English writer Guy Beringer once said that “brunch… it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” True dat. And what do Londoners love more than a brunch? A bank holiday weekend brunch. Cast your imagination across a spread of Eggs Benedict, Bellinis, pastries and Prosecco… mmm. Now that we’ve got your full attention, read on for our update of some of the best brunches we’ve recently enjoyed across the capital – our pick of the brunch bunch.
Aubaine Broadgate Circle, City
Brunch served Sat and Mon 11am-4pm (closed Sun)
Aubaine is extending its exclusive unlimited Saturday brunch offer to bank holiday Monday, hurrah. For only £15, you can order as much as you want from the Parisian small-plate menu. Your table comes loaded with freshly baked pastries and artisanal breads, the perfect warm-up to Toulouse sausages, free-range fried eggs and provençale haricot beans. There’s also fluffy French toast with blueberries and an oozing croque-monsieur. For another £15, bring the booze to the brunch with an unlimited selection of wine and Prosecco. You get two hours which is more than enough, you thirsty fiends.
Ben’s Canteen, Battersea and Earlsfield
Brunch served Fri-Sun 9am-4pm
Ben’s is famous for its indulgent South London super brunches. Think poached eggs, pulled pork and fried chicken (yes, for brunch). Tuck into an oozing ‘Eggs Pig Out’, loaded with sweet and sticky pulled pork, poached eggs, hollandaise, and hot sauce (total mouthgasm). For veggies, skip the ubiquitous avocado on toast in favour of sweetcorn and courgette fritters with halloumi, balsamic roast tomato chutney and a poached egg. The Bloody ‘Scary’ Mary is a banging brunch winner and elsewhere, there’s marmalade syrup Mimosas, or a dirty, rum-spiked iced coffee. For those who’ve had too many already, there’s even an ice-cold Berocca: genius.
Bernardi’s, Marylebone
Brunch served Sat-Sun 9.30am-4pm
The Bernardi brothers have both Australian and Italian heritage, which sums up what to expect from brunch quite nicely. With wealthy locals in mind, they've created a glamorous all-day venue inspired by the Italian restaurant scene they knew in Melbourne. The menu is the work of former Roux Scholarship finalist Sabrina Gidda, her weekend brunch includes gnocchi alla Romana with poached eggs and smoked salmon. If that sounds a bit too refined for you, order the pork and fennel sausage burger, stuffed with a fried egg, fontina and n’duja mayonnaise. The pizzette (above) is ideal if you’re utterly ravenous and think the term ‘sharing plates’ is actually an invitation to gorge solo.
Edwins, Borough
Brunch served Sat-Sun 10am-1pm
Chilled out and laid-back, Edwins is a rather good extension of being in a cosy bed: good to know if you’ve woken up with a sore head. The coffee is delicious, they make their own soft drinks (homemade ginger and apple soda, for example) and, most importantly, they do a full English. Said English includes a chorizo rosti, which is so good we’ll forgive the fact that it’s definitely not English. Edwins is at its best on a sunny day, as the dining room features a wall of windows framed by billowing white linen curtains. The best bit? It’s still a bit of a secret, so there’s a good chance you’ll be able to bag a table for the weekend.
No.32 The Old Town, Clapham
Brunch served Sat-Sun 9am-1am (Sun -10.30pm)
This is the place for avocado lovers: No.32 pairs it with mountains of cheese, cured meats and smoked salmon, with buckets of breakfast mayo and homemade hollandaise. Not a fan? The melt-in-your-mouth blueberry and ricotta pancakes with maple crème fraiche are the most gooey things for miles. Try their twist on the traditional eggs Benedict, with the usual honey roast ham, but with creamy spinach and, of course, avocado. If things get out of hand, No.32 is also a rooftop terrace cocktail bar, stocked with tequila Old Fashioneds, pineapple and sage Mojitos and a devilish Dark And Stormy.
Polpo, Ape & Bird, Chelsea, Covent Garden, Harvey Nichols, Notting Hill, Smithfield and Soho
Brunch served Sat-Sun 10am-12.30pm, all branches
Venetian joint Polpo has just launched its Italianate brunch menu: basically, you can eat pizza for breakfast. The deliciously crisp brunch pizzetta comes armed with Italian sausage, wild mushroom, parmesan and a soft egg. Too early for pizza (are you mad)? Then try the poached eggs with scafata (an Umbrian vegetable dish), or the sugary, ricotta doughnuts rolled in cinnamon. Think lots of coffee, fresh pastries, breakfast Bellinis and endless Prosecco* popping. Bellissima.
*If you’re brunching this bank holiday, bottles of Prosecco are half price
Slobber over our full list of London's best restaurants for weekend brunch here
This article was published 27 May 2016