London, with all its allure, is a treasure trove of culinary delight, and no Singaporean can resist its shine. With summer, the season of brunches and picnics in full swing, we’re all in need of some direction in leading us to the city’s best brunches to make the very most of our trip. The options are endless, menus long, and our stay often too short, so where do we begin?
It’s simple, you book the flight tickets, and we’ll help you plan your itinerary. These spots are tried and tested brunch gems that promise value, quality, and a great meal to share with friends and family.
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The Black Penny
In need of a great brunch to fuel your Covent Garden escapades? The Black Penny is the perfect spot to tuck into a filling meal before you begin your day in one of London’s most popular shopping districts. The Black Penny is inspired by 17th-century coffeehouses that became known as ‘penny universities’. At these coffeehouses, guests could enjoy a cup of coffee and engage in intellectual conversations and debates, for just a penny. Sat along Great Queen Street, just paces away from Holborn station, The Black Penny’s sleek storefront catches eyes and draws in quite the crowd.
With options for both indoor and al fresco dining, The Black Penny is the perfect brunch spot for London’s unpredictable summer days. A look at its menu quickly reveals an emphasis on well-balanced, healthy meals that don’t shy away from rich flavours. Other than Covent Garden, The Black Penny has two other locations in Waterloo and Chelsea.
The Gatherer is the perfect meal for someone looking to feast on The Black Penny’s best, as it comes with an assortment of options on your plate. The smoky flavour and spiced kick of the signature Black Penny beans are the perfect complement to the rich mushroom, and freshness of the tomatoes, spinach, and eggs, cooked how you’d like them. Anyone who dines around London knows that Londoners have a curious love for halloumi. This features in the dish as the final cheesy bite to complete the meal.
The Ozdemir Pasha features deliciously smooth butterbean hummus sumac, fried eggs, grilled halloumi, fresh tomato, and an onion parsley salad stacked atop a fresh piece of sourdough.
The Black PennyAddress: 34 Great Queen St, London, WC2B 5AA, United Kingdom, +44 207 242 2580
Brother Marcus
Eastern Mediterranean cuisine does not come to play at brunch time. With its unique brunch plates that put a modern spin on Eastern Mediterranean food, and Instagram-worthy locations that have already taken over London brunch digital spaces, it is no wonder Brother Marcus has four locations. With one tucked away in Angel’s charming Camden Passage, head over for brunch on Wednesdays or Saturdays to enjoy the Camden Passage market after your meal.
Brother Marcus’ smoky shakshuka does the famous brunch dish right by serving it with fluffy pita you never knew you needed. Forget about sourdough–pita bread is the new go to bread for shakshuka.
Fried chicken brunch-time indulgence is paired perfectly with a rosti topped with fried eggs, but what completes this meal is the delicious kasundi jam. The candied taste of the jam is perfectly paired with their savoury fried chicken rosti plate.
Brother MarcusAddress: 37-39 Camden Passage, The Angel, London, N1 8EA, United Kingdom, +44 20 7226 3535
26 Grains
Fried eggs in chilli butter at 26 Grains (Photo: Sophia-Ines Klein)
Hidden away in Neal’s Yard between Covent Garden and Tottenham Court Road, 26 Grains is an intimate brunch spot with stunning views of the colourful courtyard made dazzling by the sun when the weather’s good. With an all-day brunch-style menu, you can quell your brunch cravings anytime throughout your central London day out.
A trip to 26 Grains is not done right without ordering its fried eggs in chilli butter. Delectable is an understatement for this dish packed with both flavour and texture. This dish will take your palate on a trip with the spice of the almond and onion crumb, sweetness of the petite peppers, smoke of the fried eggs, and richness of the labneh. 26 Grains creates the perfect sharing-sized plates between a small group of diners, but after a taste of this dish, you may want to keep the whole plate for yourself.
26 GrainsAddress: 1 Neal's Yard, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9DP, United Kingdom, +44 7533 353670
Caravan
Caravan has come out ready with a new summer menu. They have seven locations in the city; each one exuding a friendly, but edgy feel that makes it the perfect spot for brunch with friends. Beyond food, Caravan is a treat for coffee drinkers started by three coffee-loving Kiwis who missed the quality of the coffee they had back home. The restaurant encapsulates the relaxed Kiwi coffee culture, and the kitchen team boasts an enticing brunch menu that keeps diners in their restaurant through the morning.
Their chorizo and potato hash served with spinach, poached eggs, tomato fresca, and a creamy saffron buttermilk dressing, entices. Those who prefer their brunch sweet can opt for the peanut butter and blueberry jam brioche french toast topped with crème fraiche and maple syrup.
CaravanAddress: 11-13 Exmouth Market, London, EC1R 4QD, United Kingdom, +44 20 7833 8115
The Muffin Man Tea Shop
English breakfast and scones at The Muffin Man Tea Shop (Photo: Sophia-Ines Klein)
Of course, no trip to London is complete without the quintessential English breakfast. The Muffin Man Tea Shop is the perfect traditional English tearoom to enjoy it in. In a hidden gem a stone’s throw away from High Street Kensington, begin your day of perusing the streets of Kensington and Notting Hill the British way. With an extensive menu of brunch foods, the Muffin Man breakfast sits at the top promising scrambled eggs with sausage, bacon, and beans, not forgetting toast and butter with honey, jam or marmalade. This can all be washed down with freshly squeezed orange juice and a choice of tea or coffee.
To accompany the English breakfast that is served all day, don’t miss out on The Muffin Man’s scones. Widely praised by tourists and locals alike, the buttery taste of the dense biscuit spread with jam and clotted cream acts as the perfect appetiser to your breakfast.
The Muffin Man Tea ShopAddress: 12 Wrights Ln, London W8 6TA, United Kingdom, +44 20 7937 6652
Towpath
Dig into your brunch and sip your morning coffee to the sights of boats and the sounds of birds in the trees that loom over Regent’s Canal at Towpath, a waterside café that proves the perfect spot for summertime brunch. Regent’s Canal is an often-missed London gem, stretching 13.8 kilometres, it starts at Little Venice, and passes through Regent’s Park and by the London Zoo and Camden Town. There is both a calm and electric energy at Towpath that makes diners never want to leave. The menu changes seasonally so diners can look forward to being surprised at each visit. However, what is guaranteed is freshness and vibrant flavours as Towpath uses locally sourced ingredients in its dishes.
TowpathAddress: 42 De Beauvoir Cres, London N1 5SB, United Kingdom, +44 20 7254 7606
E Pellicci
If you’re looking for brunch with a bit of history head over to E Pellicci that has been serving the east London community for over a century and was awarded Grade II listed status by English Heritage. British tradition is served alongside Italian charm on the E Pellicci menu with dishes like the Classic Set which gives other British diners a run for their money with its Classic Set of Cumberland sausages, eggs, bacon, mushrooms, beans and tomatoes, and a choice of fried bread or toast.
E PellicciAddress: 332 Bethnal Green Rd, London E2 0AG, United Kingdom, +44 20 7739 4873
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