Whether you’re looking to impress a client or simply want a change of scene for your morning meetings, here are our restaurant experts' current favourite breakfasts around the capital.
Hawksmoor Guildhall
10 Basinghall Street, City of London EC2V 5BQ
Breakfast served from 7 to 10am, Monday to Friday
Building on the success of its predecessors, the new City branch is the only Hawksmoor restaurant to serve breakfast and, unsurprisingly, it’s an extremely carnivorous affair. Using the finest meat from Longhorn cattle reared in North Yorkshire, the gargantuan breakfast for two is the ultimate feast, with stacks of smoked bacon chops, short-rib bubble and squeak and grilled bone marrow.
Those who can’t handle this so early in the day can choose from pancakes, porridge and pastries. The full-flavoured coffee is roasted up the road on Broadway Market by Climpson & Sons and comes served in a Chemex glass flask. Knowledgeable waiting staff are keen to help and can’t be missed, wearing plaid shirts and jeans which contrast with the mostly suited clientele.
The Riding House Café
43-51 Great Titchfield Street, Bloomsbury W1W 7PQ
Breakfast served from 7.30am to 12pm, Monday to Friday
Since it opened last autumn, this has become a mainstay among the local business community who come here to conduct meetings in a stylish, relaxed and slightly eccentric environment. Every piece of furniture in the light-filled dining room has been reclaimed, with converted snooker tables, rows of theatre seats, a private dining room that was once a stable and stuffed squirrel wall lights.
The menu is a little more conventional, with plenty of healthy options, although there are a few surprises such as the cured sea trout with crème fraiche and chorizo-topped hash browns. The smoothies served in milk bottles are highly recommended.
Dean Street Town House
69-71 Dean Street, Soho W1D 3SE
Breakfast served from 7am to 12pm, Monday to Sunday
Deftly mixing the best of traditional decor (think country house wallpaper, a long mahogany bar and crisp white table linen) with contemporary touches (browse the black and white pictures by Tracey Emin and Peter Blake), this laid-back bistro has established itself as one of Soho’s premier breakfast spots.
Rows of tables-for-two are served by friendly staff, while rooms hidden at the rear offer tables surrounded by wing-back chairs that are ideal for larger groups. The menu has a fresh bakery section, eggs cooked every way, fruit, granola and gourmet options such as beetroot hash with fried duck egg and grilled Manx kippers with butter.
Aurelia
13-14 Cork Street, Mayfair W1S 3NS
Breakfast served from 7.30 to 11.30am, Monday to Friday
Serving hearty Italian cuisine for lunch and dinner, one of London’s most favoured new openings now does breakfast. As well as the full English and the full Spanish (which replaces the sausage with chorizo), the selection of fresh fruit, granola, yoghurts and home-baked breads is impressive.
For one-to-one meetings, grab a coffee and pastry at the long bar or choose a seat by the window, while the circular tables on the ground floor offer more privacy. Our members receive 15 per cent off the bill until the end of February; call a lifestyle manager to make a booking.
The Delaunay
55 Aldwych, Covent Garden WC2B 4BB
Breakfast served from 7 to 11.30am, Monday to Friday
Passing through the heavy wooden doors, opened by a bowler-hatted doorman, diners enter a dimly-lit brasserie reminiscent of Europe’s grand cafés, with endless gilt mirrors and leather-upholstered booths hugging wood-clad walls.
Breakfast here is a serious affair and the menu follows a continental theme, with baskets of mixed pastries fresh from the kitchen’s ovens, bowls of hot chocolate with dipping baguettes and a small selection of hot food including croques monsieurs and fruit-stacked waffles. Coffee comes in all the standard varieties, as well as more unusual options such as the Marocchino, an espresso with rich chocolate and steamed milk.
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