Best Meal of the Day!

Breakfast is always the best time for something juicy, sweet and fresh - it just feels like the right way to open the day. There's no right way, though, when it comes to choosing the fruit.

Yotam Ottolenghi

One of the questions I get asked the most from friends or family coming into London is where to eat the best breakfast in the city. My answer to that is always, one, this is a HUGE city and there are so many good places to eat breakfast! And two, how much do you want to spend, where are you staying and what sort of place are you looking for? Having said that, I do have a couple of favs.

Brixton Village is a favourite, the choice is fabulous although in my very humble opinion the best is Senzala Creperie. Senzala Creperie is a great breakfast place, they are a small, independent creperie that does French crepes with a Brazilian flair! The large menu has so many great options of both sweet and savoury crepes, which incidentally are freshly made to order. You could get something like the “Femiere” which is ham, fried eggs and asparagus, or go full-on sugar overload with Belgian chocolate, strawberries and whipped cream, to die for!! Otherwise, you can mix and match and create your own. Senzala is a great, easy and delicious place to please everyone without spending too much.

Brickhouse Bread is a large farmhouse style cafe and bakery in leafy Dulwich. They make and bake all of their bread and pastries every day and host them on their all-day brunch menu. This includes boiled eggs with homemade sourdough soldiers, smoked haddock and potatoes, plus, freshly made croissants and Danish pastries. Inside is airy and modern with rustic charm. Large communal tables form the centre space with counter seating around the edge that’s perfect for a solo breakfast date. It gets very busy at the weekend with families enjoying a day out. Go early to avoid the crowds.

Somewhere that’s a bit off the beaten track and requires you to walk through streets you’ve probably never wandered down before, (my favourite kind of café in London!). Louie Louie is a gorgeous spot in the middle of an unassuming residential area of South London. In the weekdays, their brunch menu is simpler with pimped up toasts and hearty oatmeal’s topped with freshly blitzed almond butter. On the weekend it’s much more creative and a little unusual. I mean how good does “spinach & mustard seed brioche with a fried egg, horseradish cream & smoked salmon sound”?? YES PLEASE! Inside is minimal, modern with sleek lines and little retro touches here and there which makes it oooooose trendiness. It’s also, open for dinner in the evening.

Loads of people told me I HAD to try Mughead Coffee, so many people that I had to go and pay them a visit myself to see what the fuss was about. They are a small, independent coffee house that, of course, does a great cup of coffee and a croissant but the biggest reason you’ll want to come here is for freshly baked cinnamon rolls. OMG – they’re gorgeous!! Their buns are baked fresh in house every morning and massaged in are gooey, sticky cream cheese frosting until they are soaked right through. An unassuming little cafe with some almighty buns. Thanks to those who people who recommended it to me and brought it into my life!

Victoria and Westminster are two of London’s busiest areas but there’s a sweet spot in the middle of them where things get a lot less crazy – that’s where Iris and June sit. No, that’s not two friends called Iris and June but a lovely coffee shop and breakfast spot that is a little bit undiscovered to the masses! A smaller breakfast menu is served weekdays with a larger more interesting menu on the weekends. I mean, there at not many places that do smashed avocado in a poppadom or espresso and tahini sufganiyot (Jewish doughnuts). Inside is not full of bold colours or fancy flowers – more minimalist, Scandinavian vibes! I love this place!

Balham is a lively neighbourhood in South London that is heavy with 25-35-year-old Australian expats with yoga mats – basically the pinnacle of the brunch crowd. Thankfully, Balham has lots of great brunches to offer for them (and you!) and that includes Milk. Milk is a trendy Aussie cafe full of “cool kids”, (I tend to have to go with some of my younger friends to get in!!), and you’ll hardly ever see it without a queue. They have Australian staples like sweetcorn fritters, toasted banana bread & my favourite eggs with burnt butter hollandaise. Plus, great coffee of course. Make sure you get a giant freshly made Aussie lamington (sponge with chocolate and coconut) to take away for later. P.S They also have a sister cafe not too far away from here called Milk Teeth!

So, if you want to start your day off well – check one of these out!

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