Keith McNally's London Balthazar in Covent Garden, opened 2013 as a sibling to the SoHo NY brasserie, runs a New York-leaning French brunch menu in a sprawling dining room.
Must order: Steak frites and a glass of Sancerre
Tip: Booking essential for Sundays. The 10:30 weekday brunch is the easy slot. The pastry counter at the front takes walk-ups.
Address: 4-6 Russell Street, London WC2B 5HZ
Caravan's flagship dining room at Granary Square in King's Cross London, opened 2012, runs an Antipodean all-day brunch and in-house coffee roastery, the city's pioneer of the format.
Order: Smashed avocado on rye, plus a flat white from the in-house roastery
Tip: Outdoor terrace seats fill the canalside in summer. Closed half an hour 16:00-16:30 between brunch and dinner sittings.
Bill Granger's Australian brunch room on Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill London, opened 2011, runs ricotta hotcakes and brown rice porridge from breakfast through dinner.
Order: Ricotta hotcakes with banana and honeycomb butter
Tip: Walk-in only. Sunday queue runs 60 minutes; weekday breakfast walks in. Closed half an hour 16:00-16:30 for staff service change.
Chris Corbin and Jeremy King's grand European brasserie on Piccadilly in London, opened 2003, runs the city's most-traditional power-breakfast crowd from 07:00 to 12:00 weekdays.
Order: Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon, plus a flat white
Tip: Weekday breakfast at 07:30 is the easy slot. The weekend full English at £24 is the marquee brunch order.
Dishoom's Boundary Street Shoreditch dining room in London, opened 2012, serves the brand-defining bacon naan roll, sausage naan and Bombay omelette at the morning breakfast menu.
Order: Bacon naan roll and a chai
Tip: Walk-in until 11:45 Mon-Fri. Weekend breakfast queues run 30 minutes; weekday at 09:00 walks in. Chai is unlimited refill.
Adam White's Riding House Cafe on Great Titchfield Street in Fitzrovia London, opened 2011, runs an all-day Modern British brunch and small-plates menu in a quirky restored Victorian building.
Order: Sweetcorn fritters with chipotle yoghurt and bacon
Tip: Counter seats walk in any time. Tables book a week ahead through Resy. Closed Mondays.
Anna Hansen's Modern Pantry on St John's Square in Clerkenwell London, opened 2008, runs an all-day fusion brunch built on cross-cultural pantry ingredients and Asian seasonings.
Order: Sugar-cured prawn omelette
Tip: The sugar-cured prawn omelette has been on the menu since 2008. Weekend brunch sells out by 11:00 on its phone bookings.
