Once upon a time, Shoreditch was a no-go neighbourhood known for its sketchy streets and grimy bars. Then, in what felt like a very short space of time, it transformed into an achingly cool pocket of London synonymous with craft-beer-obsessed, remote-working bohemians clad in skinny jeans. These days though, Shoreditch is known less for being hipster-central (try Dalston for that) and more for being one of London’s best spots for eating, drinking and partying.
Don’t get us wrong – the nightlife in this area of East London is as buzzing as it’s always been, but if you’re only visiting in the evening, you’re missing out on daytime treats aplenty, the most important of which is brunch. Shoreditch is bursting with brilliant brunch spots to suit all budgets and tastes, so whether you’re in search of something carby to cure your hangover or a boozy bottomless brunch to cause one, we’ve got you covered.
Full disclosure: a few of the places listed here are a bit of a walk from Shoreditch station, and some actually serve up breakfast rather than brunch, but we’ve chosen to include them anyway because we believe they are worth the walk.
We know that everyone’s brunch preferences vary, so we’ve done our best to include a range of different options (while ensuring they’re all up to standard, of course). That means you’ll find plenty of spots that offer all the usual brunch classics, such as eggs cooked various ways, avocado on toast, and stacks of buttermilk pancakes, but also a few that serve up more exotic dishes like sushi and fried chicken. Some of these Shoreditch brunch spots offer bottomless booze, while others focus firmly on the food.
Enough waffling from us though - read on for 17 of the best brunches east of the Old Street roundabout.
100 Hoxton
What: This low-lit hangout gives fusion food a good name – especially when most things on the brunch menu cost a tenner or less. The full English comes with jalapeño, the cured salmon and scrambled egg with salted duck crème fraiche, or there’s a Korean croquette with cheese sauce and chilli dressing. £32, meanwhile, buys you a bottomless brunch of Aperol Spritz, Prosecco, boozy slushies and one brunch dish.
When: Sat-Sun 11am-3pm
Where: 100 Hoxton, 100-102 Hoxton Street
Hoi Polloi
What: The Ace Hotel’s buzzy brasserie lures a seemingly endless supply of beautiful creatives for the fashion-conscious offering, which extends to some very on-trend cooking. For brunch that means Moroccan eggs with labneh and toasted sourdough, avocado not only with poached eggs but onion, coriander, hot sauce and toasted cornbread – as well as eggs Benedict and pancakes with bacon and maple syrup.
When: Sat-Sun 12-4pm
Where: Hoi Polloi, 100 Shoreditch High Street
M Threadneedle Street
What: M Threadneedle Street haven’t always served brunch, but with an offering that includes live music and the option to go bottomless we’re pretty sure it’s here to stay. In line with the main menu’s run of dishes from the six continents, M’s brunch offering is a truly international affair. Pick between healthy options like a pineapple smoothie bowl or go all in on an indulgent start to your day with a short rib hash accompanied by sunny side up eggs.
When: Saturdays, 11am-3pm
Where: Unit 2-3, 60 Threadneedle Street, EC2R 8HP
Duck & Waffle
What: Stunning views, flawless service and easy pricing make this high-rise City hotspot a top pick for brunch. Whether you opt for the signature dish – crispy duck leg confit with a fried duck egg and mustard maple syrup atop a waffle – or something equally delicious from the plentiful menu, we’re certain you’ll agree that it’s up there with the best brunch Shoreditch has to offer.
When: Sat-Sun 11.30am-5pm
Where: Duck & Waffle, 110 Bishopsgate
The Blues Kitchen
What: A bumper crop of over 100 bourbons may not be the most appealing brunch option (although whiskey-based cocktails, alco-shakes and some cracking beers might be) but there’s no denying that The Blues Kitchen’s soul food from America’s southlands will hit the spot on a weekend afternoon. Slow-smoked BBQ meats, live lobsters, hefty burgers and corn bread with honey butter should mean you don’t need dinner.
When: Sat-Sun 11am-3.30pm
Where: The Blues Kitchen, 134-146 Curtain Road
The Book Club
What: By day, The Queen of Hoxton's multi-faceted sister is a lively Shoreditch social, a crash pad/proxy office/all-day diner catering to slackers, surfers and jobbing creatives. Weekends here are all about brunch though, which includes the likes of Dutch bouncer eggs, avocado on toast, a chicken crumpet and a full English/veggie breakfast.
When: Sat-Sun 10am-4pm
Where: The Book Club, 100-106 Leonard Street
Dishoom Shoreditch
What: Dishoom’s breakfast/brunch offering is mega-popular, no matter which branch you visit, for several good reasons. Firstly, the stylish décor and buzzy yet relaxed atmosphere are perfect for lazy weekend dining. Secondly, it serves bacon and eggs inside naan bread. And finally, if you order a glass of its delicately-spiced masala chai, you can enjoy free refills throughout your meal. And did we mention the bacon and egg naans? Just checking.
When: Mon-Fri 8am-11.45am, Sat-Sun 9am-11.45am
Where: Dishoom Shoreditch, 7 Boundary Street
Hoxton Grill
What: This all-day venue from the Soho House group of private members clubs blends classic diner chic with on-trend edginess and is a solid shout for a casual Shoreditch bite. NYC brunch classics – a pastrami bagel, chicken and waffles, Cobb salad – rub shoulders with eggs your way, avo toast and a buttermilk pancake stack. If you can’t be bothered to wait until lunch, there are steaks, burgers and a roast on Sunday.
When: Sat-Sun 12-6pm
Where: Hoxton Grill at The Hoxton Hotel, 81 Great Eastern Street
The Jones Family Project
What: This multifunctional bar-restaurant fuels Shoreditch’s creatives from breakfast until bedtime. From Monday to Saturday you can brunch on the likes of fishcakes, Caesar salad, mac ‘n’ cheese or ‘everything on toast’. Sundays meanwhile see a roast lunch served alongside Josper-grilled steaks and burgers which, at £18/22 for two/three courses, is decent value, too.
When: Mon-Sat 11am-5pm, Sun 12-4.30pm
Where: The Jones Family Project, 78 Great Eastern Street
Morito Hackney Road
What: This capacious, concrete-chic space (a bigger offshoot of Morito in Clerkenwell) is best suited to fun, casual meals – which makes it perfect for brunch (which is actually called ‘breakfast’ on the menu). Rock up for traditional Turkish menemem eggs, Moroccan pancakes with fresh sheep’s cheese and thyme honey, or Cretan filo pastry with cheese, sugar and cinnamon.
When: Sat-Sun 9.30am-12pm
Where: Morito, 195 Hackney Road
Redemption Bar Shoreditch
What: If you’re determined to have as breakfast as virtuous as Victoria Beckham’s, make a beeline for this all-day vegan restaurant for detox juices, energising smoothies and virtuous plant-based plates. It’s very Shoreditch (ie, packed with hip yogis with glowing skin), but if you’re looking to spoil yourself without ingesting 5,000 calories and a ton of fat and refined sugar, it’s a great shout.
When: Mon-Fri 12pm-10pm, Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 10am-7pm
Where: Redemption Bar Shoreditch, 320 Old Street
Nobu Shoreditch
What: Weekend brunch is the best time to appreciate the calm beauty of Nobu’s design. Set prices, from £53-83, also mean it’s the best time to come if you don’t want to take out a second mortgage. The top-of-the-range £83 offering includes a main dish and unlimited access to the brunch and dessert bars, plus two hours of unlimited Prosecco, Negronis, Lychee Elderflower Coolers or Hitachino Amber Draft.
When: Sat-Sun 12-4pm
Where: Nobu Shoreditch, 10-50 Willow Street
Red Rooster
What: Red Rooster has a twin in New York’s Harlem and, like its NYC sibling, the Shoreditch menu is a celebration of America’s southern soul food, carried off with panache. Where else can you find a Sunday brunch accompanied by a gospel choir? At brunch, the house special – the fried yard bird – is joined by shrimp ’n’ grits, short ribs Benedict and avo on toast with radish and scrambled eggs.
When: Sun 12-3.30pm
Where: Red Rooster, 36 Charlotte Road
The Breakfast Club Hoxton
What: When a restaurant has the word ‘breakfast’ in its name, you can bet they know a thing or two about it. As with all its other locations across London, you can expect a sizeable queue for a table at The Breakfast Club’s all-day breakfast café/bar in Hoxton, but fat stack of pancakes, eggs Benedict and a ‘Full Monty’ breakfast make brunching here worth the wait.
When: Sun-Thurs 7.30am-5pm, Fri-Sat 7.30am-6pm
Where: The Breakfast Club Hoxton, 2-4 Rufus Street
Andina
What: This vibrant slice of Peru is a riot of fun and colour, with zingy flavours (and Pisco Sours) galore. You could come here for avocado and eggs on sourdough toast or sweet potato pancakes with whipped cream and seasonal fruits. But you may as well go full-on South American with a host of street-food small plates, tangy ceviches, juicy grilled meats and hearty peasant classics.
When: Sat-Sun 10am-4pm
Where: Andina, 1 Redchurch Street
Cocotte
What: Oeufs parfait with roasted veggies, truffled croque monsieur, and croissant waffles are just three of the upmarket brunch dishes diners can indulge in at this farm-to-table rotisserie specialist in Hoxton. There’s the option to add bottomless cocktails for a two-hour period for an extra £18 too.
When: Sat-Sun 11am-4pm
Where: Cocotte Hoxton, 8 Hoxton Square
Dirty Bones Shoreditch
What: Gorgeous interiors and calorie-rich comfort food come together to make Dirty Bones one of our top picks for an indulgent Shoreditch brunch. Meaty options include steak and eggs, chicken and waffles, and short rib crumpets, while vegetarians can choose between avocado crumpets and buttermilk pancakes. Go bottomless for £22 and you can have as many rounds of brunch cocktails as you like.
When: Sat-Sun 10am-4pm
Where: Dirty Bones Shoreditch, 1 Club Row
Pizza East Shoreditch
What: Pizza for breakfast is a wonderful thing, but if you fancy sticking to the traditional brunchy foods – eggs, pastries, things on toast – you’ll be pleased to know you can find those on Pizza East’s brunch menu too. We recommend the (French) Italian toast drenched in maple syrup and topped with pancetta accompanied by a glass of prosecco.
When: Sat-Sun 11am-5pm
Where: Pizza East Shoreditch, 56 Shoreditch High Street
Prefer dinner to breakfast and brunch? Check out our round-up of the best restaurants in Shoreditch.