The best breakfast in East London

This old-fashioned eatery serves an all-day menu, including a range of classic old-school breakfast dishes. You might recognise these guys from their aesthetically pleasing Instagram page, where they're really good at evoking nostalgia – you might find yourself muttering 'ahh, I remember eating that when I was a kid'. They shine with their menu of British classics and traditional favourites, like a hearty full English, cheesy beans on toast, bubble and squeak, and more. Each table is rightfully kitted out with a trio of Heinz ketchup, brown sauce and Colman's English Mustard.

Jolene is a laid-back local restaurant and bakery serving a daily-changing menu of seasonal dishes. Although they're famous for their delicious lunch and dinner menus, you'll also find them serving up just-baked pastries, cakes, and steaming coffees in the morning, ideal for a quick breakfast on-the-go or sat inside their stylish salmon-pink space.

Brunswick East has two venues in Hackney Downs and Dalston, specialising in Aussie-inspired all-day dining. If there's one thing Aussies are good at, it's breakfast, and they don't go halves on it here. Most of the dishes are made using ingredients grown and harvested at their Sky Farm and are prepared on-site. Expect things like breakfast buns, toast topped with seasonal produce, chilli-poached eggs, and more. There are also all the classics, like croissants, cakes, and all the hot drinks you need on a morning menu.

It's impossible to order just a coffee at this uber-stylish Hackney-based Italian café just off Mare Street. If you don't come here for the handmade pasta, at least come for their freshly baked morning pastries, like the brioche Veneziana bun filled with oozing custard or the peaches and lemon verbena tart that looks more like art than food. Of course, they also have excellent coffee and a range of hot drinks to round off your morning experience.

This community space in Walthamstow, right near Blackhorse Road tube, serves top-quality coffee alongside a menu of tasty breakfast dishes seven days a week. Expect all sorts on the changing menu, like sweet French toast with compote and whipped crème fraîche. We also like these guys as they host a Community Kitchen on certain nights, offering an affordable vegetarian/vegan meal available to everyone with a pay-what-you-feel ethos.

This neighbourhood spot is a local favourite, serving menus throughout the day, including a breakfast edition. Although the offerings change occasionally, expect to see dishes like Spence Bakery muffins with sausage and egg, avocado on toast, fully loaded bagels and granola with poached fruit. Pair yours with a hot cup of coffee to round everything off.

Pavilion is best enjoyed when you reach it after a lovely morning walk through Victoria Park. Alongside their simple menu of croissants, cardamom buns, and all the great baked stuff, they serve a Sri Lankan-inspired menu of hearty fare like daal and other meat-free dishes with a commitment to sourcing the finest ingredients from some of the very best sustainable farmers and producers.

Well Street Kitchen is a small, cosy café in the heart of Hackney at the historic Well Street Market (the clue's in the name). They use the freshest sourced produce to craft their menu of breakfast classics, which includes things like house-cured salmon with scrambled eggs, avocado on toast, baked eggs, granola with seasonal fruit, yoghurt, and more. Although the menu does change occasionally, so you might be treated to something different when you visit.

Forgot to set your alarm and woke up sad that you've missed breakfast? Fear not; Hash E8 has your back. These guys know that 'brunch is king', so they serve it from morning 'til late afternoon in their small space in Dalston. Fill your face with things like homemade hash browns, fully loaded veggie breakfasts, crispy pork muffins, and white chocolate pancakes paired with tea, coffee or any other hot drink.

This classic East London café has been serving loyal locals since the 1900s and remains one of the most iconic places in the city to get a full English fry-up. The simple menu features meat and veggie options, sandwiches, and homemade Italian dishes, as the family moved from Tuscany before setting up the business. The café was also frequented by the East End Krays, who would visit every morning to enjoy their first meal of the day.

Nowhere does it better than The Breakfast Club; it does what it says on the tin. They have restaurants throughout the city, including Hackney Wick, perched along the canal. They serve every breakfast dish you can possibly imagine, from the classic Full Monty and American pancakes to French toast, breakfast burritos, sandwiches, burgers and much more. There are smoothies, coffee, tea and other options to wash it all down with.

This modern café is the place to go for a varied breakfast of classics like shakshuka, burgers, fry-ups, and salads. Enjoy your meal with coffee brewed from local artisan roasters. Although the food is the main draw here, they also highlight local artists with their changing gallery display on the walls. If it's hot out, you can even dine al fresco on the shaded terrace.

Dishoom might be mostly known for its iconic dinner menu, but breakfast is a meal that certainly shouldn't be skipped here. The Bombay-inspired menu includes their famous naan rolls, all freshly baked by hand and to order in their tandoor oven. They come topped with your choice of fillings, like tomato-chilli jam, streaky bacon, runny-yolked eggs and more. Dishoom can also plate up a cooked breakfast, including chilli cheese toast topped with eggs and masala beans – they even have a vegan option. Complete your meal with a hot mug of chai or coffee with beans from a single estate in Sunticoppa, Karnataka.

Breakfast at Bühler and Co is an elaborate affair that includes everything from plant-based breakfasts and baps to chilli scrambled eggs and avocado on toast. Everything here is veggie, and a lot of it is vegan, and the produce is mainly sourced from local suppliers, including the coffee.

Cafe Route on Broadway Market serves a Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-inspired menu of classic dishes, including breakfast. Options include things like granola, pancakes, avocado on toast, a Full English, and a Mediterranean take on one. There are also Turkish eggs, shakshuka, and vegan options. If it's warm, opt for a streetside seat to enjoy your first meal of the day al fresco.

If you're in the De Beauvoir area during breakfast time, swing by De Beauvoir Deli for a top-notch spread. They serve pastries from iconic London bakery The Dusty Knuckle and sandwiches, salads, and soups. They work with the most local suppliers they can find and strive to champion small-scale suppliers that are just getting started. Enjoy breakfast al fresco out the front if the weather permits.

Stone Bros is another all-day breakfast and brunch spot on the buzzy Chatsworth Road. Their menu is chock-full of flaky pastries, cakes, coffee, and more inventive dishes like Turkish eggs and eggs Benedict. The vibe is warm and welcoming, and there are a handful of outside seats for when the temperatures are a little more balmy.

This cute Italian-inspired cafe located at Hackney City Farm is styled on the Italian Agriturismo – a farm-to-fork concept where it's all about fresh, seasonal, homegrown produce. Since the cafe is seasonal, the menu changes, but you can expect to see things like breakfast sandwiches, scrambled eggs, avocado on toast, and a veggie full English. They aim to source all ingredients from small and local suppliers, as well as serving locally roasted coffee. Everything is also freshly cooked on the premises.

They might not serve things like a classic full English here, but they do serve some of the best bread and pastries in the city. The bakery was founded over a century ago and specialises in all kinds of baked goods, from sourdough and challah to bagels, cakes, croissants, and even crodoughs – a doughnut and croissant hybrid invented by Rinkoff's. They have a few outside seats for enjoying your cake and coffee streetside.

This artisan organic bakery is located in railway arches in Hackney and serves a menu of delicious baked goods. They specialise in bread made from heritage wheats, pastries, cookies, cakes, brownies, and more. The main focus here is on ethics and community, and they use locally sourced ingredients for their baked goods. They even host baking classes for those who want to learn the skill for themselves.

Deeney's started as a market stall in East London before evolving into a full-time café in the heart of Leyton. The inspiration for Deeney's comes from the owner's Scottish heritage and a childhood spent in her mother's café in the northeast of Scotland. People flock here for the Haggis Toastie, made with haggis, bacon, cheddar, rocket, and caramelised onions. They also have a vegan version made with plant-based haggis. There are also classics like fry-ups, breakfast sandwiches, and more.

This hip hangout in London Fields is great for a night out and for a top-notch pizza, but they also serve excellent breakfast dishes. Choose from classics like sourdough toast topped with eggs your way, smashed avocado with chilli oil, shakshuka, split pea dahl, a veggie full English, and more, paired with Flying Horse coffee or any other hot drink of your choice. They also serve juices for when you need that added pick me up. The place is spacious with benches that allow plenty of space for dining, and there's a leafy outside area complete with palm trees and fairy lights.

This chic neighbourhood café is a locally-owned family business in Walthamstow where you can enjoy speciality coffee with your breakfast or brunch dishes. Dishes range from toasties and fritters to sweet treats, cakes, and eggs. The drinks menu is just as long as the food, with every hot drink you can imagine.

Honey & Co. Bloomsbury is a beloved Middle Eastern restaurant run by an Israeli husband and wife duo. Their breakfast menu is something to get excited about, including all kinds of fragrant options like mezzo for the whole table to share, shakshuka made with Cornish farm eggs, Greek yoghurt and fruits, plus other options. They also serve a range of sweets, such as buns and cakes, alongside various teas, coffee and soft drinks.

A straightforward breakfast menu is served throughout the day at 26 Grains in Neal's Yard. Choose things like porridge made In different ways, with things like pear and turmeric or banana and tahini. They also serve things like fried eggs in chilli butter, mushrooms on sourdough and more, but it's worth keeping in mind that the menu does change based on what's seasonal to ensure freshness and the best taste.

Nessa is a Boho-inspired restaurant that champions produce from across the British Isles, adding their own creative twist on dishes. You can expect things like barley and rye porridge with hibiscus plums, their own take on a sausage and egg muffin but with hot sauce, beans on toast with Montgomery cheddar and banana French toast with maple butter and caramelised pecans. However, they celebrate seasonality, so the menu will change occasionally. As for drinks, you'll find all the classics and more.

If you're celebrating a special occasion, or you don't mind that prices are on the higher side, Chiltern Firehouse is a good choice for your first meal of the day. They champion ingredient-focused cooking here with added American influences. Plus, it's all about seasonality, so the menu changes. Dishes include things like avocado and quinoa bowl with poached eggs, Devon crab omelette, French toast with whipped ricotta and seasonal jam and buttermilk pancaked with blueberries, crème fraîche and maple syrup.