Dining
The 6 Best Brunch in Covent Garden
Theatre crowds and tourist footfall, but a genuine cluster of proper brasseries: brunch that holds up before a matinee or well after one.
In short: our top picks are Dishoom, Balthazar and Christopher's. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Covent Garden brunch gets written off as tourist trap territory, which undersells how many of these rooms are doing something worth the walk. Balthazar and Christopher’s are both the real thing, not pastiche versions of a New York or American original, and Dishoom’s queue exists for a reason. The area’s real strength is range: a grand brasserie, a steakhouse doing a serious weekend spread, and a tiny porridge cafe tucked into Neal’s Yard for anyone who wants to escape the crowds entirely. Book ahead if you’re combining brunch with a matinee, since kitchens here know how to turn tables around a show schedule.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Dishoom | Shoreditch | ££ |
| Balthazar | Covent Garden | £££ |
| Christopher's | Covent Garden | £££ |
| Gaucho Covent Garden | Covent Garden | £££ |
| 26 Grains | Covent Garden | ££ |
| The Ivy Market Grill | Covent Garden | £££ |
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Editor’s choice
Dishoom
Why we pick itThe bacon naan roll queue starts before opening most weekends, and it's still the best reason to turn up early on Upper St Martin's Lane.
Worth knowingNo reservations for smaller groups, so expect a queue, and it gets frantic enough at peak times to undercut the leisurely cafe atmosphere.
Bombay cafe brunch
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Balthazar
Why we pick itWeekend brunch from 9am sells out by Wednesday most weeks, with steak haché and eggs benedict served under the same red leather and brass as the original New York room.
Worth knowingTrades on the room and the reputation: portions vary between visits and prices run high for brasserie food that is solid rather than outstanding.
French brasserie brunch
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Christopher's
Why we pick itA Martini bar downstairs and a first floor dining room upstairs, both serving Maryland crab cakes and French toast in a Grade II listed building that was once London's first licensed casino.
American brasserie brunch
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Gaucho Covent Garden
Why we pick itBreakfast runs 8 to 11am daily before the kitchen switches to a weekend brunch built around marbled ribeye alongside the usual eggs benedict.
Argentine steakhouse brunch
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26 Grains
Why we pick itNo bookings and often a queue out into Neal's Yard, but the sweet and savoury porridge bowls are worth standing for.
porridge and grains cafe
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The Ivy Market Grill
Why we pick itA big glasshouse-style dining room just off Henrietta Street doing weekend brunch with the Ivy burger and Champagne by the glass for anyone celebrating.
all-day brasserie brunch
Before you book
Covent Garden station is a five minute walk from everything except 26 Grains, which sits in Neal’s Yard closer to Seven Dials. Balthazar’s weekend brunch books out by midweek, so reserve early. If you’re seeing a show, tell the restaurant when you book; most kitchens here are used to timing brunch around a matinee.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
Dishoom is our editor's choice: The bacon naan roll queue starts before opening most weekends, and it's still the best reason to turn up early on Upper St Martin's Lane. Dishoom, Balthazar and Christopher's lead the guide, with 6 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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