A person pouring milk into a bowl of granola on a pink café table A person pouring milk into a bowl of granola on a pink café table

The best brunch in Islington

Islington is an area of London famed for its eclectic variety of incredible restaurants, bars and cafés, with Upper Street acting as the borough's bloodline. There's a restaurant for every kind of mood, from the salad-lined windows of Ottolenghi and mouthwatering kebabs of Brother Marcus to The Breakfast Club's hard-to-beat brunch menu and Caravan's speciality coffee. Islington certainly isn’t short of great places to enjoy a bite to eat; here’s our guide to brunch in this diverse area of the city.

  1. The best Islington brunch
    1. 1
      Bellanger French bistro brunch in Islington
    2. 2
      Megan's Award-winning Islington brunch specialists
    3. 3
      Ottolenghi Fresh Med-style plates
    4. 4
      Caravan An Islington brunch staple
    5. 5
      Brother Marcus Trusty older Brother Marcus
    6. 6
      The Breakfast Club A legendary brunch establishment
    7. 7
      Sunday Brunch specials in a trendy space
    8. 8
      Sawyer & Gray A neighbourhood favourite
    9. 9
      The Blue Legume Breakfast served all day long
    10. 10
      Kipferl Islington brunch with an Austrian twist

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The best Islington brunch

Here's where to go for the best brunch Islington has to offer.

Bellanger – Brunch in Islington
Bellanger
Bellanger – Brunch in Islington
Bellanger
Bellanger – Brunch in Islington
Bellanger
Bellanger – Brunch in Islington
Bellanger
Bellanger – Brunch in Islington
Bellanger
Bellanger – Brunch in Islington
Bellanger

Bellanger

French bistro brunch in Islington

Enjoy a Southern Mediterranean brunch in Islington at Bellanger, a French bistro where the all-day menu features dishes like omelettes, sandwiches, and other brunch-style plates. The established restaurant is a vibrant spot with framed artwork on the wall, chequered tablecloths, and spacious booths that provide ample dining space.

Megan's

Award-winning Islington brunch specialists

Megan's has been voted the best brunch in London on many occasions, and it isn't hard to see why. There's a Mediterranean-inspired menu served here, including dishes like eggs benedict and shakshuka-baked eggs with halloumi, with the option to add on free-flowing prosecco. The design of the place is just as enticing as the menu; think potted plants, wicker furniture, and aesthetic hanging lights.

Ottolenghi

Fresh Med-style plates

Ottolenghi serves a menu of fresh Mediterranean fare in a bright contemporary space on lively Upper Street. It's open from breakfast through to dinner, with a deli-style menu of salads and mountains of zingy vegetables, healthy Mediterranean-inspired dishes, and walls of cakes and low-intervention wines. They function as a walk-in restaurant, with long communal tables for a sociable brunch in Islington.

Caravan

An Islington brunch staple

This modern restaurant has ample inside and outside seating for all-day dining in a casual, laid-back environment. They're big on coffee and source the finest beans from around the world, freshly roasted in London. The menu features everything from sourdough pizza and healthy grain bowls to desserts and pancakes.

Brother Marcus

Trusty older Brother Marcus

Brother Marcus is one the most popular brunch places in Islington, offering a light Eastern Mediterranean menu in a trendy, relaxed restaurant. The Camden Passage branch has outdoor seating for alfresco dining, where you can enjoy creative brunch specialities like harissa eggs and shakshuka, with a cocktail menu to go alongside the food.

The Breakfast Club

A legendary brunch establishment

With a name like The Breakfast Club, it's fair to expect big things from this iconic brunch restaurant in Islington. They plate up stacks of fluffy pancakes, fully-loaded breakfast burgers and classic Full Monty breakfasts in their cosy, stylish eatery, which you won't miss down Camden Passage thanks to its bright yellow façade.

Sunday

Brunch specials in a trendy space

Sunday is a neighbourhood café and restaurant serving a British brunch menu in a bright space. This Islington brunch place is trendy, with mismatched tables, a pristine white-and-wood interior, and a handful of seats for an intimate dining experience. They serve a menu of brunch specials, like sweet potato and salt beef hash or toasted banana bread with cinnamon butter.

Sawyer & Gray

A neighbourhood favourite

This chic Islington café is a local brunch favourite where you can chow down on classic brunch dishes like avocado toast or eggs hollandaise, along with an assortment of homemade cakes and pastries. It's a social spot where dogs are welcome, but laptops are frowned upon.

The Blue Legume

Breakfast served all day long

The Blue Legume is a Mediterranean restaurant serving a mouth-watering menu of breakfast and brunch dishes throughout the day, accompanied by à la carte and set menus featuring all-time favs like paella, salads, pasta, burgers, and more. It's a trendy spot, kitted out with exposed brickwork, pretty tiled flooring, and shabby rustic furniture.

Kipferl

Islington brunch with an Austrian twist

Tucked away in Camden Passage, Kipferl is a charming Islington spot where Austrian cuisine meets alpine nostalgia. This cosy eatery and patisserie channels the feel of a mountain chalet, with timber-clad walls adorned with alpine trinkets and portraits of Austrian icons like Niki Lauda. No one will judge you if you scarf down a slice of Sachertorte for brunch, but they do offer savoury options as well – it's worth trying out dishes like the rösti, the mountain cheese omelette, or the Austrian interpretation of a fry-up.

Brunch in Islington – About the guide

The best brunch in Islington – This guide to brunch in Islington is updated regularly. If you know of a great brunch spot in Islington that we haven't featured in our guide, feel free to get in touch. Please let us know if you see any mistakes in our guide to Islington brunch places. Have you visited any of the places mentioned in the guide? Don't forget to write a review on Thatsup.

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At Thatsup, we have extensive experience of guiding our readers to a city’s hidden gems. Since 2008, our editors have been writing insightful guides covering restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, and hairdressers, among other things. Our guides consist of carefully selected tips based on our local knowledge and are regularly updated with the help of our focus group, where we collectively discuss selections and content. We are constantly working to inspire and provide you with the best possible experience, no matter where you are or what you are looking for.