From beetroot fritters in Battersea to the best poached eggs in Edinburgh, take a tour of the country’s finest brunch venues, all specialising in deliciously fresh, seasonal dishes
The Social Pantry Cafe, Battersea
Alex Head may have started her career in the food industry selling sandwiches from the back of a bicycle, but since founding the Social Pantry in 2011 she has become one of London’s go-to caterers. If you’re not calling on her services for a wedding or party, visit her cafe on Battersea’s Lavender Hill for a brunch of homemade walnut, ginger and date granola, sweet potato and beetroot fritters, or bacon sandwiches made with meat supplied by the Ginger Pig, all served with coffee from London’s very own Redemption Roasters.
170 Lavender Hill, London SW11
Mac and Wild, Fitzrovia
If you’re a Londoner missing your fix of Highlands life, you could book in for a ceilidh – or you could take the easier option and head to Mac and Wild for fine Scottish fare made with ingredients from carefully selected suppliers. The weekend brunch menu has something for everyone: carnivores will love the signature venison burger, while the veggie haggis pops are perfect as sharing plates. Bottomless prosecco, Bucks Fizz or Bloody Mary complete the decadent offering, though there’s also a healthy green juice available for those feeling a little more delicate on a Sunday morning.
65 Great Titchfield Street, London W1
Credit: Xavier Buendia
Silo, Brighton
As Britain’s first zero-waste restaurant, Silo produces many of its ingredients on site, which means churning the butter, grinding the flour, brewing the beer and plenty more besides. Sitting on recycled furniture and sipping homemade ginger and lime cordial from a jam jar, brunch guests will enjoy innovative culinary combinations such as white beans with leek and charred kale or Jerusalem artichoke with blue cheese and ferments. Just make sure you don’t leave a morsel – this is a waste-free zone, after all…
39 Upper Gardner Street, North Laine, Brighton BN1
Bettys, Yorkshire
Dating back to 1919, Bettys is something of a Yorkshire institution, with six equally charming tearooms spread across the county. While their cakes are the stuff of legend, the all-day breakfast is an equally tempting draw: British classics such as kedgeree, eggs Benedict and toasted muffins with scrambled eggs and bacon sit alongside more unusual dishes like Swiss rösti served Florentine-style. Even better, the lunch menu is available at any time, so if you fancy fish and chips at nine in the morning, there’ll be no one to stop you.
Harrogate, York, Harlow Carr, Stonegate, Northallerton and Ilkley
East Avenue Bakehouse, Liverpool
The culinary philosophy at this award-winning Liverpool haunt is simple: to serve freshly prepared food using locally sourced ingredients, accompanied by craft beers from nearby breweries and wines from small-scale vineyards. At the weekend, come hungry and order the Bold Street Brunch, which is essentially a full buffet for one, with toast, poached egg, sausage and bacon complemented by miniature pastries, natural yoghurt and a homemade granola pot. Swap your orange juice for prosecco if you fancy pushing the boat out.
112 Bold Street, Liverpool L1
The Gardener’s Cottage, Edinburgh
Whether you opt for the full works – bacon, black pudding, sausage, brioche and a poached egg with greens and hollandaise – or a lighter dish such as a wild-mushroom sandwich, this charming converted cottage at the foot of Edinburgh’s Calton Hill is the perfect place to satisfy your appetite before a day spent exploring the city. Vegetable patches line the gravel pathway at the front of the restaurant, so you’ll know the heritage carrot, rainbow chard and salt-baked celeriac on the menu haven’t travelled far to reach your plate.
1 Royal Terrace Gardens, London Road, Edinburgh EH7
Article written by Frances Hedges
