Time flows in a mellow way on Sundays, and a tasty brunch is the perfect meal to keep those feel-good vibes going for the rest of the week. Here’s our list of best places to eat brunch in Soho, London.
When you think of London brunch you might not immediately think Korean, but Jinjuu Soho, from world-renowned chef Judy Joo, is a must-visit. Tucked just off London’s Carnaby Street, take a seat in the stylish space and settle in for an incredible three-course tour of Seoul-inspired versions of brunch classics. Up first is an Anju Sharing Board, packed with inventive treats like the Philly Cheesesteak Mandoo (crispy fried dumplings stuffed with Bulgogi beef short ribs, cheddar, shiitake and pickled jalapeño) and Sae-Woo Pops (crispy friend round prawn cakes served on sticks with a creamy gochujang mayo). Then, choose from a range of starters including La Kimchi Madam, toasted sourdough stuffed with ham, melted cheese and kimchi béchamel sauce, topped with a fried duck egg or the Green Tea Pancakes with mixed seasonal berries, yuja-infused chantilly cream, maple syrup. To finish, go for bowls heaped with bingsu, a fluffy Korean ice cream sundae. In true Jinjuu style, drinks will be flowing with punchy brunch cocktails including Soju mojitos. Take our advice and order the Spiced Kimchi Marys.
No top London brunch list would be complete without the Dean Street Townhouse. It is set within a sophisticated country house-style hotel, across a number of beautiful Georgian-style rooms. There is something about the Dean Street Townhouse that takes us to the jazzy, red-velvet 1950s. The atmosphere is always buzzing here, and the brunch menu is traditional with a strong British flair. We love the Bloody Mary selection, from the ‘Soho Bloody Mary’ to the ‘Heirloom Mary’. The Dean Street Townhouse makes us feel like an elegant French lady in a fur stole, ready to take on the week, come rain or shine.
Scrumptious cakes at Honey & Co | Courtesy of Heloise Faure
For those looking to try a Middle Eastern take on brunch, head to Honey & Co. Founded by two chefs who previously worked with the world-renowned Yotam Ottolenghi, Honey & Co’s menu is fresh and sophisticated, serving up everything from shakshuka to sabich. The dishes are deliciously light with just the right amount of punch. If you don’t know where to begin, we recommend the sharing platter. The restaurant is small and often packed with people. If anything, we’ll take that as a marker of the great food. Honey & Co even has its own cookbook, which you can buy from the restaurant.
Perfect for the ladies who brunch, a curious date the morning after the night before or simply an indulgent Sunday brunch for one, The Riding House Café is one of the most elegant eateries in London. Classic breakfast staples are on the menu, often with a fine twist. These range from kassler ham eggs Benedict to grilled squid and chorizo casserole. Keeping with British tradition, The Riding House Café also provides Sunday roasts on their brunch menu. We strongly advise you book in advance as it gets very busy during peak hours. However, they do allow walk-ins, and the brunch cocktails at the bar are the perfect company as you wait to be seated.
Bone Daddies’ Shackfuyu was labelled ‘the pop-up that everybody wanted to stay’, so it stayed! The restaurant’s creative menu largely consists of Japanese food inspired by typical Western cuisine. The £39 brunch menu, which only runs on Sundays and Mondays, includes two small plates and one large dish alongside all-you-can-drink Prosecco. We’ve got our eyes on the prawn toast and okonomiyaki (omelette) mash-up. With style inspiration from the rest of the Bone Daddies crew, expect a trendy setting and a grungy soundtrack.
The rock ’n’ roll brunch experience at The House of Hô encapsulates Soho in one rocking meal. While it is slightly pricier than most other options, chef Bobby Chinn’s Saturday brunch set menu is both tasty and trendy. As a rare bonus, the menu includes unlimited bubbly. We love the unconventional idea of Vietnamese food for brunch, and the brunch selection itself is very comfortable for those who are not familiar with the cuisine. We adore the popcorn shrimp and vegetarian sushi, especially as we nibble on these to the tunes of rock classics performed by the live band.
With its Parisian-style décor and al fresco tables, Café Boheme will make you forget that Monday is just around the corner. Serving the usual breakfast staples alongside French cuisine, we recommend trying some of the more traditional plats. The tartare steak is particularly excellent. For those too sleepy, hungover or simply unable to pronounce the names of these French dishes, there are daily changing plat du jour (dish of the day) options. It need not be the weekend for there to be a good deal. While brunch here is, again, not typical or traditional, we love that London does brunch in many different ways.
