A couple of weeks ago was pancake day and, of course, the office organized a pancake spread like I have never seen before. Buttermilk pancakes, crepes, blueberry pancakes, yogurt, fresh fruit, ice cream, chocolate and the list goes on. While I was digging into a stack of fluffy pancakes I thought how unfair it was for the other breakfast/brunch items to not have a celebratory day: what about sourdough and avo day? Or cereal and milk day? Or eggs benedict day?
So I made a list of my favourite breakfast/brunch spots in London and decided to write an article just to celebrate all the great food that don’t have an international special day. YET.
Probably the most instagrammable and delicious breakfast in London, the iconic Breakfast in Bread. Think of a sourdough loaf hollowed out and loaded with bacon, roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese and topped with a fried egg. They also serve vegan and gluten free options, happy days. The amazing loaves are baked by their neighbour The Better Health Bakery a charitable artisanal bakery. Don’t forget to book your Breakfast in bread online !
When I think of pancake goals my head goes straight to the ricotta hotcakes with banana and honeycomb butter from Granger & co. On the breakfast menu you will find all the classics – pancakes, avo on toast, scramble eggs, acai bowl, pastries – everything is executed to perfection, absolutely delicious and served with a touch of Australian sunshine. Walk-ins only, expect a bit of a queue on weekend day for brunch but it’s totally worth the wait!
We all know and love Dishoom, their unique menu and the cinematographic interiors, tribute to the Irani’s cafes of old Bombay. But we love Dishoom especially for their breakfast and specifically for bringing the Bacon Naan Roll to the crowds, let me say it again BACON NAAN ROLL. This fragrant, charred, freshly baked naan bread is stuffed smoked streaky bacon, cream cheese, chilli tomato jam and fresh herbs to top with a fried egg if you are feeling extra. We should all celebrate a bacon naan roll day. But what about the rest of the menu? Last time I brunched at Dishoom I had the three egged Parsi omelette: fluffy, gently spiced, served with roasted tomatoes and fire toast, delicious. And do not forget to order the bottomless chai tea, just the drink you need for your Bombay breakfast. Walk-ins only for small parties, get there before 10.30am to avoid waiting.
We discovered this little east London gem on a warm Sunday morning while looking for a brunch spot with outdoor seating. Friends of Ours is a friendly local cafe in Hoxton serving delicious Aussie inspired brunch in a quiet setting. I was pleasantly surprised at their menu options from pancake, to middle easter slow cooked lamb and chicken karaage ramen and a great selection of caffeinated drinks. Everything we tasted was spot on, fresh and flavorful, exactly what you want on a Sunday brunch.
During the trip to Copenhagen I have fallen in love with smorrebrod, the Danish open side sandwich, basically a mountain of delicious toppings on a slice of rye bread. Understandable right? Luckily I discovered the place in London where to get my smorrebrod fix. Skandikitchen is a deli/shop on a mission to bring the best of the Scandinavian products to the Londoners. Inside the shop you can have some smorrebrod from the counter, I recommend 2-3 pp, my favorite are roast beef, herring and prawns.
You can taste the 25 years of baking experience in each bite of their bagels. There are two B-Bagel joints in London all serving incredible breakfast, lunch and bagel sandwiches. The bagels are freshly made, you can see them coming out of the oven ready to be stuffed with deliciousness. I had the chicken avocado bagel with roasted chicken, avocado, tomato, tapenade, parmesan and basil mayo and it was fantastic. They also do catering…. Bagel party anyone?
A N7 local bakery that is all about sourdough. Their award winning loaves are what bread dreams are made of. I could live happily ever after eating just their hippy bread (organic wheat and rye flour fermented for 48 hours and packed with pumpkin, sunflower, flax and poppy seeds). But Bread by Bike is not just insane bread, it’s also delicious Scandi style buns (cinnamon, cardamom) and cakes. On the menu you will find avo on toast, baked eggs, salmon on rye, whatever you order it will make your day. Last but not least the bakery is environmentally sustainable using only recyclable and biodegradable packing and delivering by bike.
For all the nostalgic out there who grew up with cereals and milk this is the place for you, a fun spin on a classic childhood staple. Book a table, or maybe I should say a bed, and have fun making your own breakfast bowl. Pick one or more cereals, a milk – a wide selection from normal to dairy free to flavoured (banana, peanut butter, caramel …) and toppings like mini oreos, marshmallow, toffee popcorn. Or you can go for one of their original concoction, a “how’d you like them apples?” (cinnamon cereal, apple sauce, whipped cream, biscoff crumb and cinnamon milk). Conclusion: a bit of a gimmick but lots of fun.
This cosy 20’s style diner is the place to go for brunch at weekends if you are craving some serious English breakfast, florentine poached eggs or just smoked salmon on toast. The rest of the week it is a steakhouse/cocktail bar serving great cuts of meat from the UK and South American and incredible wine list.
This little deli / coffee shop in Angel specializes in salted beef and Reubens sandwiches, oh yeeeaahhh. The salt beef is hand carved and layered with pickles and swiss cheese on rye bread. If you don’t feel like having a Reuben for breaky, they have a varied selection of bacon and egg rolls, granola and hot food from the counter.
Probably there are so many other places in London still to discover and add to this list. I would love to know about you and your favourite brunch spot in London! Do you prefer sweet or savoury dishes for brunch? Did you celebrate pancake day? Let me know in the comments.
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FOOD YOU SHOULD KNOW 