With its famous restaurants, even more famous hotels and all-round vibe of sophisticated luxury, breakfast in Mayfair is quite possibly the most civilised start to the day you could hope to find in London. It is also a relatively affordable way to eat in some of the capital’s most glamorous restaurants – although as we’re talking about the most expensive square on the Monopoly board here, ‘affordable’ is a fairly flexible term. Read on to find our pick of Mayfair’s best breakfasts – and we hope you can spend the rest of the day in the style to which you’ve become accustomed, instead of crashing back to reality.
Cecconi’s Mayfair
What: The first restaurant that came along to seriously rival The Wolseley in the breakfast stakes, glamorous Cecconi’s starts the day in true Italian style with pastries and excellent coffee, though from that point on, the influence comes more from owners Soho House than Italy: cold-pressed juices and protein shakes, pancakes and French toast and, if you’re allergic to the idea of granola and chia seeds, omelettes and eggs Benedict. Watching the calories? Go for the half, not full, English.
When: Mon-Fri 7-11.45am, Sat-Sun 8-11.45am
Where: 5a Burlington Gardens, W1S 3EP
The Colony Grill Room
What: As it comes from the same Corbin and King stable as The Wolseley, it’s not surprising that the restaurant at The Beaumont hotel is a breakfast star, with an added American twang in a room which has powerful echoes of New York’s old-timer grills with its art-deco murals and framed photographic portraits. Expect pancakes, French toast and house speciality duck egg hashes with a choice of black pudding, smoked haddock, mushroom and spinach or corned beef.
When: Mon-Sun 7-11.15am
Where: The Beaumont, 8 Balderton Street, W1K 6TF
CUT at 45 Park Lane
What: If there’s one thing that Americans know how to do really, really well, it’s breakfast, and this US import from American-based Austrian superchef Wolfgang Puck doesn’t disappoint. So while you might have a continental or healthy breakfast, just remember that you have the rest of the day to burn off the likes of a salt-beef hash cake with poached eggs and béarnaise sauce, or homemade waffles with caramelised peaches, walnuts and whipped maple butter.
When: Mon-Sun 7-10.30am
Where: 45 Park Lane, W1K 1PN
The Foyer at Claridge’s
What: Once Claridge’s library, this all-day dining room has replaced bookish silence with an appropriately civilised buzz, while marble-cut fireplaces, velvet columns and a gorgeous glass sculpture up the art-deco ante. Most famous for afternoon tea, The Foyer is also a diamond for breakfast, when you can expect luxey omelette Arnold Bennett, lobster brioche rolls and even Japanese and Chinese breakfasts served up with a liberal helping of A-list celebs.
When: Mon-Sun 7-10am
Where: 55 Brook Street, W1K 4HR
Heddon Street Kitchen
What: A rather more affordable and approachable option than Mayfair’s five-star hotel dining rooms and swanky restaurants, this Gordon Ramsay outpost keeps it simple with porridge with apple compote, a bacon and cheese sandwich, avocado and poached eggs on toast, eggs benedict and a full English. There’s a fantastic private dining room for breakfast meetings and banana, strawberry and Oreo milkshakes if you’re about to brave Hamley’s with the kids.
When: Mon-Fri 7.30-11.15am
Where: 3-9 Heddon Street, W1B 4BN
Hush Mayfair
What: Tucked away in the heart of Mayfair, with a spacious outside terrace and a menu which isn’t eye wateringly-expensive, Hush is a rare find. Once inside, leather banquette seating, a marble-topped bar and backlit displays remind you where you are, but the buzzy atmosphere remains warm and unpretentious. Expect crowd-pleasing breakfast favourites of smashed avocado, bacon brioche roll, grilled kippers, eggs Florentine and a full English. Great private dining room for breakfast meets, too.
When: Mon-Fri 8-11.30am
Where: 8 Lancashire Court, W1S 1EY
Isabel
What: If you find the idea of breakfast is just way too much food first thing in the day, then this deeply fashion-conscious restaurant – a contender for London’s most beautiful dining room, filled with its most beautiful people – may be just the ticket. You could have eggs with bacon, sausage and black pudding (no nasty carbs to spoil the protein hit), but the true spirit of the place is to be found in the skinnylicious likes of quinoa porridge with goji berries, apple and almonds, and chia pudding with berries and almonds.
When: Mon-Fri 7-11.15am
Where: 26 Albemarle Street, W1S 4HY
Jean-Georges at The Connaught
What: This light-filled room – bounded on one side by a curving wall of windows that extends the entire length of the restaurant – is the perfect place for big-budget breakfasters to greet the day. The menu has something for every mood, from bowls of seeds, berries and bircher muesli, to pancakes that include a gluten-free option, as well as kippers, smoked salmon and eggs every which way – there’s even beans on toast, albeit served on granary with homemade chorizo.
When: Mon-Sun 7-11.30am
Where: Carlos Place, W1K 2AL
The Parlour at Sketch
What: The Parlour brings a touch of decadent rock ‘n’ roll to stuffy old Mayfair: the raffishly postmodernist drawing room wouldn’t look out of place in ex-Sex Pistol John Lydon's LA punk château. Poached, fried and scrambled eggs come with no end of options and extras, there are juices, smoothies and salads for the health-conscious, while a diverting list of tea and coffee includes a pair of rare pair from Hawaii and Jamaica: yours for an £18 cafetiere.
When: Mon-Fri 7-11am, Sat-Sun 8-11am
Where: 9 Conduit Street, W1S 2XG
Sartoria
What: The arrival a couple of years ago of chef Francesco Mazzei has reinvigorated this smart D&D Italian tailored for the suits who work around Savile Row. ‘The Italian Job’ spin on a full English swaps out bacon and toast for pancetta and polenta, ‘eggs purgatorio’ has baked eggs in a nduja sauce, while if you really want to try something new, go for the smoked fish with aubergine puree and a poached egg. Otherwise, there are breakfast essentials of eggs benedict, muesli, croissants and granola.
When: Mon-Fri 7.30-10.30am
Where: 20 Savile Row, W1S 3PR
The Wolseley
What: It might, strictly speaking, be over the road in St James’s, but who wouldn’t cross Piccadilly for the most famous breakfast in London? Everyone from hedge funders and gallery grandees to tourists and celebrities gets up early for the Viennoiserie, kedgeree and full English, but our all-time favourite is the haggis with fried egg, fried bread and brown sauce. Booking is essential, and unless you’re a regular (or an A-lister), don’t expect to get a table in the coveted inner circle of the grand dining room.
When: Mon-Fri 7-11.30am, Sat-Sun 8-11.30am
Where: 160 Piccadilly, W1J 9EB