Best breakfast in Covent Garden: 11 places to start the day in style

If you’re the sort of person that needs fuel at the beginning of the day, you might find that some parts of London lack a good range of breakfast options. That certainly can’t be said of Covent Garden - this busy hub of central London is buzzing with tourists even in the early hours, and the atmosphere continues well into the rest of the day with shops, street entertainers and museums drawing in the crowds.

Covent Garden is also one of London’s most reliable areas for food - perhaps not surprising given the hordes that pass through every day. That means, if you’re here fairly early in the morning, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to breakfast. What Covent Garden really offers is variety - you can head to one of the many hotels in the area for a range of breakfast options seven days a week, or head to the open air piazza for breakfast al fresco in one of London’s most recognisable landmarks. Plus, you always have Seven Dials just a short walk away, with its independent shops and cafes.

Different people breakfast in different ways of course, and Covent Garden covers all bases with a mixture of cafes, bakeries and holes-in-the-wall, right up to famous all-day European Grand Cafes, and even a famous Indian breakfast that has understandably become one of London’s most beloved.

We’ve rounded up what we think are the best breakfasts in Covent Garden. Scroll down and take a look, and fret not - if none of these take your fancy and you’re thinking instead of the best breakfast near Covent Garden, you’re just moments away from Soho, Chinatown, The Strand, and even St James’s and Mayfair aren’t far away.

Baudry Green

What: Any breakfast menu that starts off with half a pink grapefruit immediately has us gripped in its warm palms. Baudry Greene’s soothing breakfast menu is classic from top-to-bottom with charming Grand Cafe interiors completing the vibe nicely. Bacon baps, salmon bagels, excellent pastries and robust coffees are all on offer too.
Where: 20 Endell Street, WC2H 9BD
Book now: Baudry Green

Pivot Bar & Bistro

What: Spanning two floors of the lovely townhouse at 3 Henrietta, Pivot is worth a visit at all times of day for easy-going modern British fare, with lovely views of the piazza if you can nab a window seat. Breakfast options range from a hefty British breakfast or a sausage roll to porridge, waffles with poached pears, or sourdough toast with jam and marmalade.
Where: 3 Henrietta Street, WC2E 8LU
Book now: Pivot Bar & Bistro

The Delaunay

What: Much like iconic sibling The Wolseley, The Delauney specialises in comforting all-day Mittel European fare, and that starts early in the morning with superb viennoiserie, cereals, fruit and eggs cooked in myriad ways. The interiors are beautiful too, making this a great spot if you want to start the day with something a bit special.
Where: 55 Aldwych, WC2B 4BB
Book now: The Delaunay

Dishoom

What: Arguably one of London’s most beloved breakfasts, Dishoom’s legendary bacon naan started as a bit of an experiment. Nowadays, devotees search out their nearest Dishoom to start the day with pillowy naan bread stuffed with applewood-smoked bacon and chilli chutney. There’s plenty more of note on the breakfast menu - an excellent Parsi cooked breakfast, and spicy chicken keema with chicken liver and fried eggs.
Where: 12 Upper St Martins Lane, WC2H 9FB
Book now: Dishoom

Sycamore Vino Cucina at Middle Eight

What: Another Covent Garden hotel that has the hotel breakfast absolutely nailed, Sycamore Vino Cucina runs a fantastic hot breakfast selection, plus a mixture of healthy choices too so you can mix and match without feeling too stuffed. It’s in a good location too, in striking distance of Covent Garden and Lincoln’s Inn Fields.
Where: 66 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5BX
Book now: Sycamore Vino Cucina at Middle Eight

The Black Penny

What: The Black Penny is one of our favourite, reliable breakfast haunts, offering a mixture of egg breakfasts, all-day breakfast baps and hashes, as well as lighter options like toasted granola and bircher muesli.
Where: 34 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5AA
Book now: The Black Penny

Brasserie Max

What: We’re big fans of Firmdale’s beautiful boutique Covent Garden Hotel, and much of that is thanks to the superb in-house all-day restaurant Brasserie Max. The menu delivers the best of a hotel breakfast - quality pastries, and lots of cooked breakfast options alongside fruit-topped porridge, fresh juices, coffees and more, all in a lovely space just a few minutes walk from theatreland.
Where: Covent Garden Hotel, 10 Monmouth Street, WC2H 9HB
Book now: Brasserie Max

Da Henrietta

What: Henrietta’s corridor-like dining room is outshone by its buffet breakfast menu, where unlimited pastries, cheese and fruit are on offer. If you prefer, the a la carte features classics like smashed avo on toast, eggs Benedict or the obligatory full English.
Where: The Henrietta Hotel, 14-15 Henrietta Street, WC2E 8QH
Book now: Da Henrietta

Ladurée

What: Besides boasting one of the best spots on Covent Garden piazza, Laduree is also a good breakfast spot for the more sweet-toothed among us. Come here for fresh croissants, macarons of all colours and falvours, as well as blueberry French toast. Bonus points if you manage to grab a seat on the al fresco terrace.
Where: Unit 1, Covent Garden Market, WC2E 8RF
Book now: Ladurée

26 Grains

What: 26 Grains offers a single all-day menu, but it’s open from 9am (definitively breakfast-time) and offers a nice mixture of health-conscious porridges and birchers, alongside some tasty egg breakfasts (sign us up for fried eggs in chilli butter).
Where: 1 Neal's Yard, WC2H 9DP
Book now: 26 Grains

Arome Bakery

What: One of London’s most beloved bakeries, Arome should be top of the list for pastry fanatics and anyone who stares lovingly at the number of layers in a croissant. Come for the miso bacon swirl, stay for the honey butter French toast.
Where: 9 Mercer Street, The Yards, WC2H 9QJ
Book now: Arome Bakery

Looking for more great breakfast spots to start your day? We've rounded up the capital's most unmissable early morning meals in our list of London's best breakfasts - click here to check out our picks. Or, if you fancy something a bit lazier and later in the day, we have London's best brunches too.