Brunch: The Best Bites in London

News // 23.03.2023

Trends will always come and go: mullets, flared jeans, vinyl – it’s only a matter of time before previously forgotten fashions come back out of obscurity to be enjoyed once more, for better or worse (we’re looking at you, mullets).

However, one thing that has never lost its appeal is when we smashed breakfast and lunch together to create the linguistically appetising concept of ‘brunch’, a delectably lazy halfway-house between the two mealtimes which has come to be known for its hearty flavours, cosy appeal, and propensity to be enjoyed with booze.

London has some of the best brunch spots in the world, stuffed full of cafés and restaurants to cure your culinary cravings. In the interests of helping you navigate the capital’s extensive menu of options, here are some of our favourites!

Balthazar, Covent Garden

There’s more than one way to make your brunch fancy, but the easiest way is to say it in a French accent – in which case, may we suggest the weekend ‘Le Brunch’ menu from Balthazar, famous the world over for its lavish surroundings and atmosphere.

It’s well worth trying their Croque Monsieur if you’ve ever eaten a cheese sandwich and wondered ‘does it get any better than this?’

Don’t forget to try ‘Les Cocktails’ while you’re there, as they make a ‘Breakfast Martini’ with marmalade in it. Allez!

Balans, Soho

The only problem with brunch is that some of us don’t function well enough in the mornings to get out of bed on time. Thankfully, Soho institution Balans has this covered with its all day brunch menu – provided that your day ends at 5pm. 

For some well-deserved indulgence, look no further than their pretty special Lobster Benedict, which will have you sleep off the rest of the afternoon in lavish contentment.

Alternatively, their suitably satanic-sounding dish ‘Eggs In Hell’ is sure to purge you of any sin from the night before with its fiery spice, enough to make your eyes shine. Who needs coffee?

The Breakfast Club, London Bridge

With a name like that, you’d expect The Breakfast Club to know what they’re doing, and you’d be right. Their weekday breakfast menu continues until midday, prime-time for brunchers, and their dedicated weekend brunch menu carries on until 5pm – ideal for all you night owls out there.

Whether you’re after a greasy-spoon-esque fry up, American style pancake stacks tall enough to ride fairground rides or fried chicken and waffles, these guys have been serving up some of the biggest and best brunches in London since 2005. 

Whistle Punks, Oxford Circus

Let’s be honest with ourselves: there’s very little in this world that can’t be improved upon by the inclusion of axe throwing and pizza, and that includes brunch. Thankfully, the late-morning activity you never knew you needed is now available at our Oxford Circus venue every Sunday.

Your normal mundane caffeine fix is replaced by chucking axes against wooden targets under the watchful eye of our talented instructors, where you can pit yourself against your mates to see who is crowned the winner. We haven’t forgotten that this is still brunch, so our delicious sourdough pizzas are served up lane-side to keep your group going through the session.

As if it couldn’t get any better, our Sunday Brunch is also bottomless for 60 minutes after your session, leaving you to catch up with your friends and regale them with your throwing prowess with your choice of Prosecco, Bloody Mary, Aperol Spritz, house draught beer or soft drinks.

Click here to book yourself into an unbeatable brunch in the centre of London.

Riding House Cafe, Fitzrovia

The word ‘cafe’ often conjures images of small spaces, paper tablecloths, tiled floors and chipped white mugs of tea. But don’t let Riding House Cafe fool you; this is a serious joint for brunch, nestled in Fitzrovia’s creative epicentre and serving delicious food from its open kitchen to its expansive brasserie setting, adorned with wood panelling, plush seating, leather and trailing greenery.

Alongside all the brunchy classics, you can also order their Cajun-inspired pepper stew for a hearty soul-food start to your day, and enough side dishes to create your own custom concoctions including confit tomatoes, smoked salmon or crumbled feta.

Drinks and pizza on the table for bottomless brunch at Whistle Punks Leeds

These are our top picks, but with such a gargantuan list of brunch spots to choose from, it would be very difficult for us to try them all. With London being such a melting pot, you’re never far from your local brunch spot; so feel free to grab some more inspiration here – we toast your late-morning culinary adventures!

Words: Alex Pardey

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