Missed breakfast? We’ve got you covered!
By Steph Dye (follow Steph on Twitter: @HelloIAmSteph)
We understand, it’s not always easy to make it up in time for breakfast. Especially at the weekend, when any excuse for a lie-in seems legitimate. Luckily for everyone, brunch has sent shock waves throughout the capital, officially becoming the biggest thing since sliced bread: whether it’s Wetherspoons or The Ritz, everyone is in on the action. So whilst abundance might not be a problem, price can be different matter entirely. As basic supply and demand dictates, anything increasing in popularity is likely to also get more expensive. Well, look no further, as we round up the best, budget brunches London has to offer, so why not round off the perfect, lazy weekend with some not-quite-breakfast, not-quite-lunch.
As stated above, the all you can eat and drink have been chosen for their affordability. However, some of them are obviously more expensive than others so check out the ‘£’ for further details. £ = Serious bargain, generally items start out at less than a fiver | ££ = mid-range, most items are between £5 and £10 | £££ = perhaps more of a special treat, around £10 or just over!
#1 | The Good Egg | Stoke Newington | ££
The Good Egg ©thegoodegg_ via Instagram.
What is it?: Don’t be mistaken, The Good Egg bears no relation to Bad Egg of Moorgate. That just happens to be a tasty coincidence. Serving up Middle Eastern-inspired dishes, the brunch is served all day at weekends. The menu is comprised of plates that are best shared strategically with friends – so you can try a little of everything.
How much is it?: Small “for the table” plates begin at just £2 (two fried eggs with chilli and herbs are just £3) whilst bigger plates are between £6-£9. You can also get a freshly squeezed juice from £2.50.
Where is it?: 93 Stoke Newington Church Street, N16 0AS.
When is it?: Saturday-Sunday, 10am-11pm.
Try the: Shakshuka – baked eggs, cooked in tomato and peppers. with lemon yoghurt, sumac and your choice of merguez sausage or halloumi for a filling meal (£9).
#2 | M1Lk | Balham | ££
Sweetcorn Fritters ©katesykes10 via Instagram
What is it?: A relaxing coffee with a newspaper and Radio 4 this isn’t, pounding out the funky tunes from a bright, airy cafe space in Balham. Most of the fare is fairly egg-y/breakfast-y, however it is served all day, so no reason for getting up early.
How much is it?: Dishes at Milk are mostly between £5-£8, so nothing bank-breaking plus, they do a very reasonable eggs Benedict or Florentine for just £6.90.
Where is it?: 18-20 Bedford Hill, Sw12 9rG.
When is it?: Monday-Saturday, 8am-5pm; Sunday, 9am-5pm.
Try the: Ever-instagrammable, ever-delicious sweetcorn fritters, grilled halloumi, smashed avocado, kasundi and lime. A definite treat (£7.90).
#3 | Barnyard | Oxford Street | ££
Black Pudding and Chorizo Hash ©banyardlondon via Instagram
What is it?: This mock-barn is miles away from the nearest farm, yet still manages to serve up a rustic vibe, just metres away from one of the busiest streets in the world. It comes from hot-shot chef Ollie Dabbous (Dabbous), serving up British comfort food, minus the extortionate prices of it’s sister restaurant.
How much is it?: If you stay away from the obvious luxuries of poached duck egg and lobster, prices are reasonable – between £5 and £9 per dish.
Where is it?: 18 Charlotte Street, W1T 2LY.
When is it?: Saturday and Sunday, 11am-2pm.
Try the: Black pudding, chorizo, egg and onion, served with a fried duck egg is a mighty, meaty way to set up your day and is also a steal at just £8.
#4 | Bukowski Grill | Soho | ££
Elvis-style Waffles ©bukowski_chef via Instagram
What is it?: Sweet or savoury, what ever your fancy, we can guarantee that anything you choose at the Bukowski Grill is likely to be messy. As American as it gets, it’s a great place to get a taste of the states in central London.
How much is it?: Eggs – from a simple scramble to covered in crab and hot hollandaise sauce – range from £4.50-£10.50. Waffles cost between £4.95-£7, depending on how much you want to pimp them up!
Where is it?: 10-11 D’Arblay Street, W1F 8DT.
When is it?: Saturday, 8.30am-3pm; Sunday, 9.30am-3pm.
Try the: Waffles “Elvis” style, with jam, peanut butter, bacon and banana, served on a buttermilk waffle. Take on the challenge for just £7.
#5 | Dehesa | Soho | £
Churros and Chocolate Sauce ©dehesarestaraunt via Instagram
What is it?: No fry-ups to be found here, the Spanish-style offerings at Dehesa are flavourful and comforting. Organised into vegetable, fish and meat, pick a few plates to share between friends, tapas style.
How much is it?: With everything under £10, the menu charges between £3 for churros with chocolate sauce to £9.50 for steak.
Where is it?: Kingly Court, 25 Ganton Street, W1F 9BP.
When is it?: Saturday-Sunday, 10am-3pm.
Try the: Churros with chocolate sauce (£3), for a satisfyingly sweet treat.
#6 | Blend | Harringay and Notting Hill | £
Poached Eggs With Asparagus ©blendharringay via Instagram
What is it?: Want to make brunch an every-day-of-the-week kind of thing? Well, if you happen to be in North or West of the city, you can at Blend. Offerings are relaxed, with homely, comforting servings of porridge, toast, croissants or, if you fancy something hot, poached and scrambled eggs.
How much is it?: Toasted breads and porridge and continental-style dishes start at just £3, whilst hot food is between £5 and £8.50.
Where is it?: Harringay, 587 Green Lanes, N8 0RG; Notting Hill, 190-192 Westbourne Grove, W11 2RH.
When is it?: Monday-Friday, 9am-3pm.
Try the: Poached eggs on charred sourdough bread with asparagus and hollandaise sauce is a fairly healthy way to start any day (£6.90).
#7 | Chinese Laundry | Islington | ££
Brunch At The Chinese Laundry ©chinese_laundryroom via Instagram
What is it?: Step back in time to 1980’s China for a brunch that is completely different at the Chinese Laundry. The food is both comforting and intriguing, taking you out of your comfort zone whilst still providing a hug on a plate.
How much is it?: Mix and match”Morning Plates” cost between £1.50 and £3. Bigger, “Laundry Plates” cost between £7.50-£12.50.
Where is it?: 107 Upper Street, N1 1QN.
When is it?: Friday-Saturday, 10am-3pm. Sunday, 10am-9pm.
Try the: Egg hug dumpling, five pork dumplings set in a omelette for a taste of something completely different (£9.50).
#8 | Fink’s Salt and Sweet | Finsbury Park | ££
Fink’s Salt and Sweet Brunch ©finkssaltandsweet via Instagram
What is it?: A deli and neighbourhood café that is open all day, serving seasonal, British food. The brunch menu is great mix of both breakfast and lunch items, such as bagels with various toppings, sandwiches and salads.
How much is it?: The majority of the items on the menu are around £5 or £6.
Where is it?: 70 Mountgrove Road, N5 2LT.
When is it?: Saturday, 9am-11pm; Sunday, 10am-5pm.
Try the: Sobrasada (and honey on toast (£6), because chorizo is always the best option – unless you are vegetarian that is!
#9 | Hotbox | Spitalfields | £££
Eggs Benedict with smoke pork belly at Hotbox ©hotboxldn via Instagram
What is it?: Truly prefect for a hangover, the American-style brunch at Hotbox is a celebration of all things comforting and deliciously unhealthy. Think cheese, fried chicken and lots and lots of meat. Those who say grease doesn’t cure a hangover, haven’t tried hard enough.
How much is it?: Pushing towards the £10 mark, the slightly higher price tag on these dishes might be a blessing in disguise: you can always have too much of a good thing, after all.
Where is it?: 46-48 Commercial Street, E1 6LT.
When is it?: Saturday, 11.30am-2.30pm; Sunday, 11.30am-4pm.
Try the: Salty, sweet and deliciously satisfying, the fried chicken waffle consists of a fried chicken thigh, drizzled with maple syrup and truffle salt, atop a buttermilk waffle (£9).
#10 | Honest Burger | Various Locations | ££
Avocado on toast at Honest Burger ©honestburgers via Instagram
What is it?: A burger chain with 6 branches across central London that now offers a brunch menu. You guessed it, a lot the offerings come in burger form, however they also serve granola, various things on toast and a full English.
How much is it?: The menu starts at £3.50 and top priced items are £9.50.
Where is it?: Restaurants in South Kensington, Bank, Peckham, Clapham, Liverpool Street, Tooting and King’s Cross now offer brunch, so check the locations for details.
When is it?: Timings vary depending on the location, so check the specific venue details for further information.
Try the: In a hurry and short on cash? The bubble and squeak burger is just £3.50.
#11 | No. 67 | Peckham | £
Quinoa and Buckwheat Granola at No. 67 ©no67restaurant via Instagram
What is it?: This relaxed, bistro-style dining spaces offers a great, light brunch menu for the weekends. No. 67 offers a huge range of options, as well as a good selection of freshly made juices, for those favouring a liquid meal.
How much is it?: Stay away from the fancier, hot dishes and most of the options won’t put you out of pocket by more than a fiver. If you have got a little cash to spare however, it is definitely worth forking out on a Tunnock’s wafer milkshake (£4).
Where is it?: 67 Peckham Road, SE5 8UH.
When is it?: Saturday-Sunday, 10am-3.3opm.
Try the: For those on a health kick, try the quinoa and buckwheat granola, coconut yoghurt, berry compote and honey for a satisfying meal (£4.25) plus, they also offer vegan and gluten free options!
#12 | Hash E8 | Dalston | £££
Belly Benedict at Hash E8 ©hash_e8 via Instagram
What is it?: With an entire menu dedicated to the post-breakfast, pre-lunch meal, offering up sweet and savoury option for every mood, Hash E8 makes every day brunch day, serving it up everyday of the week (except Mondays). Trust us, you’ll need every day you can get to sample the majority of the varied menu.
How much is it?: Most big plates are around £9-£10, however, take friends and share some of the smaller dishes tapas-style. Who doesn’t want share a bucket of bacon after all…?
Where is it?: 170a Dalston Lane, E8 1NG.
When is it?: Tuesday-Friday, 8.30am-4pm; Saturday-Sunday, 9.30am-4pm.
Try the: Belly Benedict (£9.50), exactly the same as your standard Eggs Benedict except the ham is replaced with pork belly. Tasty!
#13 | Parlour Kensal | Kensal Green | ££
Brunch at Parlour Kensal ©londonfood_ via Instagram
What is it?: A modern, all-day restaurant with a pub-like vibe. The brunch menu is small but perfectly formed, with a selection of British, comfort food offerings. Plus, with an unlimited toast station, you can’t really go wrong.
How much is it?: Brunch dishes range from £6-£13.75 but unlimited toast with a variety of spreads and toppings is just £1!
Where is it?: 5 Regent Street, NW10 5LG.
When is it?: Tuesday-Sunday, 10am onwards.
Try the: Home-style hash browns with eggs any way you like them! (£6.50).
#14 | Polpo | Various locations | ££
Brunch Pizzetta at Polpo ©polpo_restaurants via Instagram
What is it?: As if brunch couldn’t get any more complicated, Polpo is now serving a mix of breakfast, lunch and dinner all in one dish! What is it? A brunch pizza of course.
How much is it?: Savoury options cost between £6-£8, sweet options, including pastries, doughnuts and granola are between £1.50 and £3.
Where is it?: There are branches in Soho, Covent Garden, Chelsea, Notting Hill and Smithfields. Check the website for specific restaurant details.
When is it?: Opening times vary depending on the branch. Check the website for details.
Try the: The brunch pizzetta (£8), obviously!
#15 | Snaps + Rye | Ladbroke Grove | ££
Brunch at Snaps+Rye ©snapsandrye via Instagram
What is it?: A tiny piece of Scandinavia in London, Snaps + Rye brings the flavours of Denmark to West London. This relaxed, bright café is great place to get a traditional Danish brunch.
How much is it?: A variety of options ranges from £2-£12.
Where is it?: 93 Golborne Road, W10 5NL.
When is it?: Tuesday-Wednesday, 8am-6pm; Thursday-Saturday, 8am-11pm; Sunday, 10am-6pm.
Try the: Baked Rarebit, smoked bacon, liquorice syrup and pickled mushrooms (£8).
Too late for eggs? How about dinner? Check out one of these great pizza joints.
Hungry for more than just a little bit of brunch? Why not check out one of these unlimited deals?
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