Dining

The 5 Best Brunch in London

Long, unhurried and worth dressing for: the London brunches that earn a slow weekend morning.

In short: our top picks are The Wolseley, Duck and Waffle and Granger & Co. 5 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.

Brunch at its best is a whole slow morning, not a rushed plate before noon. London does it brilliantly when it tries: grand hotel rooms, sunlit neighbourhood spots and a few places worth booking a weekend around. These are the brunches that earn the lie-in afterwards.

Place Area Price
The Wolseley Piccadilly £££
Duck and Waffle City of London £££
Granger & Co Notting Hill ££
Cecconis Mayfair £££
The Delaunay Covent Garden £££
  1. Editor’s choice

    The Wolseley

    • Piccadilly
    • £££

    Why we pick itA grand European cafe in a former car showroom; the most civilised brunch in London.

    Worth knowingDependable rather than surprising. It sells atmosphere and consistency, and for some diners the food is the least interesting part of the visit.

  2. Duck and Waffle

    • City of London
    • £££

    Why we pick itBrunch on the 40th floor with a skyline view; the namesake dish is the order.

    Worth knowingPortions feel modest against the bill and the view carries the cooking; without a window table booked you will be looking at the kitchen pass instead.

  3. Granger & Co

    • Notting Hill
    • ££

    Why we pick itBill Grangers sunlit rooms and the ricotta hotcakes that started a brunch movement.

  4. Cecconis

    • Mayfair
    • £££

    Why we pick itA buzzy Italian for a long Mayfair weekend brunch; people-watching included.

  5. The Delaunay

    • Covent Garden
    • £££

    Why we pick itA glamorous Mittel-European grand cafe off the Aldwych; an unhurried weekend brunch with a bellini and a Viennese hush.

Before you book

Weekend brunch books up fast, so reserve, and ask whether it is a set menu or a la carte. Go later rather than earlier and treat it as the main event of the day. And look at the hotel dining rooms; they do the most generous, most civilised brunch in the city.

Common questions

What is the best brunch in London?

The Wolseley is our editor's choice: A grand European cafe in a former car showroom; the most civilised brunch in London. The Wolseley, Duck and Waffle and Granger & Co lead the guide, with 5 places in total, all chosen on merit.