The best full English breakfast in London

E Pellicci has gained a reputation for being one of the best spots to grab a slap-up Full Monty breakfast in the capital. This greasy spoon-style café in Bethnal Green is a quintessential East London café that's been serving hungry Londoners since 1900. There's an ornate panelled wooden decor carved by customer and carpenter Achille Capocci back in 1946. This beautiful architecture earned Pellicci a Grade II status by English Heritage. Choose from their extensive menu of breakfast classics, like the classic full English, full veggie English, pancakes and various hot and cold drinks.

Polo Bar is the place to go in London for all-day breakfast, 24 hours around the clock. It’s located right opposite Liverpool Street Station and has been serving hungry punters since 1959. From fluffy stacks of American-style pancakes drizzled in maple syrup to proper full English breakfasts, the menu caters for every taste. They even have a license to serve alcohol around the clock for those looking for a late-night or early-morning tipple.

There’s no messing about when it comes to classic English breakfast at Regency Café. It opened in 1946 and has served a slap-up Full Monty to hungry Londoners ever since. It’s also appeared in various films and television series, including Layer Cake, Rocketman and Pride. They also serve sandwiches, salads, hot lunches, and dinners if you don't fancy a traditional brekky.

Although The Breakfast Club has more of an American vibe to the menu, they also serve an excellent Full Monty with bacon, sausages, crispy homemade potatoes, portobello mushrooms, hash browns, black pudding, beans, eggs, toast and roasted cherry vine tomatoes. You can also enjoy a vegetarian version, which swaps the sausages for veggie versions. Don't fancy a classic English brekky? They’ve got burgers, buttermilk pancakes, French toast, burritos, sandwiches and more.

The Wolseley, next door to The Ritz, is one of London's most respected all-day café/restaurants to enjoy a classic English breakfast (and other meals, but this guide is all about the brekky). It's been around for almost 20 years and was designed by renowned English architect William Curtis Green. The full English comes with everything you'd expect from a classic breakfast, including black pudding, eggs, mushrooms, sausages, beans and tomatoes. They also serve more inventive dishes like bubble and squeak with wild mushrooms, a fried duck egg, and grilled kippers with mustard butter. A second branch of The Wolseley opened in The City in 2023.

You've probably seen Norman's Café plastered all over Instagram, with their simple plates of classic old-school meals. Their menu is a nod to the meals 90s children would have enjoyed growing up, like sausages and chips with beans and brown sauce and buttery chip butties. Their brekky options are pretty standard, like fried or scrambled eggs on toast, beans on toast with Red Leicester and a classic English served with tea or coffee, all made with the highest-quality ingredients.

Lumi is a local, laid-back café on Camden High Street serving tasty breakfast and brunch dishes, Allpress coffee and sweet pastries and cakes all day. The Mediterranean influences the menu but it also features other options like an American breakfast and a fry-up with bacon, egg, portobello mushrooms, Cumberland sausages, cherry tomatoes, hash browns and beans.

Beam is a family-run brunch spot in Crouch End, Notting Hill and Highbury specialising in mouthwatering breakfast dishes and coffee in a stylish and bright space. Their menu is chock full of the classics, like eggs Benedict, breakfast burritos and a full English made with free-range organic eggs, farm sausages, Norfolk smoked bacon, Portobello mushrooms, hash browns and beans served with artisan buttered bread.

This North African café on Balham High Street is a cosy spot with an extensive menu of tasty breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes. Their full English is a winner; it’s halal and comes with scrambled eggs on toasted sourdough, grilled beef sausages, bacon, mushrooms, roasted seasoned potatoes, grilled tomatoes and beans. You can also enjoy dishes like spinach shakshuka, Lebanese breakfast and a vegan smashed avocado on toast with home-stewed seasoned beans.

Caravan has gained a reputation for being an excellent brunch and breakfast spot in the city. The restaurants are all stylish, bright, spacious, and have an industrial feel. The menu is brimming with tasty dishes like vanilla pancakes with lemon curd cream cheese and grilled bacon chop with kimchi pancakes. The full English comes with extra crispy, thick-cut bacon, pork sausages, slow-roasted tomatoes, roasted mushrooms and toast, best washed down with a salted caramel hot chocolate.

Riding House Bloomsbury is a bright, modern restaurant on Bernard Street decked out with plants and stylish decor. Their breakfast options range from pancakes and poached eggs to grain bowls and a classic full English with smoked streaky Dingley Dell bacon, Old Spot sausages, black pudding, St. Ewe eggs, BBQ beans, field mushrooms, confit tomatoes and toast. There’s also a veggie option with grilled halloumi, eggs, potato and smoked piquillo pepper hash, BBQ beans, field mushroom, confit tomatoes and toast.

Titanic Café on Holloway Road is a cosy spot to chow down on the first meal of the day. It’s cheap and cheerful, with a super laid-back vibe, and serves your bog standard English breakfast with the option to swap and change whatever you wish. Enjoy yours with a big mug of classic builder’s brew.

You might be surprised to see Dishoom on a list of the best English breakfasts in London, but hear us out. These guys serve a mean cooked breakfast with an Indian twist, consisting of akuri (a spicy scrambled egg dish commonly enjoyed in Parsi cuisine of India), char-stripped smokey streaky bacon from Ramsay of Carluke, peppery Shropshire pork sausages, masala beans, grilled field mushrooms, grilled tomato and buttered, home-made buns. The vibe is always on-point here; you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to the buzzy streets of Bombay.

Bar Bruno is an independent, family-run café and sandwich bar in Soho offering homemade comfort breakfast and Italian dishes in a cosy, homey atmosphere. Enjoy Bruno’s Big Breakfast, which includes bacon, sausages, fried eggs, hash browns, black pudding, bubble, mushrooms, toast, and tea, which also comes as a veggie option. They also serve a Soho Breakfast of spinach and broccoli, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, chips, beans, tea and toast.

The Bistro Café in Richmond Upon Thames is the perfect hangover spot for when you crave a big greasy fry-up to cure last night's sins. You can opt for their mighty breakfast, where you can basically build your own ideal plate of food, swapping and changing to whatever you fancy. Pair yours with a big cup of coffee for the ultimate breakfast experience.

Big Brothers Café, a cosy, family-run diner located on Lea Bridge Road, has been a local staple for over 20 years, offering the community affordable breakfast options. This quaint eatery is known for its customisable fry-ups, allowing patrons to tailor their meals with a range of choices, including Mediterranean delicacies like sujuk or halloumi. In addition to their popular breakfasts, the café also serves a variety of hearty dishes, including sandwiches and burgers, all in the warm, inviting atmosphere of a traditional greasy spoon.

North London's Cally Café is a much-loved local institution. This traditional café is bustling and friendly and serves generous portions of traditional British food. A number of set English breakfasts are served here including vegetarian options and belly-busting combos that are ideal for big appetites. Takeaway breakfasts are available too.

Fox & Anchor near Smithfields Market is a pub with a legendary reputation for breakfast. This cosy and traditional spot is well-known by City workers and market porters. A few breakfast options are served but the City Boy really stands out. Order this gut-buster and you'll get a generous fry-up made with premium gourmet ingredients, including steak, served with a pint of Guinness.

Breakfast fans get options at GMT Café. This friendly local spot in Greenwich is functional and has classic cafe decor. Hearty breakfast dishes are the main attraction here and you can choose from a number of set fry-ups. If none of them take your fancy you can also create your dream fried breakfast from scratch, choosing from items like bacon, bubble, hash browns, and beans.

If you like a lot of choice when it comes to breakfast, Kingfishers Café in Kingsland Road will leave you impressed. This down-to-earth eatery has a bright dining space where you can choose from nine types of set cooked breakfast. Three of these options are vegetarian-friendly. Other classic café meals, including other all-day breakfast options, are served too.