Best Brunch in East London
You have probably often heard the phrase “brunch” in the UK. Brunch is a very British tradition, and young people are obsessed with it. But what exactly is brunch? Brunch is a phrase used in the United Kingdom to describe any meal eaten in the late morning or early afternoon as the first meal of the day, functioning as both breakfast and lunch.
As with many culinary traditions, the origins of brunch are a little unclear. Some food historians think that the meal came from England’s hunt breakfasts. Others say that Sunday brunch came about because Catholics used to fast before mass and then eat a big meal at noon. No matter which theory is true, brunch is always a lovely opportunity to leave your home and indulge in food and drinks.
Part of the charm of brunch is sitting in that beautiful sunshine with a cup of tea and seeing what everyone is eating. It’s no surprise that everyone snaps pictures of their brunch! Everything looks so beautiful.
Even though brunch is available every day of the week, diners tend to gravitate toward it on the weekends because they view it as the perfect opportunity to indulge on a quiet Sunday morning or as a way to unwind after a late Friday night
East London is a universe unto itself, with food from all over the world, beverages of all kinds, and some of the greatest brunches in the city.
Whether you want to fill your face with pizza, match your stacks of waffles, or go with a classic full English and a fresh cup of tea, these cafés, restaurants, and bars have it all.
The Pavilion Café
The Pavilion Cafe has been serving Victoria Park’s strollers for over a decade, and their Sri Lankan breakfast (including string hoppers, dahl, and coconut sambal) has become an East London institution in the last five years.
With its glass dome ceiling and cool monochrome colour design, this adorable small café is an East London landmark. Pavilion Café, located on the edge of Victoria Park’s boating lake, manufactures practically everything on its plant-based menu in-house. The result is truly amazing baked products (the cardamom buns are a must-try, and you may find yourself leaving with your suitcase packed with sourdough bread) and a selection of hearty breakfast items.
In a city where avocado toast and a flat white can easily cost £20, it’s a delight to discover that builders tea here is just £1. In the summer, sit on a picnic seat with a view of the park, or walk off your breakfast with a stroll around the park’s sparkling lake.
“The Pav,” as the locals call it, opens at 7 a.m. Monday through Wednesday and 8 a.m. Thursday through Sunday.
MAP Maison
This stunning offering from MAP Maison is one of the greatest bottomless brunches in East London, bringing a tempting variety of burgers and brunch dishes, a scrumptious side plate, and an unlimited variety of drinks from their famed collection.
Bottomless brunches are available at specific times:
- Tuesday-Wednesday 5pm-7pm
- Thursday 3pm-7pm
- Friday 2pm-7pm
- Saturday 12 noon – 5pm
- Sunday, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Tickets range from £55.00 for weekdays to £65.00 for weekends.
Pergola on The Wharf
Pergola On The Wharf is a botanical waterside Eden cultivated for naturally enjoyable occasions. Pergola On The Wharf is an in-house restaurant centred around an open kitchen where you can see chefs cook your meal from scratch using fresh ingredients, in addition to a rotating roster of London’s greatest up-and-coming street food ideas. In line with the venue’s natural vibe, the menu is organised around the fundamental aspects of ‘Earth, Land, and Sea,’ emphasising provenance, freshness, and seasonality.
Pergola on the Warf welcomes hedonists looking for a true party on Saturdays at 11 a.m., with the best feel-good tunes, free-flowing drinks, and their fantastic brunch menu. For £35 per person, you may add 2 hours of limitless beverages to your brunch meal; just remember to dress smart, stylish, and elegant.
The Drift
Bottomless brunch at The Drift includes 90 minutes of bottomless selection drinks and a bespoke build-your-own 5-piece brunch board.
In addition to serving brunch every Friday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm to 4pm The Drift offers Brunch Club dates:
3rd September: Beyonce Drag Brunch
10th September: 90’s Brunch
24th September: Abba Brunch
1st October: Brunch in the Buff
22nd October: Abba Drag Brunch
12th November: Disney Brunch
26th November: Abba Brunch
3rd December: Xmas Drag Brunch
10th December: 90’s Xmas Brunch
Their conventional brunch menu includes meals for £25 and under.
Lantana, Shoreditch
Lantana could be a great fit for your brunch if you are vegetarian or pescatarian. This bustling, laid-back Shoreditch eatery is often packed since, while avocado on toast is available everywhere these days, this is London’s best. It’s served on bread with labneh, hazelnut dukkah, a fresh herb salad, and the choice of beetroot-cured salmon at Lantana. The French toast is likewise outstanding, with poached rhubarb, orange mousse, and pistachio crumble, and the sweetcorn fritters are topped with roast tomatoes and a lemon crème fraîche.
The brunch at Lantana is served on weekdays 8am-12pm and at weekends 9am-4pm.
Morito, Hackney
Evenings at Morito are for tapas, and the weekend brunch should be treated in the same way. The menu is short, but you’ll want everything on it. Simple eggs are flavoured with Mediterranean flavours. The audience favourite is the classic Turkish menemen, a creamy mound of scrambled eggs with tomato, peppers, and feta served with a slice of bread for mopping up juices. The bougatsa, a filo pastry loaded with fresh cheese and covered in cinnamon and sugar, is small (you may need two) but excellent.
Coffee is served hot and strong, but for something different, try the Cretan mountain tea, a sage and thyme extract billed as “the Cretan grandmother’s solution for everything.” It’s delicious with a drizzle of honey on top. Join the East Londoners who are still buzzing from yesterday night’s festivities, and then walk it all off with a stroll down the adjacent Regent’s Canal.
The brunch at Morito is served on weekends from 10am to 12pm
Crispin, Spitalfields
Chef Fergus Henderson’s bacon sandwich is renowned, and the rest of the menu is also nostalgic. Unlike Crispin, many renowned London restaurants do not provide ham, eggs, and fried bread. Try a grilled kipper on sourdough bread or a sausage sandwich with brown sauce. Everyone loves the custard doughnuts (nearly as much as the bacon sarnie), but nothing beats the raspberry-jam-filled classic.
Crispin’s brunch bargain includes a drink with a small dish (pork & sage croquettes, burrata with plum & hazelnuts, etc); a main (eggs royale with coppa ham; pork schnitzel Holstein); and a dessert for £30. Their brunch is served on weekends from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Ozone, Hackney and Shoreditch
Ozone began as a tiny roastery and café in a New Zealand surf town and brought the same edgy-cool, casual appeal to the UK with its first UK location in Shoreditch in 2012. It’s become one of the top brunch options in east London, with hungry people queuing every weekend at the Old Street location.
A second – and much larger – London location has finally opened, just off Hackney Road, serving up eggs Benedict on crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside bubble-and-squeak cakes and veggie breakfasts with tangy kimchi greens, fluffy hash browns, and halloumi made in London. In true Antipodean style, there are also more adventurous options, like feta and quinoa tacos and braised mince on focaccia with smoked cheddar and piccalilli. Pizzas are available beginning at 12 p.m., with both red and white sauce bases and toppings such as pork and fennel salami with caramelised fennel and fermented chilli. The coffee is fresh and powerful, as you’d expect from a roastery (you can buy their beans by the bag).
Their amazing brunch is served Tuesday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.
In Conclusion
Brunch – a lunchtime meal that effectively mixes the finest of both breakfast and lunch. It’s difficult to ignore the appeal of brunch, whether it’s a huge family gathering, a neighbourhood picnic, or a buffet at a great restaurant. Brunch allows you to load up your plate with anything from a fried egg to sausage to chocolate cake, breaking the rules of what meals should be consumed when. Yes, the person who created this feast of the gods understood the benefits of eating dinner and dessert early in the day. They were basically geniuses.
On any given weekend, if you go through your social media feed, you’ll probably come across at least one mention of brunching. If you have yet to make plans, you might feel jealous of your friends and family’s endless drinks and leisurely mid-morning meals while drooling over picture-perfect avocado on toast. So why not treat yourself to a lazy afternoon brunch in the sun?
