Best brunch in Covent Garden: 12 places to kickstart your day

If you are going to set yourself up for the day with a filling meal, you may as well do it properly and visit a restaurant. Granted though, Covent Garden might not be the first place you think of when it comes to brunch in London. Firstly, very few people actually live in the area (it’s mostly home to offices and entertainment venues) and secondly, Covent Garden is more widely known for its late-night restaurant scene (thanks, of course, to the various nearby theatres). Nonetheless, places to eat the mid-morning meal do exist, and we've rounded up the best brunches in Covent Garden to help you in your search. 

Many of the restaurants in the area may seem to be there purely for the purpose of dinner, but dig a little deeper and you will uncover a whole host of delicious brunch menus in Covent Garden just waiting to tempt you to a plate or two. There are of course a handful of high-end hotels which are well-versed in what people want for lazy morning sustenance, but there are also some more unusual choices: a Bombay-style feast, or South American-Aussie fusion dishes, for instance. It's these slightly more niche options that are sure to impress family or friends visiting from out of town. We’ve also made sure to include a couple of bottomless brunch places, for when the occasion calls for it.

If you're the type of person that needs to eat as soon as their alarm goes off, then you might want to take a look at our guide to the best breakfast spots in Covent Garden. These places start serving their breakfast menus a little earlier, so you can wake up and inhale eggs and pastries at the crack of dawn, if you so wish.

Make sure to explore all of our top picks and let us know if you think we have missed anywhere that deserves a special shoutout.

Pivot Bar & Bistro

What: Spanning two floors of the lovely townhouse at 3 Henrietta, Pivot is worth a visit at all times of day for easy-going modern British fare, with views of the piazza if you can nab a window seat. Morning menu options range from a hefty British breakfast or a sausage roll to porridge, waffles with poached pears, or sourdough toast with jam and marmalade.
Where: 3 Henrietta Street, WC2E 8LU
Book now: Pivot Bar & Bistro

The Delaunay

Why: The Delaunay is every bit as traditional and grand as its Piccadilly sibling The Wolseley and is perfect for smart brunch meetings and special occasions. The restaurant’s strong Viennese vibe is reflected in a ‘Viennoiserie’ bakery menu plus brunch favourites like eggs Arlington, pancakes with fresh berry compote. You can also sample a traditional Viennese breakfast including smoked ham, salami, Gouda, egg and rye bread should you want a refreshing change from the usual sausage sandwich, porridge and fruit salad.
Where: 55 Aldwych, WC2B 4BB
Book now: The Delaunay

Violas

What: This restaurant not only offers a delicious selection of brunch dishes but it happens to be one of the cutest little restaurant cafes in Covent Garden. As you enter through the floral canopy into the dining room, you’re greeted with the mouth-watering aromas wafting from a range of dishes including Tiramisu french toast with miso caramel; breakfast tacos stuffed with folded eggs, tomato salsa, and crispy bacon; and an inventive yuzu Scottish royale served on a fluffy English muffin with salmon, yuzu-spiked hollandaise, and wilted spinach.
Where: 38 Tavistock Street, WC2E 7PB
Book now: Violas

Baudry Greene

What: Little sister to the excellent 10 Cases wine bar and Parsons restaurant, Baudry Green emulates the charm and comfort of great mittel European grand cafes, serving a bevvy of gorgeous patisseries and Vienoisseries, as well as mushrooms on toast, bacon baps and a signature salmon pretzel bagel with creme fraiche. Or, if you’re feeling like something a little lighter, go for the classic pink grapefruit.
Where: 20 Endell Street, WC2H 9BD
Book now: Baudry Greene

Balthazar 

Why: A French-style brasserie, Balthazar restaurant serves a weekend brunch stuffed with all the classics. From fresh French pastry selections to eggs benedict served with chips, there is something for everyone. Struggling with choice paralysis? Well, there’s a set menu too. And if you fancy some entertainment with your brunch, between noon and 3pm live jazz musicians will serenade you as you eat.
Where: 4-6 Russell Street, WC2B 5HZ
Book now: Balthazar

Dishoom

Why: Dishoom’s take on the café culture of old Bombay (complete with quirky styling) ticks all London’s boxes - and brunchers will be pleased to hear that the breakfast menu is served daily until 11:45am. Highlights include the Kejriwal (two fried eggs on chilli cheese toast) and the acclaimed bacon naan roll. And if you wake up with a sweet tooth, the fire-toast with pink peppercorn and pineapple jam eased down with chai or maybe a cocktail could be just the ticket.
Where: 12 Upper St Martins Lane, WC2H 9FB
Book now: Dishoom

The Ivy Market Grill

Why: With its smart terrace overlooking the Covent Garden piazza, a dapper bar and a popular all-day menu, this offshoot of The Ivy offers a weekend brunch menu to make your day. There are a variety of dishes from eggs royale with The Ivy 1917 smoked salmon to to fluffy buttermilk pancakes with red berry sauce and Greek yoghurt. Of course, you can’t have a meal at The Ivy without looking through their seasonal cocktails.
Where: 1 Henrietta Street, WC2E 8PS
Book now: The Ivy

Abuelo

Why: Abuelo offers a tempting menu of brunch dishes inspired by Argentinian dishes and Australian style. Alongside your warming cup of coffee, you can tuck into the likes of figs with honey, green pea fritters served with poached eggs, or ‘The Bondi’ - a beachy open toasted sandwich with avocado, goat cheese, jalapenos, and dukkah. The coffee is great too, with speciality blends from ethical growers in South America.
Where: 26 Southampton Street, WC2E 7RS
Book now: Abuelo

The Black Penny

Why: Named after London’s first coffee shops, where the price of admission was a penny, The Black Penny scores on two fronts for brunch. Coffee provided by Alchemy is one of them, and a range of traditional brunch dishes alongside a few twists is the other. Speciality hashes include the must-order crispy duck hash and a salt beef hash with green tomato chutney. While you're at it, why not go for a mimosa, too?
Where: 34 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5AA
Book now: The Black Penny

Brasserie Max

Why: The Covent Garden Hotel’s restaurant has all the boutique charm and slick service you need for a business brunch. All the usual brunch suspects are present and correct at Brasserie Max, from eggs benedict to pancakes with maple syrup and bacon. At weekends, any dish you choose is served with either a Mimosa or a Bloody Mary from 11am till 1pm.
Where: Covent Garden Hotel, 10 Monmouth Street, WC2H 9HB
Book now: Brasserie Max

Big Easy Covent Garden

Why: Celebrating New Orleans in all its sinful glory, Big Easy lays on a weekend ‘boozy brunch’ including a choice of alcoholic beverages (from house wine to frozen Mojitos). This good-timing crab-shack and barbecue kitchen is located in a former Victorian power station, with many original features intact and a formidable nine-metre bar. Order clam chowder or Cobb salad, or choose the limitless pork and chicken-based barbecue or a fresh lobster feast if you're extra peckish.
Where: 12 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7NA
Book now: Big Easy Covent Garden

Christopher’s

Why: Christopher’s handsome Grade II-listed Victorian building makes a seemly setting for a reliably good Stateside weekend brunch. The menu is extensive, incorporating buttermilk pancakes with maple-cured bacon, truffled scrambled eggs and fried chicken and waffles. The real reason people go to Christopher's though, is for the French toast. It's famous, and served warm with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.
Where: 18 Wellington Street, WC2E 7DD
Book now: Christopher’s

Looking to travel outside of the entertainment district? This is our round-up of the best brunches in London for every occasion.