“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”
“What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?”
“I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully. “It’s the same thing,” he said.”
If breakfast is the most eagerly-anticipated start to your day too, here’s a bit of inspiration to help make sure it’s a stand-out one – regardless of whether you’re a full-time vegetarian (like me), a flexitarian, or just looking for a change from a Full English.
Bon apetit.
The All Day Breakfast
Daisy Green
Sitting prettily in the corner of Portman Village, Marylebone, this quirky café dishes up Aussie-inspired breakfast/ brunch classics through the day. Expect vivaciously-vibrant assemblies such as broccoli & corn fritters festooned with all the trimmings (avocado and a poached egg) and boosted by a kick of house-made chilli pesto! Or for something sweeter, try the coconut bread French toast (layered with yogurt, freeze-fried berries and griddled mango) and banana bread sandwich… You can find similar options are their other venues too, including at Darcie & May – the colourful new restaurant housed within a barge at Paddington Central!
Daisy Green Collection, 20 Seymour St, Marylebone W1H 7HX
Ralph’s Coffee & Bar
I can’t say that I’ve ever been to a gentleman’s club on the East Coast… But I suspect I wouldn’t be off the mark for imagining it similar to Ralph’s, the bar/ café from Ralph Lauren. Cosily cosseted within the brand’s Regent Street store – the hopelessly-handsome space specialises in an all-day American-style brekky, featuring the likes of rolled oats (with pumpkin!), chia puddings and a home-style blueberry muffin. Their eggs florentine are rather exemplary too…
Ralph’s Coffee & Bar, 173 Regent St, Mayfair W1B 4JQ
The Veggie Fry-Up
Ben’s Canteen
For the Full Veggie – tomato, spinach, mushrooms, beans, hash-browns, eggs and toast – head to Ben’s Canteen. With branches in Battersea & Earlsfield, this neighbourhood fixture is particularly popular with locals on the weekends, not least for their legendary Bloody Mary’s and banana pancakes (smothered with salted caramel sauce on top!).
Ben’s Canteen, 140 St John’s Hill SW11 1SL
The Middle Eastern Breakfast
Honey & Co
More is more at this homey café from husband & wife duo Sarit and Itamar (both of whom have been cooking since they were five!). Their breakfast majors in big and bold flavours, rooted in Middle Eastern flavours. Think Cornish farm eggs dished up with a burnt potato boureka; or baked in herby spinach and served as a green shakshuka with goat’s yogurt and sesame bread.
As for my favourite thing here, it’s undoubtedly the Sabich. An Israeli take on a sandwich involving a pitta piled high with roasted aubergine, lashings of tahini and a “dinosaur egg.” That’s essentially a boiled egg with an artfully-crackled surface, in case you were wondering!
Honey & Co, 25 Warren St, Fitzrovia W1T 5LZ
The Good Egg
Tel Aviv’s street food scene meets Montreal’s Jewish café culture at The Good Egg. Long since a Stokey fixture, the cheery café has recently hatched a new outpost in Carnaby’s Kingly Court too.
Their shakshuka is one of the most intriguing you’ll encounter yet, enhanced with dollops of preserved lemon yogurt and glorious little bites of crispy halloumi. Also not to be missed, is the Jerusalem-style breakfast plate offering a tiny taste of all the little plates from the extensive breakfast selection. Full review, here.
The Good Egg, Unit G9, Kingly Court, Carnaby St, W1B 5PW
The Bombay Breakfast
Dishoom
Of course, there’s really nothing quite like starting the day with bun maskas (boisterously buttery and soft bread buns) dipped in endless refills of garam chai, whilst simultaneously tucking into Eggs Kejriwal (a chilli-cheese toast topped off with a fried egg) and masala baked beans. You can take the girl out of Bombay, but …
Dishoom, 12 Upper St. Martin’s Lane WC2H 9FB
The Virtuous Breakfast
And finally, if you’re looking for a deliciously-healthy, power-packed start to your day – my recommendations would be Farm Girl (Carnaby/ Notting Hill) and Raw Press (Chelsea) for superlative açai bowls…
… and 26 Grains in Seven Dials for porridge so pretty, that you really can’t help but ask for more!
For weekend veggie brunch picks, have a browse here.