5 (Vegetarian) Breakfasts I Loved in London
My suitcase is still laying on the floor by the persian carpet in our master bedroom with some of my unworn clothes still tucked neatly in it. Thankfully, laundry is done and I’ve put away most of our recent purchases which I can’t wait to share hopefully in another blogpost. Thankfully, as of four nights ago, I have successfully beaten my jet lag (yay) and and I am back to my regular programming. However, once I do wake up, I dearly miss the wonderful breakfast spreads we enjoyed back in London.
It’s not necessarily just the breakfast that I miss but it’s the early morning walk to the cafe itself with the cold wind blowing (sometimes a little too cold). We stayed in the stunningly sophisticated vicinity of South Kensington, just like Joe Goldberg, oops Jonathan Moore in season 4 of You, and the energy there was exactly as pictured on the show. Our morning coffee/ breakfast runs always meant we’d walk through white townhouse with black picket fences and the colourful mews – even Kynance Mews.
Throughout my stay in London, I opted for either seafood or vegetarian meals simply because most Halal restaurants are located in the northern Bayswater area and wouldn’t actually comprise of the typical English Breakfast which just so happened to be one of the things we looked forward to. Thus, I took this opportunity to try out the many seafood options (I tried so many I actually don’t mind being a pescatarian now) and do note, you can always request for no alcohol to be cooked with it. So, don’t be afraid to ask – the English are really nice and smiley most times! In this day and age that has presented us with the many kinds of allergies, you’d be surprised to know that most restaurants, especially those in the big city of London now have plenty of gluten free, vegetarian and even separate all-vegan options making ordering (and eating) just that much easier.
I do have to add, and although to some this may be TMI (too much information, my fellow millennials & Gen X readers), the vegan diet coupled with lots of spinach truly did wonders for my digestive system and my otherwise chronic constipation, and I’ll be sure to continue exploring more vegetarian & vegan options at least starting with breakfast, and after reading this blogpost – hopefully so can you!
E, my now husband, on top of being a certified espresso drinker, is also a food connoisseur and so we spent most of our date nights while dating either eating or watching Youtube vlogs about..food! And a good ol’ English Breakfast was one of his favourites, as he did spend most of his teenage years and early twenties in the UK. Despite me being miles away at the time in Kuala Lumpur, I too was always fond of a good ol’ English Breakfast. With that, I’ve shared 5 of my favourite vegetarian breakfast meals that I enjoyed during my stay in London – linked with photos and addresses of each restaurants/ cafes so you can pop by on your next visit. They’re deliciously good and such a classic:
Given that this was the first breakfast we had not only in London, but also out of our entire honeymoon tour, I feel that gives me all the rights to be fairly bias. Coco Momo is a bright and airy cafe, bar and British brasserie in one of London’s most sought after areas – Kensington. It’s located south of Gloucester Road and was only a 7-minute walk from where we stayed which is why it happened to be our first breakfast stop the moment we landed in London after a gruelling, but enjoyable nonetheless 18 hour flight (including transit). The cafe which opens at 9am has been made popular with their Grand Union Coffee and Eggs Benedict. However, me not being a fan of coffee or runny eggs, I ordered the Full Vegetarian Free range egg, smashed avocado, roasted squash, coconut feta served with spinach, toast and originally baked beans which I requested to switch to mushrooms instead and they very kindly obliged (understanding my hostility towards baked beans and the entire bean family).
This was by far the best breakfast I’ve had in a long time, and the most generous one indeed. Not only did they offer me the biggest portobello mushroom I have ever seen (in this lifetime), but also at no added cost. The coconut feta and roasted squash were the cherry on top and they even threw in some freshly grilled tomatoes. The restaurant is also made popular with their Burford Brown free-range eggs which is some of the best that London has to offer from Clarence Court.
Despite being a huge spread, this is such a simple meal to recreate at home as all you really need are simply fresh farm-growned ingredients – some you may already have at home, and a stove. I know – coconut feta cheese does sound unique, however you can always opt for the usual feta cheese and instead of a butternut squash, roasted pumpkins may work just fine.
Address: 25 Gloucester Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 4PL, United Kingdom
Opening hours: 9am – 10.30pm (Closed on Wednesdays)
The Chucs restaurant & cafe collection can be found all across the finest areas in London with outlets in Mayfair, Belgravia, Kensington and Chelsea. We stumbled upon their Kensington outlet located on Old Brompton Road on our second morning, just 10-minutes away from our hotel during our regular morning walk. It was a Sunday morning and South Kensington being the family neighbourhood it’s known for was bustling with toddlers, joggers and the most beautiful breed of golden retrievers and toy poodles roaming the streets.
I do judge a book by its cover and even shops by its exterior, but restaurants are different. In this day and age of social media, instagrammable cafes are everywhere with the cutest flower arrangement and beautiful wainscoted walls, so I was hesitant about Chucs that was one of the nicest, cosiest cafe I’d ever laid eyes on.
Thankfully, it was beginning to get crowded with locals which is always a good sign. The interior is a a mix of your typical English cafe but with pops of navy blue and pink – almost preppy, I loved it! The walls were even decorated with the famous Paloma Beach prints that just so happen to be one of my all-time favourite art pieces that I one day hope to invest in for our own home. And the food was just as good, if not better!
I ordered the Veggie Breakfast from their Brunch Menu, which comprised of Eggs – I had mine scrambled, with mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, baked beans – which once again I replaced with extra mushrooms, spinach, potatoes and the fluffiest sourdough. E wasn’t feeling too hungry so he had the smoked salmon with scrambled eggs and sourdough – equally good as mine. To top it off, I enjoyed this beautiful Sunday morning that felt just as cosy as the Maroon 5 hit with a cuppa Hot Chocolate.
We’re already planning to return next year, this time for lunch and dinner. That’s how much we liked Chucs.
Address: 97 Old Brompton Road, South Kensington, SW7 3LD
Opening hours: 8am – 11pm
Aubaine was a change from the last two breakfasts we had been devouring. Their flagship restaurant on Brompton Road just south of the South Kensington Underground Station, made it a perfect spot for our breakfast before we took the tube out for a day of exploring Knightsbridge. Aubaine can be described as a passionate marriage of French culinary creativity with standards of the London dining scene. The interior of the restaurant was highly sophisticated and very French with grey dining chairs, unlike the usual English cafe style with rattan bistro chairs. And since our next stop was Paris, why not soak up the atmosphere?
If you know me you’d know I love a good French Toast. I remember my oldest sister making me French toast whenever she was home during her medical school semester breaks and I was probably eleven at the time. And so I was accustomed to using plain white bread instead of the traditional Brioche. At the risk of sounding like an annoying and picky food critic (which I assure you I’m not), the Brioche French toasts back home in KL are usually too think and dry, almost like eating a plain Brioche. Where’s the eggy, milky goodness?
This one on the other hand was perfect and moist on the inside, yet crispy on the outside. In fact, it was even layered with Greek yoghurt oozing out of the brioche upon each cut. Served with colourful strawberries, blueberries, and baby basil with radiantly gold maple syrup, this was a breakfast I throughly enjoyed.
E ordered the Breakfast Bundle which came with Avocado Toast, a delectable croissant, fresh orange juice and coffee (Not pictured, as I was very busy gobbling up my toast).
As always, I opted for a cuppa Hot Chocolate.
Address: 260-262, Brompton Road, London, SW3 2AS
Opening hours: 8am – 10pm / 9am – 9pm (Sundays)
4. Brother Marcus – South Kensington Station
Usually, E and I opt out of dining at cafe’s or restaurants right by the Underground stations mainly because they’re usually chains like Gail’s, Paul’s or Caffè Nero. All which are good in their own right, however since we have a limited time in London, we’d rather use that time and indulge in stand-alone dining experiences that have more story and character to it. And I’m so happy we decided to explore around the station otherwise how would we have stumbled upon Brother Marcus??!!
“Brother Marcus was created by three best friends, Arthur, Alex and Tas. We bring the flavors and recipes of the Eastern Mediterranean to London. Having traveled the region extensively and experienced the food, drink and culture it has to offer first hand, what you get at Brother Marcus is our take on the Eastern Mediterranean way.
Sounds good but, who’s this Marcus guy?
We’re glad you asked…
We named ourselves after Alex’s legendary little brother Marcus, who makes friends with just about anyone. We’re all here for a good time and want you to feel part of the family as soon as you walk through the door.”
– Brother Marcus, website –
And we did! Had I done my research on their Eastern Mediterranean influence earlier, I would have ordered the Smoky Shakshuka that most South-Ken natives seemed to be ordering. However, not being a fan of poached eggs, I settled on the Vegan Breakfast which was delicious! Like a traditional English breakfast, it came with portobello mushrooms, grilled tomato, and toasted sourdough, however the combination of smashed avocado, fatuous salad and the star of the show – the beetroot hummus, was what really surprised me.
It was so good that even E couldn’t resist a few bites. The ambience was lovely with a combination of what looks like freelancers working remotely, and uni mates catching up for a quick bite before their next class (Imperial College is just down the road). In fact, I’m still bummed out by the fact that I didn’t purchase their recipe book – Brunch with Brother Marcus, Recipes from The Eastern Med.
Remind me to, next year?
Address: 1-3 Pelham St, South Kensington, London SW7 2ND, United Kingdom
Varying opening hours. Checkout their website!
5. Sunday in Brooklyn – Notting Hill
The restaurant was first started in Williamsburg, New York, hence the name. They opened their first international location in quaint Notting Hill with the intention of serving American staples – which can only mean one thing, delicious mouth-watering burgers!
I personally am bias with this one mainly because I matched with the restaurant, literally – in shades of green and baby blue, as you’ll see from the menu. E had the Smoked Salmon Brioche served with scallion cream cheese and picked red onion, whereas I ordered the Cauliflower Melt Burger (Vegetarian) which happened to be one of their staples, and plus point, served with fries! It was layered with a roasted cauliflower steak that indeed was roasted to perfection yet still very healthy, topped with sambal, sauerkraut, swiss cheese – all tucked in a neat grilled sourdough.
It wasn’t a Sunday in Brooklyn, but thanks to the lovely breakfast, it was a beautiful Thursday in Notting Hill.
Address: 98 Westbourne Grove, London W2 5RU, United Kingdom
Varying opening hours. Checkout their website!
I hope this food guide was helpful. We had a wonderful time exploring and I hope you do too. Reach out to me with other food suggestions from within Kuala Lumpur or any of your International travels. Otherwise, just reaching out to let me know you’ve read this blogpost will make my day. (smiles)
xx alyia