The Best Brunch in Central London

Finding a good brunch in central London is a serious undertaking.

One which – if done incorrectly – may result in literal egg on your face.

So to ensure you stay in everyone’s good books next time you suggest a place for brunch, equip yourself with our guide to the best brunch spots in central London:
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Honey & Co | Bloomsbury

Honey & Co serves everything that’s delicious and breakfasty from across the Middle East, from merguez sausage rolls, to shakshouka; puff pastry treats; and ‘dinosaur eggs’ on pitta. And now that they’ve opened Honey & Co Daily nearby, they’re not just a brunch treat but a weekday grab-and-go breakfast treat too…

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? Yes | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Tuesday – Saturday, 8-11.30am (9am Sat)
Address: 54 Lamb’s Conduit Street, WC1N 3LW | Book brunch at Honey & Co
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The Corner Restaurant at Selfridges | Oxford Street

Nobody puts Baby in a corner. But putting Jackson Boxer in The Corner at Selfridges was a very good idea, as it turns out. His airy, relaxed restaurant is a nice little oasis at any time of day, but now that they’re serving brunch (with coconut & treacle pancakes; brown butter & crispy sage eggs and pickle martinis), it’s even better.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Weekends 11.30am-3pm (Saturdays 10am)
Address: Selfridges, 400 Oxford St, London W1A 1AB | Book brunch at The Corner
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Lantana | Fitzrovia, Old Street, 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 from 7.30am, weekends from 9am
Address: 13 Charlotte Place, W1T 1SN | Book brunch at Lantana
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Christopher’s | Covent Garden

Their melted chocolate and ice cream-smothered crunchy French toast will ruin all other forms of bread for you, forever. But it’s the most delicious sacrifice you’ll ever make.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? Available | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Saturdays 11am-3pm, Sundays 11am-3.30pm
Address: 18 Wellington Street, WC2E 7DD | Book brunch at Christopher’s
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The Delaunay | Covent Garden

An all-day, Viennese-styled café-restaurant inspired by the grandiose tearooms of Europe and their unrelenting aspiration to bring forth the best in all things brunch. Short on time? Pop into The Counter on the corner for a swifter menu of pastries and strong coffee.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Weekdays 7-11.30am, Saturdays 8-11.30am
Address: 55 Aldwych, WC2B 4BB | Book brunch at The Delaunay
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Hawksmoor Air Street | Piccadilly

London’s most formidable breakfast has finally made its return. After four years off the menu, Hawksmoor’s gargantuan breakfast for two is back, having been tweaked and perfected through months of arduous research and blind taste tests. Each element has been elevated to its Platonic ideal, from the dry-cured bacon chop (aged for ten days in a sugar pit); to the baked beans (with added trotters); to the black pudding (sourced from an award-winning butcher in County Down). Plus, unlimited toast, to plug any remaining gaps in your digestive system.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? Yes | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Saturdays, 11.45am-3pm
Address: 5a Air Street, London W1J 0AD | Book brunch at Hawksmoor
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Maison Francois | St James’s

The restaurant that’s suddenly given St James’s a whisper of cool factor is now serving breakfast: that means scrambled eggs with caviar; breakfast sandwiches with boudin noir and coal-roasted peppers; and mushrooms on toast with a slick of pistou.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Weekdays from 7am, Saturdays from 9am
Address: 34 Duke Street, St James’s, London SW1Y 6DF | Book brunch at Maison Francois
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Carmel Fitzrovia | Fitzrovia

The team behind Berber & Q have just opened a central London spin-off of their neighbourhood hit Carmel. They’ve taken great pains to recreate the cosy, leafy setting; the moreish Eastern Mediterranean fare; and the zippy cocktails. Which is nice and all, but to answer your immediate questions, yes, they still do brunch, and yes, it’s still delicious. Tiramisu French toast, burrata & chill honey flatbreads, and Levantine braised beef ragù with eggs all very much hit the spot – but for £25pp you can enjoy the 7 course brunch tasting menu, too.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? Available | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Weekends 10am-3pm
Address: 7-8 Market Place, Fitzrovia, W1W 8AG | Book brunch at Carmel Fitzrovia
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Dean Street Townhouse | Soho

A thoroughly classy spot for brunch in Soho, brought to you by the Soho House folk. Dine like kings on buttered Manx kippers and twice-smoked bacon sarnies on ruby leather banquettes, or out on the street-side terrace.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Breakfast daily from 7am, Saturday 8am-5pm
Address: 69 – 71 Dean Street, W1D 3SE | Book brunch at Dean Street Townhouse
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temper Soho | Soho

When you’ve been hitting the eggs and pancakes too hard and need a change, book in for temper’s bottomless BBQ brunch, where you can feast on platters of dry-aged beef, fried eggs and smoked sausages alongside unlimited beer, wine and margaritas.

Details: Bottomless booze? Yes | Set menu? Yes | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Saturdays 12-3.30pm
Address: 25 Broadwick Street, London W1F 0DF | Book brunch at temper
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Dishoom | Carnaby Street, Covent Garden & 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: 22 Kingly Street, W1B 5QB | 12 Upper St. Martin’s Lane, WC2H 9FB | Book brunch at Dishoom
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Imad’s Syrian Kitchen | Soho

As Imad himself says, “the first meal of the day is a big deal”. No wonder, then, that his authentic Syrian breakfast menu is a mouthwatering patchwork of halloumi & honey pastry; rich, earthy shakshuka and the irresistible fatteh: a layered dish of tahini, fried flat bread and ghee.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: 8-11.30am weekdays, 9-11.30am Saturday, 10am-4.30pm Sunday
Address: Top Floor, Kingly Court, Soho, W1B 5PW | Book brunch at Imad’s Syrian Kitchen
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Fischer’s | Marylebone

An elegant, Viennese-style grand café tucked away in Marylebone, where you can while away a morning with the papers, a strong cup of coffee, and a hearty plate of gröstl (a kind of Alpine bubble and squeak).

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Weekdays 7.30-11.30am, weekends 11.30am-5pm
Address: 50 Marylebone High Street, W1U 5HN | Book brunch at Fischer’s
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The Breakfast Club | Soho & All Across Town

Hungover? Cure: the quintessential London brunch, courtesy of The Breakfast Club. One large BC coffee, one BC hangover smoothie, one BC club sandwich with extra guacamole. And one Bloody Mary, for good measure.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Limited bookings available
Timings (Soho): Daily, 7.30am-3pm
Address: 33 D’Arblay Street, W1F 8EU | Visit The Breakfast Club website
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The Wolseley | Mayfair

Balans Soho | Soho

The best thing about having caramelised banana French toast with maple butter, lobster eggs benedict, and an absinthe fountain at 4am is that you can come back at noon, and have it all over again. Balans is a London brunch stalwart, and for good reason.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Daily from 10am-5pm, then from midnight-close
Address: 60 – 62 Old Compton Street, W1D 4UG | Book brunch at Balans
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Bombay Bustle | Mayfair

Hands down one of the best looking brunches in the city (and that includes the chic, vintage railway-inspired space, as well as the meticulously crafted food), Bombay Bustle’s Sunday brunch lets you feast on an eclectic mix of modern Indian dishes. Feast on rich, melt-in-your-mouth wagyu kebabs served on saffron-cashew parathas, and Ghati-spiced prawns with garlic and fresh turmeric – all washed down by an equally thoughtful (and delicious) selection of booze.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? Available | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Weekends, 12-2.30pm
Address: 29 Maddox Street, Mayfair, Central London, W1S 2PA | Book brunch at Bombay Bustle
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Hide | Mayfair 

Ironically, there is absolutely no hiding Hide’s excellence, particularly where brunch is concerned. Sure, the photo above just looks like a plain pain au chocolat. And sure, at these prices it’s more of an investment than a meal out… but buckwheat pastries baked that morning, followed by oysters and a Michelin-starred full English inside what essentially feels like the middle of an intricately carved oak tree, means it’s definitely one worth making.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Weekdays 7-11am, weekends, 9-11.30am
Address: 85 Piccadilly, Mayfair, London W1J 7NB | Book brunch at HIDE
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Berners Tavern | Fitzrovia

Berners Tavern is an extraordinary gilded dining room laden with chandeliers and paintings that makes it look like a lost wing of the Vatican. And the brunch more than measures up, with eggs every which way, Champagne by the glass, and the mother of all Full Englishes featuring (deep breath) Dingley Dell pork sausage, two eggs, smoked bacon, roasted tomato, a portobello mushroom, baked beans and Stornoway black pudding.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Daily, 7-10am
Address: ​​10 Berners St, London W1T 3NP | Book brunch at Berners Tavern
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Catalyst Café | Holborn

Accompanying Catalyst’s acclaimed selection of fair-trade, London-roasted coffee beans is a stellar line-up of brunch dishes including streaky bacon sarnies with Catalyst’s house coffee sriracha mayo; roasted aubergine on toast; and Greek country-style scrambled eggs with feta. Easily one of the best weekday brunch options in town.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? No
Timings: Weekdays only, 8am-5pm
Address: 48 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8LT | Visit Catalyst Café’s website
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Riding House Café | Fitzrovia, Bloomsbury & Victoria

Break up with your current Sunday brunch ritual. The Riding House Café’s crowd-pleasing modern European menu and industrial-chic design is a winner.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Weekdays 8-11.45am (9am Bloomsbury), weekends 9am-4pm
Address: 43-51 Great Titchfield Street, W1W 7PQ | Book brunch at Riding House Café
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Granger and Co. | Marylebone, Chelsea, Notting Hill, Kings Cross & Clerkenwell

The late, great Bill Granger made his name as a chef thanks to his scrambled eggs. Head to the sleekly designed Granger and Co. for brunch, and you’ll find out why.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? No
Timings (Marylebone): Daily from 7am (8am Sunday) – 12pm
Address: 105 Marylebone High Street, London, W1U 4RS | Visit the Granger & Co website
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26 Grains | Covent Garden

26 Grains does almost exclusively porridge. And although that might not sound like a screaming endorsement, believe us when we say that it’s because they make the best porridge you’ve ever had, savoury or sweet.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? No
Timings: Daily, 9am-4pm
Address: 1 Neal’s Yard, WC2H 9ER | Visit the 26 Grains website
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Anya Cafe | Marylebone

You might think opening a café might be a stretch for a handbag designer, but Anya Hindmarch seems to have a handle on it. Charmingly retro, it serves Scottish croissants, Welsh rarebit and googly-eyed cakes on formica-topped tables.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? No
Timings: Weekdays & Saturdays from 8am, Sundays from 10am
Address: 9 Pont Street, SW1X 9EH | Visit the Anya Café website
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Popina | Mayfair

On the one hand, Mayfair’s Popina serves all kinds of sophisticated brunch dishes, like Turkish eggs with lemon & dill yoghurt; shakshuka with raclette cheese melt; and eggs Benny on homemade Balkan pogocha bread. But you’re probably going to order this glorious, sugar-laden monstrosity.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? No
Timings: Daily from 8am-3pm
Address: 83 Duke Street, Mayfair, London, W1K 5PF | Visit Popina’s website
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Opso | Marylebone

Next time you’re craving Thessaloniki pastries filled with sweet semolina custard; poached eggs on koulouri milk bread; barrel-matured feta on toasted sourdough; or lotus cookie crumble pancakes with bananas and salted caramel, go to Greece. Or Opso. Whichever’s closer.

Details: Bottomless booze? No | Set menu? No | Bookable? Yes
Timings: Weekends 10am-3.30pm
Address: 10 Paddington Street, W1U 5QL | Book brunch at Opso

 

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Going big? Take a look at our guide to London’s best bottomless brunches