The best full English breakfast in London

Right off Oxford Street, Kula Café is the kind of spot that makes escaping the chaos well worth it, especially if you're after a proper breakfast. Their Full English comes fully loaded with all the essentials: eggs, sausages, bacon, beans, mushrooms, hash browns, and toast. But there's also a Desi Breakfast for when you want a little spice with your fry-up, think curried chickpeas, spiced potatoes, and a chilli omelette.

Although The Breakfast Club has more of an American vibe to the menu, they also serve an excellent full English breakfast 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.

There's no messing about when it comes to a classic full 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 serve sandwiches, salads, and hot lunches too if you don't fancy a traditional brekky.

E Pellicci has gained a reputation for being one of the best spots to grab a slap-up full English breakfast in the capital. This greasy spoon 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 that earned Pellicci Grade II-listed status. Choose from their extensive menu of breakfast classics, like the classic fry-up, full veggie English, or pancakes, and various hot and cold drinks.

Polo Bar is the place to go for a full English breakfast in London regardless of the time. Open 24 hours, 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 fry-ups, 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.

Acclaimed London restaurant Fallow puts innovation and sustainability at the heart of its menu, serving a fresh take on modern British cuisine crafted by chefs who honed their skills under Heston Blumenthal. Their take on the classic full English breakfast doesn't deviate significantly from the norm, but it's made with top-quality ingredients and the same meticulous care the team devotes to other, more complex dishes.

The Wolseley, next door to The Ritz, is one of the most respected all-day café/restaurants to enjoy a classic full English breakfast in London. The Piccadilly original has been around for 20 years or so and was designed by renowned English architect William Curtis Green. The full English here comes with everything you'd expect from a classic breakfast, including black pudding, eggs, mushrooms, sausages, beans, and tomatoes. A second branch of The Wolseley opened in the City of London in 2023.

Lumi is a laidback local café on Camden High Street serving tasty breakfast and brunch dishes, Allpress coffee, and sweet pastries and cakes all day. The Mediterranean exerts a strong influence over the menu here, 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 café group specialising in mouth-watering breakfast dishes and coffee in a stylish and bright space. Their menu is full of classics like eggs Benedict, breakfast burritos, and a full English breakfast made with free-range organic eggs, farm sausages, Norfolk smoked bacon, portobello mushrooms, hash browns, and beans, served with artisan buttered bread.

This Moroccan café on Balham High Street is a cosy spot with an extensive menu of tasty breakfast, brunch, and lunch dishes. Their full English breakfast 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, a Lebanese breakfast, or vegan smashed avocado on toast with home-stewed seasoned beans.

Caravan has gained a reputation for being an excellent brunch and breakfast spot across the city. The restaurants are all stylish, bright, spacious, and have an industrial feel. The Caravan full English breakfast comes with extra crispy, thick-cut bacon, pork sausages, slow-roasted tomatoes, roasted mushrooms, and toast. For our money, it's best washed down with a salted caramel hot chocolate.

Riding House is a bright, modern Bloomsbury restaurant decked out with plants and stylish decor. Their breakfast options range from pancakes and poached eggs to grain bowls and a classic fry-up 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 laidback vibe, and serves your bog standard full 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 spicy scrambled egg akuri, char-striped smoked 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 fry-up, which includes bacon, sausages, fried eggs, hash browns, black pudding, bubble, mushrooms, toast, and tea, and also comes in a veggie version. They also serve a Soho Breakfast of spinach and broccoli, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, chips, beans, tea, and toast.

The Bistro Café in Kingston is the perfect spot for when you crave a big, greasy London 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 certain victory over your hangover.

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 relaxed 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 classic 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 plenty of options at GMT Café. This friendly local spot in Greenwich is functional and has classic café 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.