Best Breakfast and Brunch Places in London Borough of Islington

"Duck and Waffle is a luxury and internationally-renowned British restaurant located on the 40th floor of one of London’s tallest buildings – the Heron Tower – with floor-to-ceiling windows offering breathtaking panoramic views out across the city. It is also the highest 24 hour restaurant in London, serving everything from breakfast and brunch to late-night dinner, midnight snacks and cocktails. Duck & Waffle’s menu consists of modern British and European cuisine, with different dishes available depending on the time of day but all featuring one main item; the restaurant’s signature crispy duck leg confit served on a waffle with a fried duck egg and mustard maple syrup."

"For banging food and cocktails with 24/7 views of the London skyline, Duck & Waffle is hard to beat. The 40th-floor restaurant in the Heron Tower serves up plates to rival the view: there’s the eponymous ‘Duck & Waffle’ — confit duck leg with fried egg and mustard maple syrup — for breakfast, seasonal small plates throughout the day, and a late night menu featuring ox cheek doughnuts, salt beef grilled cheese sandwiches, and slow-cooked lamb sloppy Joes."

"It’s on the 40th floor of the Heron Tower, making it one of the highest bars in London and Europe, for that matter."

"An all-day cafe restaurant situated on the iconic Piccadilly. With a friendly team who are great with children, there is every reason to go and spoil yourself and every member of the family. Breakfast is always an event, with an extensive choice including grilled kippers with mustard butter, eggs Benedict, a full English and our all-time favourite: fried haggis and duck egg, although there are also virtuous fruit and muesli options, impeccable pastries – and a complementary newspaper."

"Set in a 1920s car showroom, this grand all-day brasserie exudes a heady glamor, with its gleaming marble floors, red-and-gold Japanese panels, and sleek leather banquettes. Londoners tend to come to take in breakfast and the paper, with a menu that runs from stacked pancakes to an impeccable omelet Arnold Bennett, layered with smoked haddock and creamy hollandaise. The stately surroundings that never feel too stiffly formal; drop by on a whim for just about anything you fancy."

"In 2003, restaurateur royales Corbin and King were steering The Ivy, Le Caprice and J Sheekey when they opened this homage to Europe’s “grand cafés”. 15 years on, the former trio are in the care of Caring while The Wolseley stands steadfast. Its breakfast is its most formidable offering, with a peerless omelette Arnold Bennett."

"Tucked away a couple of minutes from the station, Granger & Co’s King’s Cross branch brings a slice of Australian sunshine to the heart of London. Inside its chic, 1970s-inspired interiors customers are treated to a sumptuous menu, which offers favourites like poached eggs and avocado on sourdough toast alongside signature dishes. For those looking for a special start, the buckwheat bowl, complete with sunflower sprouts and goat’s milk, is a must-try."

"With four locations dotted throughout the city, you’ll never be too far from some of the best pancakes in London if you keep Granger & Co front of mind. The pancakes here are actually called Hotcakes (A term used in interchangeably with ‘pancake’ by Americans to describe those small, thick and fluffy American-style morsels of deliciousness we all know and love). The Granger & Co Ricotta Hotcakes are, deservedly so, a legend in their own right."

"Granger and Co is a Chelsea restaurant cooking up global food in a gorgeous setting. Pick between their first floor outdoor terrace or hidden alfresco courtyard and chomp on ricotta hotcakes, yellow fish curry and more."

"Act out your teen fantasies and wallow in ’80s nostalgia at this cluttered, ersatz homage to John Hughes’s cult movie – and tribute to the most important meal of the day. Breakfast takes centre-stage (of course), but this Club runs right through from brunch to dinner. Flagship site: 33 D’Arblay Street, W1F 8EU"

"The clue’s in the title with this one; of course their pancakes are going to be outta this world. With five on the menu, choose from the veggie option, bacon or berries. They sound good but we’re going big on the All American with eggs, sausage, fried potatoes, bacon and maple syrup."

"Restaurants Crêperies Southwark. Available to order online. You don’t have to wait till Shrove Tuesday comes around for your pancake fix – thanks to this bright, buzzy venue squeezed into one corner of Flat Iron Square."

"Located at 66 Great Titchfield St, Kaffeine is one spot to try some of the best coffee in London in the heart of the city. With a massive list of gourmet coffee concoctions, as well as the classics, it’s a great pit stop to sit back and relax. For the true barista experience, be sure to take part in their group latte art classes!"

"With its two West End shops, Kaffeine has become a staple of the London coffee scene – and being an Australian/New Zealand operation, knows a thing or two about flat whites. It also runs courses in "latte art" and other essential coffee-making skills."

"‘Ting’ is derived from the Chinese word for living room, but there can’t be many front rooms that boast the views enjoyed by guests to this restaurant on the 35th-storey of the Shangri-La at the Shard hotel. But whilst the views and the light, chrome-bright, modernist atmosphere are very undomestic, the welcome is genuinely warm: the waiting staff have a skip in their step and an effusively charmant manner. As for the contemporary British menu devised by Jeremy Brown, it is based on simple, seasonal dishes and is ooh-inspiringly pretty and satisfyingly tasty, with intriguing (and successful) wine pairings suggested for each dish."

"At the peak of The Shard, British cooking is elevated by Chinese flavours and French technique|© The Shard. Head up to the 35th floor of The Shard to Ting Restaurant – an elegant European-style restaurant with just a touch of Asian influence. Tucked into the Shangri-La Hotel, Ting – named after the Mandarin word for ‘living room’ – deploys flavours such as Chinese five spice, shiso and soy to robust staples of British cooking like pork belly and suckling pig, making for a meal that’s equal parts smart and satisfying."

"Ting Restaurant is part of the Shangri-La Hotel in The Shard and offers perhaps the most Instagrammable afternoon tea in London. Set on the 35th floor of The Shard it provides phenomenal views over London which are Insta-worthy enough by themselves. However, then add to it the cutest afternoon tea set up and you’ve got everything you need for that perfect, quintessentially London photo!"

"Restaurants American Hackney. Weekend brunch (from 10am) is of the all-day variety (and often ‘bottomless’) at this sheeny eatery from the guys behind the now-glorious Sebright Arms. Order at the counter from a menu that spans everything from Greek yoghurt with granola or avocado on toasted sourdough with pumpkin seeds and pea shoots to shakshuka, mushroom vegan balls, sweet and savoury waffles, as well as the daunting 12-hour pork hash – a free-wheeling combo involving long-cooked meat with two poached eggs, fried potatoes, peppers, chorizo and brown sauce onions."

"Restaurants American Hackney. A sheeny all-day eatery from the guys behind the now-glorious Sebright Arms in Bethnal Green, the Vincent serves up everything from late breakfasts to dinners with a broad American accent. Baked eggs, pork hash, ‘vegeree’ and waffles give way to burgers, buttermilk chicken buns, chilli chips and chocolate brownies, while drinks include the ubiquitous craft beers, hard shakes and some jokey cocktails."

"Best known for their amazing ice-cream sandwiches, this London company prides itself on top ingredient sourcing including organic chocolate from Original Beans and Jersey and Guernsey cream from The Estate Dairy. You’ll find Happy Endings ice-cream sandwiches across London at places like Yard Sale pizza and Snackbar in Dalston. Flavours include The Naughty One - Miso salt caramel parfait between squidgy slices of chocolate Guinness cake and soy dulce de leche (our favourite)."

"Happy Endings’ selection of ice cream sandwiches and soft-serve ice cream have long been loved as a dessert option at many of the city’s best restaurants, but Londoners can go a step further and visit the Mile End arch. Click and collect or order for delivery via Slerp, with same-day local delivery within a 3 mile radius and London-wide delivery on Saturdays."

"If meal deal sandwiches are not for you, Happy Endings offer the perfect alternative. Yup you guessed it, we’re talking about ice cream sandwiches, like malted milk parfait in an oat biscuit and salted caramel & miso parfait between chocolate Guinness cake. You can order direct from Happy Endings or add them on as a pud when you next get a Yard Sale Pizza."

"Made from Jersey milk, the ice creams at Bears Ice Cream are rich and luxurious without being overwhelmingly sweet. They’re the sort of scoops you want to ease yourself into after a hard day; the dairy equivalent of a Tempur mattress. Flavours like rhubarb crumble and custard – a personal fave that's given a slightly savoury edge by the presence of Maldon salt – and the Golden Syrup sponge ice cream exemplify what Bears is all about."

"While everywhere claims to serve the best ice cream in town – and Bears do too – they do at least have a sense of humour about what they do. Ice cream here is fun: all sorts of flavours (with the owners clearly having a sweet tooth), often piled high with hundreds and thousands, brownie bites, Lotus biscuits, Smarties, and sauces galore. The little bears – designed to look like, you guessed it, baby bears – are particularly adorable."

"The Goldhawk Road shop specialises in Icelandic style soft serve ice cream, with flavours like golden syrup sponge; peanut butter, banana & chocolate shard; and rhubarb crumble & custard, which can be topped with all manner of fruit, sauces and chocolate."

"Summer is the best time of year to stop by the Waterlily House, a small, square glasshouse by the Palm House, to see the amazing Santa Cruz waterlilies, lotus flowers and other aquatic plants. The lily pads of the Santa Cruz waterlilies grow up to two metres wide!. Fun fact: the circular pond spans over 10 metres and is dyed black (using a harmless food dye) weekly to stop algae growth"

"Hours:Mon to Fri 1200 – 1500, 1730 – 2300; Sat 1230 – 1530, 1730 – 2300; Sun 1230 – 1530, 1730 – 2230"