The Best Brunch in East London

East London is brunch’s spiritual home.

Something which may, or may not, have something to do with the number of great bars in the area which might necessitate a whole load of carbs – and a little hair of the dog – the morning after.

It started out with the Aussie coffee houses, and now you can score a good breakfast all over East London, from Middle Eastern mezze to Singaporean toast, Sri Lankan spreads, and the good ol’ Full English.

Behold, The Nudge’s pick of the best brunches in East London:
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Brunswick East | Dalston & Hackney Downs

Brunch is served daily at this East London stalwart, named after a suburb in Melbourne. But their inspiration comes from all over – you’ll find chilli poached eggs with garlic yoghurt; Japanese savoury pancakes; fermented cherries on sourdough; and eggy buns with peanut chilli oil on the menu. And the relaxed outdoor terrace is a nice slice of Antipodean culture, too.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? No
Timings: Weekdays (reduced brunch menu) 8.30am-5pm, weekends 9am-5pm
Address: Unit 3D Stamford Works, Gillett Street, N16 8JH | 47-317 Amhurst Terrace, Hackney Downs, E8 2BT | Visit their website
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Snackbar | Dalston

Sam Harris

Snackbar’s globetrotting morning menu pulls together dishes like hash brown & chorizo breakfast burritos; kimcheese croque madames and the SnackMuffin (any resemblance to popular fast food breakfast muffins being entirely unintentional). There are frozen margaritas and Irish coffee slushies to take things up a notch, and the back garden is a secret worth knowing about.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Weekdays 8-11.45am, weekends 10am-11.45am – reduced menu available till 2.30pm
Address: 20 Dalston Lane, E8 3AZ | Visit their website
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Morito Hackney Road | Haggerston

Seamlessly weaving influences from Crete, Spain and Northern Africa, Morito is where to head next time you get a hankering for chickpea pancakes drizzled with Cretan honey; Menemen eggs with sujuk sausage; and flatbread toasties filled with piping hot graviera and feta cheese.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Sundays 10am-12pm
Address: 195 Hackney Road, London E2 8JL | Visit their website
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Ozone | Old Street, Bethnal Green

An all day Antipodean brunch joint that takes its coffee seriously (they roast the stuff in-house, and supply literally hundreds of other coffee shops and restaurants around the world). And to go with it? How does eggs benny on bubble & squeak cakes; chilli XO eggs with labneh; or brown butter maple French toast sound…

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? No
Timings: Weekdays 7.30am-3pm, weekends 8.30am-4pm
Address: 11 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4AQ | Visit their website
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Pavilion Café | Victoria Park

Pavilion’s been feeding Victoria Park‘s strollers for over a decade, and its Sri Lankan breakfast (with string hoppers, dahl and coconut sambol) has earned its place as an East London brunch mainstay.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? No
Timings: Open weekdays from 7am, weekends from 8am
Address: Victoria Park, Old Ford Road, London E9 7DE | Visit their website
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Sune | Broadway Market

An instant hit since opening on Broadway Market at the end of 2023, this place was going to open for brunch Sune or later. Expect the same electric flavour combinations that have made it such a runaway success – like burnt aubergine croque madame or sea urchin omelette – but, you know, served pre-noon.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Sundays 11.30am-3.30pm
Address: 129A Pritchard’s Road, E2 9AP | Visit their website
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Bistrotheque | Bethnal Green

Bistrotheque’s brunch (accompanied by Xavior on piano) has a menu of almost a dozen brunch-only cocktails, and about half as many brunch dishes (cinnamon French toast, pancakes, etc.). So at least they have their priorities straight.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Weekends 10.30am-3.30pm/4pm Sun (live piano 12-3pm)
Address: 23-27 Wadeson Street, E2 9DR | Visit their website
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The Breakfast Club | Spitalfields, Hoxton & Across London

The Breakfast Club started out as an ode to 80s pop culture, and inadvertently kick-started London’s brunch obsession. Nowadays their upbeat, retro caffs are all over the city, lavishing punters with giant stacks of pancakes; eggs every which way; and their famous hangover-busting smoothies.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes, but weekends mostly walk-in
Timings: All day, every day
Address: See restaurants & book here
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Brother Marcus | Spitalfields, Borough, South Kensington & Angel

BM will ply you with dishes like fried chicken & potato rosti; brioche French toast with bacon floss; and stacks of courgette and feta fritters with a poached egg. Just like a good brother should.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Weekdays from 8.30am, weekends from 10am
Address: 2 Crispin Place, E1 6DW | Visit their website
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Hash E8 | Dalston

Like most local gems, locals will be lucky if they can get into Hash E8. The lore of this dedicated East London brunch spot has spread far and wide, and rightly so: if this pulled pork hash with ‘umami dust’ doesn’t have the power to pull punters across town, nothing will. Oh, and you can get a bucket of bacon on the side, and milk with bourbon in it.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? No
Timings: Mon, Thurs & Fri 9am-3pm, weekends 9.30am-3.30pm
Address: 170 Dalston Lane, London E8 1NG | Visit their website
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Lantana | Old Street, Fitzrovia, London Bridge

Modelled after the Australian cafes that the owners used to frequent in Sydney, Lantana does delicious cocktails (everything from espresso martinis to a Chai Old Fashioned), solid brunch dishes (rhubarb & custard French toast, corn fritters, bubble & squeak with black pudding, etc.), and stellar coffee.

Details: Bottomless booze? Yes | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Weekdays 7.30am-12pm, weekends 9am-4pm
Address: 55 City Road, London EC1Y 1HQ | Visit their website
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Dishoom | Shoreditch, Canary Wharf & Across London

A selection of traditional Parsi appetisers and modern South Bombay street-grills in tantalising sharing plates. And that bacon naan. Wow.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: 8-11.45am weekdays, 9-11.45am weekends
Address: 7 Boundary Street, E2 7JE | Visit their website
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E5 Bakehouse | Hackney

Made entirely with exclusively organic, UK-grown wheat ground by the on-site stone mill each day at sunrise, this railway arch’s baking sustains the planet… and their breakfast will sustain you.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? No
Timings: Daily, from 7.30am weekdays/8am weekends
Address: Arch 396, Mentmore Terrace, E8 3PH | Visit their website
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Duck and Waffle | Liverpool Street

Saving you any painful decision-making by naming the restaurant after their best brunch dish, D&W seal the deal by serving it to you on the 40th floor, with one of the best views in the city.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Breakfast weekdays 6-11am, brunch on weekends & bank holidays 6am-4.30pm
Address: 110 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AY | Visit their website
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Jones & Sons | Dalston

A legendary London brunch. Not only are the drinks bottomless, but the food is too. Enjoy infinite smoked salmon & scrambled eggs, waffles, pancakes, French toast, Benedicts, Full Englishes, and more.

Details: Bottomless booze? Yes | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Saturday 11am-5pm
Address: Stamford Works, 3 Gillett Street, N16 8JH | Visit their website
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Santo Remedio Café | Shoreditch & London Bridge

Santo Remedio – or ‘Holy Remedy’ – is, by definition, your cure after a long week. It’s pretty easy to bag a good avo on toast or full English in East London, but black pudding tacos, chorizo quesadillas and free flowing margaritas & Mexican beers? Now that’s the stuff that will light up your weekend.

Details: Bottomless booze? Yes | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Weekends 12-4pm
Address: 152 Tooley Street, London SE1 2TU | Visit their website
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