaunay are extremely hard to come by but luckily for brunch lovers, morning is definitely their quietest time. Stop by to fully appreciate what it means to dine in style in this beautifully elegant restaurant with generously spaced out tables, artistically presented dishes and romantic dark wood furnishings. Brunch is served from 11am until 5pm at weekends and reservations can be made online. From viennoiserie baked freshly in The Delaunay’s pastry kitchen to all manner of eggs, pancakes, waffles and main courses; the brunch menu is certainly varied. Order a mixed basket of pastries for the table and then, to experience the full brunch offering, sample a Viennese breakfast of smoked ham, salami, Caraway-infused Gouda, a boiled egg and a pretzel.

About the author

Chloe Hay

Chloe Hay is a 24-year-old food obsessed Londoner who spends her days thinking, talking and writing about food. When she's not scurrying around her home city seeking out the next hottest deli or underground speakeasy, she's likely to be on the hunt for the best local eateries abroad. To see what she's been up to this month, check out her website or follow her on Twitter.