The Best Places for Brunch in Bloomsbury

Best Places for Brunch in Bloomsbury

‘The London Brunch’ is definitely a growing phenomenon and I’m asked all the time where to get the best brunch in Bloomsbury. So I’ve consulted with my eating-out-savvy daughters who are more qualified than me to recommend the trendiest dining venues in the vicinity of the hotel, to bring you the Mentone’s take on brunch in and near Bloomsbury.

Brunch – the latest cultural phenomenon

Brunch these days is more than just a meal. It’s grown into a fashionable and cultural phenomenon, especially in London where it’s carved its place in the local vibrant social scene.

What began as a leisurely meal to bridge breakfast and lunch has evolved into a weekend ritual for Londoners, blending traditional fare with modern twists. From classic Full English breakfasts to healthy options like acai bowls, and contemporary dishes such as avocado toast, Mexican tacos, Turkish eggs and shakshuka, brunch offers something for everyone.

‘Brunching’ has become socially important in the capital. It brings people together, most often on Saturdays, setting the scene for a leisurely weekend.

Just recently, we’ve seen an explosion of stylish brunch spots around West London. And they’re not just pubs or restaurants. As you’ll see from the list we’ve put together, everything from activity bars to live music venues are doing it. And they’re not shy in making it bottomless with the drinks either.

So, without further ado, here are our recommendations for brunch in Bloomsbury, some of them with a bit of a twist.

Local brunch

Some of the best brunch in Bloomsbury is right on the doorstep of the Mentone Hotel.

Fork

1 minute walk from the hotel
85 Marchmont Street, London WC1N 1AL
Open Monday-Saturday
Brunch served till 12pm
https://www.forkbloomsbury.co.uk
Email: info@forkdeli.co.uk

Fork is an independent coffee and wine bar in the heart of Bloomsbury serving coffees, pastries and toasties during the day, and wine, cocktails and small plates by night.

It’s a friendly place and prides itself in supporting local, London-based suppliers. It’s one of our favourites and literally a one-minute walk from the hotel.

Brunch is served till 12pm. The menu is refreshingly simple and offers up the likes of ham and cheese-filled croissants; avocado, tomato, feta and basil on toast with a hit of chilli and balsamic, and smoked salmon, dill and capers – also on toast.

Riding House Bloomsbury

6-minute walk from the hotel
The Brunswick Centre, 1 Brunswick Centre, Bernard St, London WC1N 1AF
Brunch served Monday-Friday till 3pm, Sat/Sun till 3.45pm
https://www.riding.house/locations/bloomsbury
Menu: riding.house
Tel: 020 3829 8333

A lovely looking restaurant for brunch in Bloomsbury. Set within the Brunswick Centre which is very close to the hotel, Riding House has a lovely terrace and serves an extensive brunch menu every day.

Dishes include the ‘Full & Proper Breakfast’ with Dingley Dell bacon, Old Spot sausage, black pudding, St. Ewe egg, BBQ beans and roast field mushroom.

There’s also a smoked Cajun shakshuka with St. Ewe eggs on a flame-grilled sourdough; minute sirloin with a fried St. Ewe egg and salsa verde, and bone-in chicken schnitzel with Dingley Dell bacon, black pudding, fried St. Ewe egg and green sauce.

Otherwise, try the three cheese sourdough sandwich with Applewood cheddar, scamorza, mozzarella, braised onions, gherkin, pepper sauce, crisps and dill, or the malted waffles and maple syrup with berries and clotted cream.

Caffé Tropea

9-minute walk from the hotel
Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 5EH
https://caffetropea.co.uk/
Email: info@caffetropea.co.uk
Tel: 020 7637 5093
Brunch served all day, Monday to Friday 7am-6pm, Saturday & Sunday 8am-5pm

Caffé Tropea is another brunch in Bloomsbury favourite of ours. It’s a nice looking restaurant set in Russell Square Gardens, offering plenty of seating inside and out, so no need to book.

We like it because it’s family run and very welcoming, as well as being on the doorstep. The Tropea family hail from Calabria in Southern Italy, but have called London home since the 1960s.

It’s one of the few places that serves brunch all day. Indulge in a Full English breakfast; eggs benedict or pancetta and spinach benedict, both served on an English muffin with hollandaise sauce; Eggs Royale (poached eggs and salmon on an English muffin, again with hollandaise sauce); scrambled eggs with salmon; ham, egg and chips, and a variety of omelettes.

Musical brunch

There are a fair few music venues in the vicinity of the hotel, including a couple of night time favourites in nearby Camden. By day, both offer a decent brunch near Bloomsbury, so well worth a try.

The Blues Kitchen Camden

25-minute walk or 7-minute taxi ride from the hotel
111-113 Camden High St, London NW1 7JN
https://theblueskitchen.com/camden/
Tel: 020 7387 5277
Email: bookings.camden@theblueskitchen.com
Brunch served weekdays from 12pm and weekends from 11am

This live music and dining venue is about a 25 minute walk or 7-minute taxi ride from the Mentone. In the bar by night, they have resident musicians playing a mix of blues, soul and R&B.

By day, the restaurant serves a decent brunch menu offering the likes of blueberry pancakes with fresh berries, maple butter and cream; steak & eggs with home fries and chimichurri; breakfast burrito with egg, cheese and pancetta, and avocado toast on seeded sourdough with furikake seasoning, with optional poached egg or bacon.

They also offer a bottomless brunch. This is a 90-minute experience including a brunch main, plus unlimited Prosecco, rum punch or mimosas.

Cafe KOKO

20-minute walk or 7-minute taxi ride from the hotel
74 Crowndale Rd, London NW1 1TP
https://www.cafe-koko.co.uk
Email: reservations@koko.co.uk
Tel: 020 7388 3222
Brunch served from 12pm (last slot from 3.30pm) Saturdays only

Café Koko is a vibrant day-to-night eatery and music venue in Camden. Just a 20 minute walk or 7 minute taxi from the Mentone, they offer traditional Italian cooking with a modern twist, all set to a backdrop of jazz, soul and Brazilian music via live acts or DJs.

Their 90-minute Saturday bottomless brunch experience includes a main or pizza plus a dessert, plus a variety of bottomless drinks. It’s served from 12pm, with the last slot at 3.30pm.

The menu is pretty special, and includes slow cooked pulled pork and taleggio toastie with fried eggs and hot honey; salt beef focaccia sandwich with Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard and sauerkraut; oven baked frittata with spinach, goat’s cheese, courgette and optional smoked salmon, and a selection of pizzas including The Hope and Anchor with fennel sausage, artichokes, superstraccia and pesto.

Brunch ‘n’ play

If you fancy doing brunch with a difference, try one of these nearby activity bars, both of which have done a great job of turning brunch into a social experience.

Flight Club Bloomsbury

20-minute walk or 6-minute taxi ride from the hotel
55 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1BS
https://flightclubdarts.com/location-bloomsbury
Brunch Social hosted every weekend

I’ve mentioned Flight Club in our Bloomsbury nightlife blog. It’s a chain of activity bars based on ‘social darts’ – in other words, group darts games in a pub-style setting. We’ve got a few Flight Clubs in the area, but the Bloomsbury one is pretty much on the doorstep, and it’s such an amazing looking place with a stunning carousel-themed bar.

Every weekend they host a ‘Brunch Social’ including Prosecco and bottomless pizza plus a social darts sampler. It’s a two hour session, where you spend half the time in the oche, and the other half around a table in the fantastic bar enjoying a bottle of Prosecco or four bottles of beer, plus a selection of pizza paddles.

Flight Club also hosts seasonal Brunch Specials for the likes of Halloween, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Definitely worth a ‘shot’!

Boom Battle Bar Oxford Street

25-minute walk or 6-minute taxi ride from the hotel
70-88 Oxford St, London W1D 1BP
Tel: 020 7286 0404
https://boombattlebar.com/uk/london-oxford-street
Email: oxfordstreet@boombattlebar.com
Big Boom Brunch sessions Saturdays 2pm or 4pm

Again we looked at this bar in the best nightlife in Bloomsbury blog. It’s a game-fanatic’s paradise with a variety of crazy activities like augmented reality darts, beer or Prosecco pong, shuffleboard, ‘crazier’ golf and karaoke booths.

Every Saturday they host the Big Boom Bottomless Brunch, a 90-minute stint of bottomless drinks including cocktails, fizz and draft beer, plus a feast of street food and live entertainment. They also lay on special brunch events, including festive parties.

Paying a visit to London? We look forward to welcoming you at the Mentone Hotel.

If you’d like to make a booking at The Mentone, please get in touch. All direct bookings benefit from a 10% discount and complimentary breakfast. And we’ll be delighted to direct you to the best brunch in Bloomsbury so you can indulge in the latest West London trend!

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