24 Brunch Spots In London Perfect For Summer
With the weather warming up, it’s officially the best time of the year to make brunch your favourite activity in London. Whether it’s a summer date on your mind or a Sunday with friends, London is full of lovely outdoor brunch spots to visit to make the most of the season.
From boozy brunches with the gang to pancakes best enjoyed with a riverside view, these are the best outdoor brunches to head to this summer.
Café Biltmore
Café Biltmore’s Terrace Brunch is returning for one Bank Holiday weekend only, and they’re not doing things by halves.
The spread includes seafood, artisan cheeses and charcuterie, Mediterranean antipasti, live cooking stations, grilled dishes, a traditional Sunday roast and market-fresh fish, followed by desserts and made-to-order crêpes. There’s also the option of 90 minutes of unlimited Aperol Spritz, Mojitos or bubbles. It’s available Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th August from 12.30–4pm.
Where: 44 Grosvenor Square, London W1K 2HP
Website: www.thebiltmorehotels.com
Pan Pacific London
Sunday brunch at Straits Kitchen is very much an occasion. Start at the cold buffet with homemade viennoiseries, artisan breads, cheeses, cured meats and fruit before moving onto hot dishes including a Full English with Clonakilty black pudding, shakshuka, buttermilk pancakes and smashed avocado.
Then there are the drinks. Taittinger Champagne is on hand, while a tableside Bloody Mary trolley lets you choose between the classic, smoky Butcher’s Mary or herbaceous Garden Mary. Add live music and this is one for anyone planning on losing most of Sunday afternoon to brunch.
Where: 80 Houndsditch, London EC3A 7AB
Website: www.panpacific.com
Mercante
For a long, boozy Italian brunch in Mayfair, Mercante keeps things pleasingly traditional. The three-course weekend menu might start with Prosciutto di Parma and cantaloupe or heritage tomato bruschetta before moving onto Pizza Ortolana, polpette or Sicilian-style swordfish with tomato, olives and capers. The £59 price also includes 90 minutes of free-flowing Prosecco, giving you very little reason to rush off afterwards.
Where: Sheraton Grand London Park Lane, Piccadilly, London
Website: www.mercanterestaurant.com
Aviary
A rooftop brunch is always going to be more fun, and Aviary’s Birdsong Brunch comes with skyline views, DJs and live entertainment. Food goes considerably beyond eggs on toast, with generous seafood towers loaded with seabass ceviche shots, Jersey rock oysters and tuna tartare alongside free-flowing drinks. This summer, the adjoining PATRÓN terrace is another reason to stay put, with frozen Margaritas and a dedicated cocktail menu for when brunch inevitably rolls into golden hour.
Where: 22-25 Finsbury Street, London
Website: etmcollection.co.uk
Kitty Hawk
Kitty Hawk gives the classic London brunch a distinctly Eastern Mediterranean spin. Turkish eggs arrive with garlic yoghurt, harissa butter and coriander salsa, while the sweeter option sees pancakes topped with pomegranate, molasses syrup and sweetened labneh. In summer, head outside to Le Jardin Soleil, its Mediterranean-inspired terrace dressed with coastal blues, canvas seating and lemon trees.
Where: 8 Saint Martin’s Place, London
Website: etmcollection.co.uk
Jurema
Hidden just moments from Oxford Street, Jurema is one of those central London terraces that feels surprisingly removed from what’s happening outside. The greenery-covered space makes a particularly good setting for a long brunch, with an Eastern Mediterranean-inspired menu spanning shakshouka, Turkish eggs with spiced garlic yoghurt, ricotta-topped Mandrake pancakes and a mezze-style plate of hummus, feta-stuffed peppers, avocado, olives and warm flatbread.
Where: The Mandrake, 20-21 Newman Street, London W1T 1PG
Website: www.themandrake.com
Sky Lounge at Shangri-La The Shard
For brunch with one of the best views in London, head 34 floors up The Shard to Sky Lounge.
Its Sunday Sky Brunch combines seasonal dishes with free-flowing Veuve Clicquot Champagne and panoramic views across the capital. If you’ve got someone visiting London for the Bank Holiday, this is the sort of brunch that does the sightseeing and eating simultaneously.
Where: Shangri-La Hotel At The Shard London, Saint Thomas Street, London
Website: www.shangri-la.com
Café Ciel
Set within the Grand Courtyard at Raffles London at The OWO, Café Ciel makes a strong case for starting with brunch and simply staying until cocktails.
The all-day brunch menu has new seasonal additions including gazpacho and grilled peach salad, while its tucked-away terrace is made for a sunny Bank Holiday. From midday, the new Golden Hour menu kicks in too, offering four seasonal bites for £35 alongside signature cocktails, Champagne and wines.
Where: The OWO, Horse Guards Avenue, London
Website: cafeciel.co.uk
Electric Shuffle
Brunch with a competitive edge, Electric Shuffle is giving its usual bottomless brunch a throwback makeover for the Bank Holiday with a special ’70s & ’80s Bank Holiday Brunch.
Come for brunch, stay for a few increasingly competitive rounds of its high-tech shuffleboard.
Where: Electric Shuffle Canary Wharf, Cabot Square, North Colonnade, London E14 4EY
Website: electricshuffle.com
Sea Containers Restaurant
Few things improve a long weekend quite like brunch beside the Thames. Sea Containers’ weekend offering combines the view with elevated brunch classics, fresh seafood, seasonal dishes and suitably indulgent desserts.
You can also add free-flowing bubbles, mimosas or Bloody Marys, then move onto the riverside terrace and make absolutely no plans for the rest of the afternoon. The brunch runs every Saturday and Sunday.
Where: 20 Upper Ground, London
Website: www.seacontainerslondon.com
Coppa Club London Bridge
The newest Coppa Club comes with a fairly convincing Bank Holiday selling point: a terrace overlooking the water.
Brunch stays firmly in the sweet-and-savoury camp. There’s green shakshuka with yoghurt and harissa on sourdough and smoked salmon with crushed avocado toast, while sweeter options include tahini porridge with cardamom, banana and strawberries or spiced French toast loaded with clotted cream, raspberries and pistachio.
Where: London
Website: www.coppaclub.co.uk
Theo Randall Cucina Italiana
Saturday brunch gets the full Italian treatment at Theo Randall Cucina Italiana at InterContinental London Park Lane. Its Festa in Famiglia comes with a choice of 90 minutes of unlimited wine or prosecco for £69, or Negronis, Aperol and the restaurant’s signature Mimosa for £65.
Brunch runs on Saturdays from 12.30pm, making this one to book if your idea of a good Bank Holiday begins with lunch and ends several Aperol Spritzes later.
Where: InterContinental London Park Lane by IHG, One Hamilton Place, Park Lane, London W1J 7QY
Website: parklane.intercontinental.com
Smith’s Bar & Grill
If you’re firmly in the bottomless means bottomless camp, Smith’s Bar & Grill in Paddington is offering 90 minutes of unlimited sweet and savoury brunch dishes on Saturday 29th August.
Bottomless food starts at £37 per person, or pay £55 and they’ll add free-flowing red, white and sparkling wine and spritz cocktails. A live DJ handles the soundtrack, with brunch running from 11am until 4pm.
Where: Smith’s Bar & Grill, Sheldon Square, London
Website: www.smithsbarandgrill.co.uk
The Buttery
A visit to The Buttery feels as though you’ve lucked out with a wealthy friend, one who has access to an impeccably kept walled garden in the heart of Belgravia. Tucked away, a short walk from the hustle and bustle of Victoria, they serve an elevated selection of brunch classics – shakshouka that actually has a kick, eggs florentine with orange yolks, served with fries. There is something familiar to it all, much more akin to being welcomed into someone’s lovely home than a fussy restaurant. Take your girlfriends, take your parents, take your nana.
Where: 135-137 Ebury St, London SW1W 9QU
Website: www.limetreehotel.co.uk
Sloane Place Restaurant
There’s alfresco brunch, and then there’s Sloane Place brunch. Dig into their classic blueberry pancakes, sip on Bellinis, and settle in with friends as the streets buzz with Chelsea charm. With refined flavours and relaxed neighbourhood vibes, their outdoor tables are perfectly positioned on the street for people watching amongst the chic passers-by.
There are plenty of vegetarian options and a boozy brunch option with unlimited Prosecco, Bellini and more.
WHERE: Lower Sloane Street, Chelsea, SW1W 8BP
WEBSITE: www.sloaneplace.com
Milk
One of Balham’s best brunch spots, Milk has a queue most mornings, but it’s worth the wait for great food, a relaxed atmosphere and coffee that hits every time. The Sweet Maria sweetcorn fritters with halloumi is a standout, second only to the poacher hash with crumbled chorizo on top. For a more seasonal option, you can’t look past the brioche French toast.
WHERE: 18-20 Bedford Hill, London SW12 9RG
WEBSITE: www.milk.london
Bluebird
Brunch at Bluebird is the perfect pre-Saturday shopping fuel or a chance to escape for a mid-day, relaxing meal. Their terraces are transformed with florals and a large screen out on the terrace throughout the season. For the spring bank holidays, the brunch specials include French toast with streaky bacon and wild mixed berries, lobster omelette and truffle and burrata ravioli.
Brunch at Bluebird is the perfect pre-Saturday shopping fuel.
WHERE: 350 King’s Rd, London SW3 5UU
WEBSITE: www.bluebird-restaurant.co.uk
SACHI
If you’re on the hunt for a good rooftop, you really won’t want to miss SACHI. With a clear glass roof and a relaxed outside area, you can enjoy a bright atmosphere no matter the weather. As for food, this Japanese spot has just introduced its brand new Sunday Brunch menu, which features three courses including beautiful sushi and dessert platters. For £55 per person, it’s a brilliant way to start the day.
As for beverages, we highly recommend the Sakura Spritz – fair warning, though, it comes in a glass as big as your head.
where: Second Floor, Pantechnicon, 19 Motcomb St, London SW1X 8lb
Website: www.sachirestaurants.com
Brunswick East
This East London restaurant serves Australian-inspired all-day brunch and speciality coffee seven days a week. Their relaxing outdoor seating and fresh baked goods will have you basking in the sun for hours.
Their menu items are grown, harvested, and prepared on-site from their rooftop Sky Farm. Enjoy favourites like the chilli poached eggs or rhubarb panna cotta.
WHERE: Unit 3d Stamford Works, Gillet Street, Dalston N16 8jh
WEBSITE: www.brunswickeast.london.com
What’s your ideal outdoor brunch?
The Botanist
The Botanist is where to head if you’re up for a lively atmosphere and dreamy bottomless brunch. Enjoy sharing snacks, a brunch main, and 90 minutes of free-flowing drinks.
Their bottomless drinks include the peach and honey (Grey Goose Peace and rosemary vodka, honey, lemon juice, ginger ale), Grey Goose Bloody Mary, peach and rosemary and tonic, prosecco, bellini, and wine selections.
WHERE: Broadgate circle, London Ec2m 2qs
WEBSITE: www.thebotanistbroadgate.com
Hans’ Bar & Grill
Located just a stone’s throw from Chelsea’s Sloane Square, Hans’ Bar & Grill offers a plethora of options, including exciting all-day dining, family breakfasts, late-morning coffees and early-evening cocktails. But it’s the brunch we want to steer your attention to. Expect eggs every which way, from Florentine to Royale, omelette to poached.
If you’re plant-based, fear not as they have a delicious veggie breakfast that can be adapted to include vegan halloumi or falafel, alongside spinach, portobello mushroom, smashed avocado, roast plum tomato, hashbrowns and toast.
WHERE: 11 Cadogan Gardens, Chelsea, SW3 2RJ
WEBSITE: www.11cadogangardens.com
Peggy Jean
Back in action after a recent restoration, Peggy Jean is one of London’s coolest spots if you’re looking for brunch by the river. Available every day until 3pm, the menu includes bottomless options with alcoholic and non-alcoholic options (we hear there’s sparkling kombucha). Savoury options include sweetcorn fritters, smoked salmon royale and smashed avocado with an assortment of toppings and sides. There’s an award-winning banana bread sandwich (whipped mascarpone cream, fresh berries, flaked almonds and honey), and blueberry pancakes for those who need something sweet with brunch.
where: the boat, bridge, boathouses, riverside Richmond
Website: www.daisygreenfood.com
The Little Violet Door
The Little Violet Door has a lovely terrace on Kingly Street, with colourful furniture and delicious brunch dishes including buttermilk pancakes with blackcurrants, torched peach, rose and peach syrup with creme fraiche and the savoury crumpet stack with cheesy chorizo beans, glazed bacon and a fried Egg. Plsu,, you can go bottomless – add 1.5 hours of bottomless prosecco, rum punch, Aperol spritz, rosé or Hop Property lager for an extra £23.5pp.
Where: 9 Kingly St, Carnaby, London W1B 5ph
Website: www.thelittlevioletdoor.co.uk
