Breakfast & Brunch in Covent Garden

If you are visiting Covent Garden for a day of sightseeing and adventure you will want to make sure that you are energised for the day with a hearty breakfast. Famous British restaurant and travel commentator A.A. Gill once wrote, "Breakfast is everything. The beginning, the first thing. It is the mouthful that is the commitment to a new day, a continuing life." and we echo those sentiments.

Breakfast is a source of pride for Brits as we have been known for perhaps the best breakfast ever invented, the Full English breakfast or just "Full English" so if it is your first time in the UK and you have not tried delicacies such as English sausages and black pudding (English blood sausage) then your breakfast can be part of your cultural exploration of the England.

Covent Garden is a great area of London to enjoy a tasty breakfast as it is a little greener and a little nicer and more sedate than many parts of central London. Once you are done eating you will also be in a great part of London to explore.

The first place we are going to recommend is perhaps the fanciest and certainly the most expensive. If you are looking for a really special breakfast and appreciate the finer things in life then it could be the place for you.

If you are looking for somewhere really fancy then The Delaunay is an all-day café-restaurant from Corbin & King; the team behind The Wolseley. It is located on the corner of Aldwych & Drury Lane and open from early in the morning.

Breakfast at The Delaunay includes full English breakfasts, baked goods from their own pastry kitchen, all manner of eggs, as well as homemade mueslis, fresh fruits and an extensive tea and coffee menu.

Open bright and early at 7am from Monday to Friday, and at a more refined 8am on Saturdays and 9am on Sundays. It is recommended to book in advance, although there are a limited number of tables available for for those without a reservation.

It is the most expensive on our list of recommendations with their full English breakfast costing £18.

Browns Covent Garden on St. Martins Lane also have a lot of great choices and is very reasonably priced. If you want something extravagant and unusual they have you covered though as you could try the "Lobster Benedict" a take on the famous eggs Benedict but with the addition of lobser and thermidor sauce at £15.50.

There are lots of choices that are in the mid-range in terms of prices. One the best is at The Ivy Market Grill on Henrietta Street, not to be confused with The Ivy (which is more a place for lunch or dinner).

The Black Penny on Great Queen Street is a good choice because of the cosy atmosphere and friendly staff. The crispy duck hash which is made with sweet potato, baby spinach, spring onion, chilli, coriander, and comes with a poached egg is one of my favourite dishes on the menu.

Bill's Wellington Street is part of the Lyceum Theatre building in Covent Garden and a cosy spot for breakfast. They have lots of choices for vegetarians and "Bill's Brunch" at £12.95 for those that are really hungry.

Franx on Shaftsbury Avenue is a cheaper option if you don't mind a less grand venue. They offer a tasty breakfast for just £5.95.

For more ideas about places to eat in Covent Garden take a look at our London guide and London blog. We have lots of ideas for things to do in Covent Garden and the surrounding area as well.

Whether you are looking for information about the nightlife, the markets, or the museums, in Covent Garden you will find something to interest you.