Soho is known for its pulsating energy and risque vibes. It is a district with many firsts, including its name, first documented in the 17th century. There are now several Sohos worldwide. It is the birthplace of Mod fashion, a statement against earlier generations’ austerity, and The Rolling Stones performed their first live performance in Soho.
Its spirit and vivacity brought a demand for coffee. Soho’s Italian migrants craved quality coffee and opened London’s first Italian coffee shop and introduced Britain’s first espresso machine. Alongside a caffeine fix was a need for food, including breakfast and brunch. Here are five of the best brunch spots in Soho.
Best Brunch and Breakfast Spots in Soho
If you need a lazy brunch after a lively night or an early breakfast as pick me up:
1. Café Behome – French Classics & Jazz
Café Behome serves classic French cuisine in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Inspiration for the name comes from French poets who used to gather at the Compton cafe for jovial bonhomie. The cafe specialises in some of the favourite traditional French dishes, like Moules Marinière with frites and Crème Brûlée.
Café Behome offers various menus, including two-weekend brunches, one on Saturday and another on Sunday.
The Saturday brunch menu includes choices from light options such as Pastries for £4.00 or French Toast with Berries and Chantilly for £7.00.
Sandwich brunch choices include a Croque Monsieur / Madame (a French-style toasted ham and cheese sandwich. A madame has a poached or fried egg on top) for £10.00 / £11.00.
A wide selection of entrees and main courses are available, as well as salads and egg dishes.
- An Entrée of Soupe à l’Oignon for £8.00
- A main course of Salmon with Bean Cassoulet for £19.00.
There is a good selection of French red and white wines and champagnes. One option is La Prade Merlot from the Languedoc region, sold by the glass(175ml) for £8.00, Caraf (500ml) for £24.00, or a bottle for £32.00.
Sunday’s Brunch menu is the same as Saturday’s but with an added option of a Sunday roast with all the trimmings. Choose from Mushroom Wellington at £16.00, Poulet at £20.00 or Rib of beef at £22.00.
For a taste of France, Café Behome is an excellent option for one of the best brunches in Soho. It is in a convenient location near the theatres, and they play some great live jazz music throughout the week.
Address: 13 Old Compton Street, London, W1D 5JQ
Telephone: 020 7734 0623
2. Ping Pong – Dim Sum & Cocktails in Soho
Ping Pong is a taste of China in six locations around London, including one in the heart of the exciting district of Soho. The Chinese restaurant handmakes dumplings, buns, puffs and crispy dim sum.
Saturday at Ping Pong is Bottomless from noon and has a DJ from 12.30 pm – 5 pm at the Soho restaurant.
The popular Saturday Bottomless Lunch is £35.00 per person for 90 minutes of bottomless cocktail carafes, wine, bubbly and beer. Each person dines on a set menu of Dim Sum. You can opt for an original or vegetarian menu. Vegan and gluten-free options are available on request.
Each Dim Sum set menu has a Nibble, Crispy, and Steamed section. Some of the menu items include prawn crackers, a crispy duck spring roll, two steamed chickens, cashew dumplings, and sticky vegetable rice.
The Vegetarian set menu includes a crispy spinach and mushroom dumpling, two steamed mushroom and leek dumplings and sticky vegetable rice.
The Ping Pong Soho Bottomless Brunch has a fantastic, relaxing, and fun atmosphere and is a good value.
Address: 45 Great Marlborough Street, London, W1F 7JL
Telephone: 0207 851 6969
3. Scarlett Green – Best Bottomless Brunch Soho
Founded by Prue Freeman and Tom Onions in 2012 with two vintage ice cream vans and three tricycles, the business has since grown to include cafes, restaurants and canal boats.
Scarlett Green is one of fourteen Daisy Green venues across London. The food at Daisy Green takes inspiration from Prue’s childhood spent on an Australian sheep farm. She remembers fresh ingredients with a hint of Asia. Daisy Green’s dishes are freshly prepared with these qualities in mind, with a fusion of Mediterranean and Asian cuisine.
Prue and Tom’s hard work has paid dividends, as Scarlett Green in Soho features in the number one position on Trip Advisor as the best brunch spot.
Scarlett Green has several menu options, including a brunch menu. The menu has several individually priced options, or you have two bottomless brunch choices. One is a Tea Total Bottomless Brunch for £35.00, and the other is the Bottomless Brunch, with alcohol, for £49.90.
Both deals include one savoury dish, a dessert, and 90 minutes of Kambucha teas or limited edition Daisy Fizz.
Tuck into a Fancy Bacon Roll from the savoury menu with poached eggs, crispy onions, signature hollandaise and chilli for £14.90 or enjoy it as part of the bottomless option.
From the sweet menu, a set of Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes with fresh berries, whipped mascarpone cream and maple syrup for £12.50 or as part of the bottomless.
As a current holder of Trip Advisor’s Number one brunch spot in the world, with five stars out of 2,696 reviews, Scarlett Green Soho Brunch has to be one of the best.
Address: 4 Noel Street, London, W1F 8GB
Telephone: 020 3653 2010
4. Balans – Old Compton Street
Balans opened the Old Compton Cafe at no.34 in 1987, money was tight, and it took six months of trading before they could afford an espresso machine. In 1989, Balans took advantage of the rave culture in nearby clubs and launched their all-nighters. They proved to be a big hit with clubbers, the gay community, and a few celebrities like Amy Winehouse and Lady Gaga.
Today there are five Balans London cafes, with two in Soho, No. 34 and No. 60, where you can pop in for food almost 24 / 7.
Soho No. 34 opens at 8 am daily, except for Saturdays and Sundays, when the cafe stays open 24 hours.
Soho No. 60’s opening hours are,
- Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays, 10 am to 11 pm
- Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 am to 5 am
- Fridays and Saturdays are open from 10 am to 6 am.
Both Soho cafes serve an all-day brunch, including popular favourites,
- Full English, £15.50
- Lobster Benedict, with half a lobster, eggs, bacon, and avocado, for £19.00
- Steak and Eggs, £19.50
- Courgette Fritters, £12.00
- American or Vegan Pancakes, £11.00
Balons have a great menu that will satisfy any craving at any time of the day. They get busy, and the vibe is cosy. However, the staff is friendly and efficient. The portions are generous, and if you want a quick bite to eat while you work, this laptop-friendly brunch place in Soho is an excellent spot.
Address:
- No. 34, Old Compton Street, London, W1D 4TS
- No. 60, Old Compton Street, London, W1D 4UG
Telephone:
- 020 7439 3309
- 020 7439 2183
Related: 5 Drag Brunch Spots in London: Bottomless Booze + Hilarious Queens
5. Jinjuu – Pearl in Korean
Jinjuu is in the heart of the energetic and bouncy Soho territory. Jinjuu uses the Soho influence, K’pop and Korean youth culture to create a lively, fun setting.
Jinjuu’s menu fuses Korean Street Food with traditional dishes. Several menus, including a weekend brunch, take inspiration from the seasons and change accordingly.
Service for the weekend brunch menu starts at noon and continues until 3.30 pm. The Jinjuu Brunch has a choice without alcohol or a boozy brunch option.
A four-course brunch set for £36.00 per person or £50.00 per person with 90 minutes of bottomless prosecco, wine or beer. If your group is seven or more, paying a £10.00 per person supplement will extend the bottomless drink to 120 minutes.
Your Brunch meal consists of four menu sections where you choose one choice per section. The menu has a generous selection of meat, vegetarian and vegan dishes.
A sample of the current brunch menu is:
- From the Skewers section, try Sae-Woo Pops, crispy fried prawn cakes served on sticks with Gochujang mayo.
- A Tacos and Sliders choice is Korean Fried Chicken Sliders in a brioche bun.
- For the Mandoo choice, try a Vegetable Mandoo, a vegan option with steamed dumplings, fried cabbage, tofu, and shitake mushrooms.
- A Classic Bibimbap can be vegan, vegetarian or meat from the Large Plate course.
Jinjuu is a fantastic option for a boozy brunch in Soho. The glasses are constantly topped up, and the staff are enthusiastic, creating a great vibe in the South Korean restaurant.
Address: 15 Kingly Street, London, W1B 5PS
Telephone: 0208 181 8887
What Is the Best Time for Brunch in Soho
Brunch tends to start around 10 am and sometimes only at weekends. So, it’s worth checking with the individual diner.