Best Breakfast and Brunch Places in Wanstead

"It may sit just two floors above flashy Sushisamba, but the vibe at Duck & Waffle is far more relaxed (although it still boasts the same enviable views). Open 24/7, Duck & Waffle deals in upmarket comfort food, which means you can enjoy the likes of bacon-wrapped dates, a warm savoury doughnut filled with ox cheek, and of course, the eponymous dish, which sees waffles topped with confit duck leg and a glossy-yolked fried egg."

"Restaurants Contemporary European Liverpool Street. When 24-hour licensing was introduced in the UK, we looked forward to round-the-clock craic. Not much actually changed – but at least it meant London could welcome this swanky, sky-scraping restaurant and bar with its 24/7 opening hours and spectacular 360-degree views of the capital."

"Food isn't the only thing that's elevated at this slick City space. Nestled on the 40th floor of the Heron Tower, Duck and Waffle is known for its 24 hour menu, unrivalled views and signature dishes; from the eponymous plate to the ox cheek doughnut."

"You can’t help but feel that you’re a ‘someone’ from the moment you step inside. The menu is extensive and caters to all tastes; the devilled lambs kidneys, haggis and grilled kippers are big-hitters, but for those who aren’t big morning eaters there’s granola, fruit and bread to graze on. If AA Gill wrote a whole book about it, then it’s got to be good."

"Restaurants Brasseries Piccadilly"

"Bill Granger’s tasty brunch dishes are loved the world over, finding fans first in Australia, where he opened his first restaurant Bills, and later across the globe, with the UK outpost, Granger & Co., serving an informal menu of breakfast and all-day dishes in Chelsea, Notting Hill, King’s Cross and Clerkenwell. Visit for brunch before 12pm to sample signature dishes such as ricotta hotcakes with banana and honeycomb butter, toasted coconut bread, and sweetcorn fritters with roast tomato, spinach and bacon. 175 Westbourne Grove, W11, grangerandco.com"

"Restaurants Australian Notting Hill. This was the first UK outlet from Australian Bill Granger. Notting Hill has taken to this simply decorated, no-bookings eaterie with a passion – queues form at weekends for brunch, and even early in the week the tightly packed tables and stools along the bar are fully occupied."

"Bill Granger's ricotta hotcakes with honeycomb butter are legendary. 175 Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill, London, W11 2SB. Tube: Notting Hill Gate Station"

"Act out your teen fantasies and wallow in ’80s nostalgia at this cluttered, ersatz homage to John Hughes’s cult movie – and tribute to the most important meal of the day. Breakfast takes centre-stage (of course), but this Club runs right through from brunch to dinner. Flagship site: 33 D’Arblay Street, W1F 8EU"

"This Trendy Treat has no less than 10 London Locations, as well as Breakfast Club goodness on offer in Brighton and Oxford. Whatever neighbourhood you’re staying or playing in, you’ll be sure to get some. Here are there addresses listed for convenient copying into Google Maps on your iPhone :"

"From your savoury to your sweet, your classic to you're weird, epic and mega. There's even choices for vegans, veggies and those riding the gluten-free wave with the 3 in 1 batter. The hardest part is choosing which topping you're digging."

"Sweet, savoury and gluten free pancakes are on the menu at this pancake house. Flat Iron Square, 85a Southwark Bridge Road, London, SE1 0NQ. Tube: Borough Station"

"A popular choice for outdoor dining in Mayfair, Hush is regularly frequented by well-heeled city slickers and celebs. The courtyard here takes on a new them each season - from enchanting fairytales to Mexican-inspired fiestas. With twinkling candles and warming electric heaters, it's the perfect place to get cosy with your sweetheart."

"Even though this tucked-away courtyard makes you feel as if you've stumbled on a secret garden, it's about the worst kept secret in London. You'll have to fight hedge funders and other Mayfair folk for your chance to nab a coveted table on a sunny day."

"We’ve expressed our love for Jefferson’s time and time again, and with good reason, their ice cream selection is on a whole new level. Stemming from a love of natural food and free from artificial flavours, Jefferson’s is devoted to celebrating quality. The ice cream is made in-house every morning, using only the finest ingredients available."

"This Balham dessert bar serves up fresh ice cream made with organic milk in flavours like caramel popcorn, vanilla honeycomb, and cold-pressed coffee. If you don’t want just one scoop, you can also get stacked sundaes, milkshakes, waffles, crepes and more."

"Restaurants Contemporary European Covent Garden. Most of the celebs have moved on, but the splendidly re-energised Ivy is still one of London’s more covetable treasures. Come here for five-star service, supreme hospitality and the chance to eat upscale shepherd’s pie (or anything else you fancy) in a beautiful room emblazoned with harlequin stained-glass windows."

"If you’re planning on hitting the theatre and want a classy West End meal to match, you can’t go wrong with The Ivy. You’ll find epic versions of the British classics but also more modern, internationally influenced grub. The Ivy1-5 West StreetLondon WC2H 9NQVisit website: The Ivy"

"Another longstanding veggie stalwart, The Gate has been serving fantastic vegetarian food since it opened more than 30 years ago. It now serves an almost entirely vegan menu across its branches in Islington, Marylebone, Hammersmith and St John's Wood. After tucking into veg-packed dinner dishes of miso-glazed aubergines, wild mushroom risotto cake and meat-free tagine, head over at the weekends for the brunch menu, complete with vegan pancakes and vegan full English."

"The Gate’s menu features dishes from around the world|© The Gate. With four locations across London, The Gate has proved that there’s plenty of appetite in the capital for vegetarian and vegan food. The menu is varied and wholesome without being restrictive, and features dishes from around the world, with the aubergine schnitzel and the smoked tofu caesar salad particular highlights."

"One of the most infamous vegetarian friendly restaurants in London, it's The Gate that shines out bright on the dining scene. Popular in Seymour Place, not only is the menu entirely vegetarian, the dishes are seasonal and there's plenty of vegan options to go around."

"At the top of chic restaurant and retail spot Pantechnicon is a leafy oasis, decked out just like the lifestyle store downstairs. The food is just as refined as the interiors and leans towards Nordic. Expect dishes like fire-grilled aubergines with morels and garlic sauce, and beef tartare with cream and roe — and for ‘sauces’ to veer into foam territory."

"Wine very expensive (£8 for a large glass of sauvignon blanc!). Ambience: no heating on a chilly day, uninspiring menu, hard furnishings, scruffy flooring. Won't be going back."

"This is my nomination as the most beautiful of the churches in the City of London. It was also built bySir Christopher Wren, and I’d go so far as to say that it’s a London must see. It’s a beautifully proportioned Church, appearing quite small from outside but inside there’s a soaring, lofty central dome and wonderful sense of space."

"St Stephen Walbrook has the most beautiful interior of all Wren’s churches reputedly. He was experimenting with his plans for St Paul’s Cathedral. St Stephen is a variation on the same theme – an un-English central dome married to a traditional English church plan of nave with aisles, chancel and crossing transepts."

"Sir Christopher Wren is best known for the design and construction of St Paul’s Cathedral. He also built many other churches around London after the Great Fire. He probably did more to shape the appearance of London than any other single person, all the way through to the 19th century."

"St Botolph was a Saxon saint who built a large monastery near to modern-day Boston (a corruption of Botolph’s town) in Lincolnshire in 654. He was the English patron saint of travellers and has three surviving churches in the City dedicated to him. They are all situated next to old city gates, presumably so that those about to set off could dedicate so"

"Sopwell House Hotel is a grand affair, with more than 100 rooms, two restaurants, a spa and 12 acres of grounds to its name. Among all of that the best place to relax is in the cocktail lounge, where afternoon tea is served. It’s a long, breezy room that begins with a marble-topped bar and stretches all the way to a library, with little alcoves and giant sash windows along the way."

" A combination of hotel, leisure complex & conference centre, the former Georgian country home of Lord Mountbatten is just a 20-minute train ride ..." Read our full review"