Top 5: Ways to Eat Brunch in London This WeekendBy Alicia Grimshaw

The sun is shining, and the bank holiday weekend is nigh. There’s only one thing on our mind: brunch. From a boozy brunch to a South American inspired brunch – here’s our top picks for this weekend. Time to feast:

1. For a Bank Holiday Brunch: Ben’s Canteen 

What: With another three-day weekend on the horizon, Ben’s Canteen has teamed up with craft beer wizards We Brought Beer to come up with a special Bank Holiday Beer Brunch, pairing some of Ben’s best brunch dishes with a selection of specially matched drops. Available at the Battersea site from 26th-29th May.

Eat and Drink: Choose between a trio a special brunch dishes, all of which have been carefully paired with a beer to bring out the best in them. Pairings include: smashed avocado on toast x Kona Longboard; the recovery burger x Magic Rock Rapture, a powerful combo of a sausage and black pudding patty, American cheese, bacon, hash brown, fried egg and recovery sauce needs a powerful beer. This full-bodied, hoppy red ale has a beautifully rich maltiness to complement the black pudding whilst the pithy citrusy hop character will work wonders to perk up even the most hungover of souls; and lastly fried chicken Benedict x Five Points IPA. Ben’s fried chicken twist on Eggs Benedict goes toe-to-toe with a beer bursting with tropical fruit aromas and an intense bitterness on the palate.

Where: Battersea branch: 140 St John’s Hill, SW11 1SL

2. For a Boozy Brunch: Bon Vivant 

What: Add a little ooh la la to your Bank Holiday weekend with a Parisian brunch from neighbourhood bistro, Bon Vivant. Take a seat on the wrap-around terrace bathed in sunshine or head inside to one of the deep velvet banquettes, before diving into a selection of breakfast dishes, freshly made smoothies and bottomless cocktails from the Parisian-style ‘Drunch’ menu.

Eat and Drink: Available every Saturday and Sunday from 11am-3pm, Bon Vivant offers the perfect excuse for a sociable, lazy afternoon. Tuck into stacks of fluffy pancakes layered with berry compote, rich chocolate sauce or bacon and maple syrup; classic avocado toast topped with poached eggs and smoked paprika; firm favourite Eggs Benedict, served with a generous helping of hollandaise; or the mighty morning after – a French twist on the full English, topped with steak and chef’s secret-recipe B.V. sauce. Pay an extra £18 per person, and enjoy endless glasses of Mimosas or Bellinis, house-spiced Bloody Marys, Ricard Cremant de Loire and Clos de Nouys Prosecco.

Where: 75-77 Marchmont Street, London WC1N 1AP

3. For a Rooftop Brunch: Bōkan 

What: Bōkan – London’s latest destination restaurant, bar and open air rooftop terrace, is bringing summertime vibes to Canary Wharf and taking weekend brunch to new heights with the launch of its new bottomless brunch and Sunday Jazz sessions.

Eat and Drink: With a backdrop of stunning views, kick start your weekend with a lavish bottomless brunch. Head Chef Aurélie Altemaire has created a seasonal three-course menu to enjoy alongside endless prosecco in the laid-back yet luxe Bōkan 37 Restaurant. Tuck into starters like tiger prawn tempura; steamed hen’s egg, confit red peppers, British cured ham and oatmeal tuile; veal and pork terrine with dry apricots, capers and toast; or seabream and smoked salmon tartare, yuzu, coconut milk and mango. To follow, main courses feature English grass fed beef skirt; crispy eggs royale with hot smoked salmon; seared Merrifield Farm duck breast with loquats and almond emulsion; and seared cod on beans, chorizo, parsley and ginger glaze.

Where: Novotel, Canary Wharf, 40 Marsh Wall, London E14 9TP

4. For a South American Brunch: Red Rooster Shoreditch

What: Red Rooster Shoreditch has officially opened its doors at Michael Achenbaum’s The Curtain, a hotel, restaurant and members club. Acclaimed chef and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson brings his much celebrated and admired restaurant and live music venue from the streets of Harlem NYC to East London, with the addition of an all-day taqueria and bar on Curtain Road called ‘Tienda Roosteria’.

Eat and Drink: Transported to London, Red Rooster Shoreditch celebrates Samuelsson’s take on American comfort food classics with many signature dishes from the Harlem original, while new dishes have been created especially for Shoreditch. Alongside Harlem’s now famous cornbread with honey butter and devilled eggs with sea urchin mayo and candied bacon are: Sammy’s chicken n’ waffles with hot bourbon maple syrup; prawn and shrimp hot rice; Helga’s Meatballs with bone marrow dumplings and pickled jus; and fried yardbird with hot honey and collards.

Where: Red Rooster Shoreditch, The Curtain, 45 Curtain Road London EC2A 4PT

5. For a New Brunch Spot: Prince of Peckham

What: Prince of Peckham is now open for business, serving up wholesome Caribbean food from Street Feast regulars White Men Can’t Jerk along with beer and rum cocktails in a good old fashioned pub setting. On Saturday, spend a minimum of £10 on brunch, and for an additional £18, receive unlimited Prosecco for 2 hours. Oh yeah.

Eat and Drink: Street Feast heroes White Men Can’t Jerk man the kitchen, cooking up enough chicken to feed the whole of Peckham, twice over. Forget your avocado and granola, the chaps bang out incredible  fried chicken and waffles with sea salted, maple whipped butter and spiced maple syrup; the epic WMCJ breakfast bap stuffed with with smoked Streaky bacon and pineapple relish, and the fried chicken bun with coleslaw, salad, jerk sauce and jerk mayo. It’s the stuff weekend brunch dreams are made of.