One thing I figured out pretty quickly in London: the British are early risers. The morning matters here. Restaurants open early, and close early too in the evening, the menus are serious, and people take their time. It's a different rhythm from what we're used to in France.
But you adapt fast. Days start earlier, you go to bed earlier. And honestly, it suits London perfectly. If you want a full overview of all my London addresses, I talk about it in my London article.
Ozone — my morning address
Ozone Coffee is my first address. Not the most touristy, not the most instagrammed, just the best way to start a day.
It's a New Zealand coffee roaster based in Shoreditch. The concept is simple: quality coffee, serious food, open kitchen counter. You watch the dishes being prepared, you hear the sounds of the kitchen, you smell the coffee. It's alive without being loud.
The menu changes with the seasons but there are always eggs benedict, here on bubble and squeak cakes, a typically British potato and vegetable patty. Rich, well balanced, not heavy. With a strong coffee, it's the best possible start.
There's also a breakfast bun, brioche, fried egg, sausage, cheddar, for those who want something more substantial. And for lighter appetites, the banana bread with maple syrup butter or the house granola do the job perfectly.
What I love as much as the food is the atmosphere. You sit at the counter facing the open kitchen, or at one of the wooden tables. The staff know what they're doing, service is quick without being rushed. And nobody gives you a look if you stay for two hours.
📍 11 Leonard Street, EC2A 4AQ → Overground: Shoreditch High Street → Open Monday to Friday from 7:30am, weekends from 8:30am
Brick Lane — Beigel Bake
A few streets away, there's Brick Lane — and therefore Beigel Bake, open 24/7. A warm bagel before or after Ozone, depending on your mood. Both work.
The bagels are warm, made on site, and the prices are ridiculous. It's an East End institution, a place that's been there forever, and that I hope will stay in London for a long time.
If you're passing through Shoreditch for vinyl at Sounds of the Universe or for a shopping session, this is the perfect stop before or after.
📍 155 Brick Lane, E1 6SB → Overground: Shoreditch High Street → Open 24/7
Why Shoreditch in the morning?
Shoreditch at brunch time is a neighbourhood that wakes up slowly. The streets are quiet, the shops are starting to open, people arrive on foot with their bags. It's one of the rare moments when London slows down a little — before everything speeds up again.
It's also the perfect neighbourhood to chain together: brunch at Ozone, bagel at Beigel Bake, then a morning digging through shops or walking towards Hackney. A good day always starts well.
Shoreditch is also one of the densest neighbourhoods for tattoo studios in London, a serious tattoo culture, deeply rooted. If that's something that interests you, I talk about it in my article on tattooing in London.
Yes, Saturday and Sunday from 8:30am. Expect a short wait at weekends — it fills up fast.
No reservations — it's first come, first served. Best to arrive early, especially on weekends.
Yes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for decades. Even at night, even on Sundays. That's what makes it an institution.
It's a typically British patty made from leftover potatoes and vegetables, pan-fried until golden and crispy. At Ozone, it serves as the base for eggs benedict — and it's excellent.
Ozone is mid-range for London, expect between £10 and £16 for a dish. Beigel Bake is just a few pounds — one of the cheapest addresses in London.
