Usually when I travel somewhere I research mostly places to visit, not places to eat, and this explains why I have been disappointed quite some times. But before I went to London this August, I decided to look for restaurants with good reviews. I made a selection of them, marked them on Google Maps, and actually went there. And I have to say that they lived up to my expectations. So, to ease your planning efforts, here is my list of the best breakfast and brunch places in Bayswater, London, near Kensington Palace.
NB: my usual breakfast selection included a variety of eggs (no full English breakfast this time) and hot chocolate. The eggs cost around 13-14 GBP in the places I had them, and the hot chocolate was about 3,5 GBP. To me it is pretty pricey, but it is fair to say that the eggs are cheaper in GAIL’s Bakery and Prince Edward Pub, but I didn’t order them there.
The best breakfast and brunch places in Bayswater, London
1. Ariston Hellenic Eatery for Greek treats
This small Greek eatery attracted my attention thanks to an item in their breakfast menu: saganaki eggs. I read the description, immediately thought it was very similar to shakshuka – and I like shakshuka – and decided I have to try them.
I did, and the eggs were divine! Imagine eggs baked in tomato sauce with soft creamy feta cheese, served with crispy bread that you can dip in that rich sauce and kalamata olives as a finishing touch… the taste is incredibly good!
The service was quick, and the waitress was incredibly nice. I went there around 10 am and it was empty, but started filling in while I was there.
The food is served sizzling hot in the pan, but you can start dipping the bread immediately, just be careful 🙂
I like the interior design of the eatery: it is simple, rustic in a way, and bright colours on the walls together with the sunlight give it a special charm. Definitely a place I would visit again.
2. GAIL’s Bakery for scones
The UK is famous for scones, and, despite visiting London multiple times, I never tried them, but I wanted to change it during this visit. So, on the day before my last day in London I realised that I still hadn’t had any scones, and, apparently, bakeries are the best places for it, so my choice fell on GAIL’s Bakery.
It’s a chain of bakeries, you will find many of them around London, but, despite being so well-known, I still hesitated whether I should go there. The reason is that the reviews of many places stated a negligent attitude from the staff, but I decided to give it a try anyway: I went to the branch in Westbourne Grove. Well, the reviewers were absolutely right: the staff wasn’t rude or anything, but it was clear they just didn’t care.
The food though is really delicious and freshly baked. The scone with jam and clotted cream was fantastic, and, honestly, I regretted that it was my last day and I wouldn’t be able to have them again. I ordered a pain au chocolat, and it was equally good.
They have a selection of pastries that includes scones, pain au chocolat, croissants, muffins, bread, sandwiches, salads and I saw a breakfast menu on the wall which included a variety of eggs. And, of course, they serve tea, coffee, and other drinks.
Despite the indifference of the staff I would go there again 🙂
3. Lowry & Baker for all day breakfast
Lowry & Baker is an amazing place where they serve breakfast the whole day, though their kitchen closes around 4 pm and, consequently, you can’t go there in the evening, but I understand they offer food for delivery after closing the restaurant.
They have a wide selection of items with eggs, pancakes, brioches, toasts, including a full English breakfast and I saw at least one vegan option in the menu.
I ordered eggs with mashed avocado and salmon, but, as it was around 3 pm when I was there, they were out of salmon, so I had to settle for crispy ham. Just see the dish: loads of avocado!
The food was super delicious, and the hot chocolate that I ordered was the best one I had in London: it was rich, creamy and thick. I had hot chocolate in almost every place I went, and Lowry & Baker serves by far the best one.
4. Prince Edward Pub for the experience
I wasn’t sure I should go to a pub. You see, I don’t drink alcohol, and on my way from the tube to the hotel I passed by three pubs and I saw people drinking only. I associate pubs with drinking and, while I know that they serve food as well, I hesitated.
Closer to the weekend I saw the pubs advertising something called ‘Sunday roast’, and I decided that I had to try it. So, I didn’t go to the pub for breakfast, but for the traditional Sunday roast.
Now, why did I include the pub here then? Because in Prince Edward they serve breakfast, specifically the full English one. In addition, they have baps, toasts and two vegan breakfast options. And, considering that the Sunday roast there was really good, I assume other menu items are equally delicious.
And if you, like me, don’t know what a Sunday roast is, let me describe it: it’s pieces of meat with gravy, roasted potatoes, Yorkshire pudding (that muffin-like item), carrots and cabbage. The only part I didn’t like was the cabbage: it was either boiled or steamed, and I’m not a fan of this method of cooking cabbage. The rest was super delicious!
5. Rosa’s Thai for Asian flavours
Well, technically Rosa’s Thai can’t be considered a breakfast place as it opens at 12, but you can have lunch there, so it loosely fits into the category of brunch places 🙂
Frankly, I don’t want you to miss this place, as the food here is amazing! So, if you are nearby in the afternoon or evening, just go there. Even if you, like me, don’t like spicy food, they have options without chilli pepper.
These options are limited to some types of noodles and chicken satay. I ordered noodles with chicken once, and once with shrimps, and they were super delicious. The place gets full in the evening, so I usually ordered takeaway: as I passed it by every evening, I just went inside and ordered what I wanted, waited there till it was cooked and took it away.
If you are there during lunch, you can use their express lunch offer that includes a starter, a stir fry or curry, and a drink, with both spicy and non-spicy options.
I went to another Thai restaurant in London during one of my previous visits, and didn’t like the food there, so I was hesitant about going here, but, my god, how glad I am that I did 🙂
6. Pret a Manger for a quick grab
I am sure everyone has heard about Pret a Manger: it’s a chain with food ready to eat present in multiple countries in Europe, North America and Asia.
I understand that it is very popular as the food there is gone quickly, and late in the evening there is usually nothing to choose from, and, based on this, I deduct that the food is always fresh.
They have a selection of cold and hot drinks, with hot ones made on site, and loads of food options, both cold and hot: sandwiches, rolls, pastries, salads, fruit, soups, etc. I guess the assortment depends on the store or the time of the visit, as they run out of many things as the day advances, but, in any case, everyone can find here something to their liking.
I am a fan of their salads, especially the tuna Nicoise salad. And their hot chocolate – at least in the store I bought it in – is the second best after the one in Lowry & Baker.
Their breakfast menu includes porridges, pastries, baguettes, and yoghurt bowls. And any Pret a Manger place is perfect for a quick and not very quick grab, and they are usually open at 7-8 am.
7. Byzantium: honourable mention
Byzantium is a small place with bright interior decor not far from the two tube stations of Bayswater: Bayswater and Queensway. Honourable mention is my funny way of saying that as much as I wanted to go there, I didn’t have time for that. Their reviews are glorious, and I am sure the food is super delicious. They serve many Greek specialties, but I saw that they have breakfast options as well. So, if you’ve been there already, please share your experience.
So, here it is, my list of the best breakfast and brunch places in Bayswater. If you have been to any other places that deserves a mention, please share them in the comments. And bon appetit in London!
PS: I have a list with travel tips for London for first timers. Check it out!
