Where to go for pre-work breakfast in London

Pimlico (and Notting Hill): Daylesford

Daylesford brings a little corner of rural Cotswolds to central London. The farmshop/cafe is a haven of fresh produce and bright airy spaces. Upstairs, the spacious cafe has a gloriously un-corporate feel. In the place of tapping Macbooks, there's the quiet buzz of conversation. Load up on your daily vitamin quota with a home-made nutmilk, kefir or cold-press juice (the ginger and turmeric shot is great if you feel sluggish).

The menu is sourced from Daylesford's organic farms in Staffordshire and The Cotswalds. This freshness elevates favourite dishes such as Avocado and poached egg on sourdough. The yolks of the hen's eggs are a rich sunshine yellow and the ham in our eggs Benedict is from the Daylesford smokehouse. It's enough to make you forget you're in London, and to leave you feeling uplifted and ready for the day ahead. Oh and make sure you peruse the Deli Counter as you leave to pick up and equally enticing take-away lunch.

King’s Cross: Caravan

Caravan’s industrial-esque dining room, housed in a Grade II listed Victorian grainstore, is an ideal setting for a pre-work natter. The buzzy atmosphere and rich-in-superfoods menu will soon get your creative juices flowing for the day. The breakfast menu features modest energy balls; sourdough toast and spreads; and healthy bowls of grains (think organic oats with banana cashew butter) at the lighter end of the scale. But the exotic, larger plates are the real pull here: a dish of coconut bread, lemon curd cream cheese and strawberries is a winner from the sweeter camp; and an aubergine purée with a soft boiled egg, preserved lemon gremolata, yoghurt and grilled flatbread makes for an interesting offering on the savoury side of things.

Caravan’s sustainably-sourced coffees are also excellent. A quick tip: if you’re not looking to dine, you can stroll right up to the coffee counter at the back and order one to take away. The iced latte with a splash of sugar syrup is particularly good on a hot day.

Fitzrovia & Soho: Lantana

With its modern interiors and all-round delicious menu, Aussie brekkie spot Lantana is one to know if you work in the Fitzrovia or Soho region. It’s the love-child of Shelagh Ryan, Michael Homan and Caitlin Ryan, who wanted to introduce London to everything they loved and missed about Australian café culture. Across its three thriving branches (the café serves breakfast in Shoreditch and London Bridge, too), the offering includes Courgette bread (with halloumi, sweetcorn, black eyed bean & tomato salsa, a poached egg and spicy chipotle sour cream); Buddha bowls (with the likes of cauliflower quinoa ‘rice’); corn fritters (stacked with streaky bacon); and to-die-for banoffee banana bread (with toffee sauce and grilled banana).

Meanwhile detox juices and indulgent-yet-healthy shakes (such as the PBD: peanut butter, banana, date, almond milk, cinnamon) are the go-to liquids here, along with herbal teas and stellar coffees.

The City: The Ned

If you work in the City and fancy something a little more upmarket for your pre-work breakfast, you’ll be hard pushed to find somewhere more suave than The Ned. Part of the Soho House group, this sophisticated hangout – where guests don’t, incidentally, have to be members to dine – is located in the former Midland Bank building and plays host to nine different restaurants, three of which you can break your overnight fast at.

Parisian-styled Cafe Sou serves French favourites including tasty croissants, baguettes and ‘Protéines’ (think cured ham, smoked salmon and comté fromage). Then there’s the Malibu Kitchen, bringing classic Cali dishes – including superfood salads, raw vegetables, cured fish and smoothies – to London. Meanwhile Millie’s Lounge is worth a look-in if it’s traditional British fare you’re after; from bacon baps to smoked haddock kedgeree, it’s a chance to dine on familiar favourites in lavish, airy surroundings.

London Bridge: Where the Pancakes Are

South of the river, straddling the breakfast catchment areas of London Bridge, Waterloo and Borough, is Where The Pancakes Are – a feel-good pancake house with warm, friendly vibes. Its focus is on turning a sweet treat into comfort food for the soul, and it’s all about quality ingredients here – from their Shipton Mill organic flour to their Great White North maple syrup (which even has loose superfood status, providing healthy levels of zinc, magnesium, calcium, potassium and antioxidants).

Ideal for something hearty before a morning at the desk, the menu offers a range of sweet and savoury pancake toppings, with vegan, dairy-free and wheat-free options also available. But if you only try one thing? Make it the Dutch Baby – an oven-baked, Yorkshire Pudding look-a-like pancake which comes either sweetened with apples, berries, almond flakes and vanilla ice cream, or savoury with a poached egg, dill and salted yogurt.

Shoreditch: Andina

Part of the acclaimed Ceviche restaurant family, Andina is the brand’s breakfast offering, serving up colourful Peruvian cuisine in Shoreditch. Perched on the corner of Redchurch Street and a stone’s throw from Shoreditch High Street station, if you work in the area, Andina is an ideal spot to nourish your body, tantalise your taste buds and fit in an all-important catch-up before a day at the office.

Among the offering here: seasonal berry pots with chia seeds and coconut milk; avocado pancakes (yes, really) with sweet or savoury toppings; corn soufflé with smoked bacon loin and a poached Burford Brown egg; and, of course, first-class Peruvian coffee. Andina is all about strong flavours and attention to detail, and the majority of their breakfasts are relatively light (we contemplated ordering a side of bread when we went, but were later glad we didn't) – which means you won’t start the working day feeling groggy.

Victoria: Timmy Green

Whether you commute in via Victoria or work in a high-rise nearby (or both), Timmy Green – and in fact the rest of the new Nova food offering – is worth knowing about. For years, you would’ve been hard pushed to find more than a Pret or a Wetherspoons to breakfast at in these parts, but now Timmy Green – one of nine branches of Aussie chain Daisy Green – is here to save the day.

Early morning risers who bag a table in these airy, breezy quarters, can choose from one of several dishes which incorporate the chain’s signature charcoal bread or house made chilli pesto. Otherwise, tuck into: a bowl of house made granola; quinoa porridge; or their award-winning banana bread sandwich (with mascarpone, fresh berries, flaked almonds and honey).

Kensington & Chelsea (and Notting Hill): Granger & Co.

While many of the best-loved cafés in Kensington and Chelsea don’t open doors before 9am, it’s yet another (excellent) Aussie chain that comes to the rescue here for those looking to enjoy an early, sit-down breakfast. Granger & Co. – which has branches in both Chelsea and Notting Hill as well as other parts of the city – serves up top-notch dishes with an easy-going atmosphere.

Deservedly popular plates include the ricotta hotcakes (with banana and honeycomb butter); and the Fresh Aussie (salmon smoked in jasmine tea, poached eggs, greens, furikake, avocado and cherry tomatoes). You’ll also find a generous selection of fruit and grain options here, too.

Canary Wharf: Tom’s Kitchen

Proving it doesn’t have to be all work, work, work in London’s shiny, financial jungle is Tom’s Kitchen. Run by celebrity chef Tom Aikens, this all-day British brasserie knows how to cater for the time-poor, serving plates of comfort food classics to gear you up for the day ahead. The menu here ranges from fruits and French toast to Tom’s take on the Full English and its veggie equivalent. If you work on the Isle of Dogs and are looking to make early morning plans with a work neighbour, Tom’s should prove a smooth (and tasty) option.