Restaurants

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Breads Etcetera (© Scott Wishart)

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Breads Etcetera
This little café is a modest showcase for Breads Etcetera’s outstanding sourdough breads. Although you might be tempted by the other breakfast dishes such as the excellent toasted muesli or the wonderful fry-ups, make sure you leave room for the eat-all-you-want toast – there are smart Dualit toasters on every table, to the delight of carb-happy punters. Once you’ve tried the six-seed, walnut, or rye breads, you’ll never want to eat dry tasteless supermarket versions again. The ingredients for all the foods sold here are very carefully sourced; the pork and the bacon come from free-range pigs. The bottled mineral water that is brought to your table unbidden is free of charge.
Breads Etcetera, 127 Clapham High St, SW4 7SS (020 7720 3601/www.breadsetcetera.com) Clapham Common or Clapham North tube. Breakfast served Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. Breakfast for one with service: around £9. Feature continues

Dosa n Chutny
Of the many south Indian cafés situated in Tooting, this is the only one that opens early to serve south Indian breakfast dishes – and we’re thankful that it does. The dosas (lentil and rice-flour pancakes) are crisp and even, the accompanying sambhar (vegetable and lentil ‘soup’) has a pleasant, spicy kick to it, and the traffic-light colours of the fragrant coconut chutneys give the spread a truly exotic look. Best of all, the idlis (little ‘flying saucers’ of steamed rice flour, also served with sambhar) are almost as good as Indian home cooking. No wonder the place is popular with Tamil customers, despite the rather spartan and brightly lit interior.
Dosa n Chutny, 68 Tooting High St, SW17 0RN (020 8767 9200/www.dosa-chutny.com) Tooting Broadway tube. Breakfast served daily 10am-12noon. Breakfast for one with service: around £5.

The works at Tony's (© Ming Tang-Evans)

Best for... baconTony’s
A gem on Northcote Road, with legendary fry-ups where the bacon, egg and beans are served with fat, floury chips. The friendly service and nostalgic interiors (Formica walls and faded leather seats) make it feel like eating brekkie at home.
Tony's, 74 Northcote Rd, SW11 6QL (020 7228 0929) Clapham Junction rail/ bus 37, 337. Breakfast served Mon-Sat 6.30am-2pm; Sun 9am-2pm. Breakfast for one with service: around £6.

Best for... coffee
Roast
An impressive selection of quality brews include ten-year-old puerh tea and Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. The fresh-pressed juices (orange, pink grapefruit, cranberry) are also delicious.
Roast, The Floral Hall, Borough Market, Stoney St, SE1 1TL (020 7940 1300/www.roast-restaurant.com) London Bridge tube/rail. Breakfast served Mon-Fri 7-9.30am; Sat 8-11.30am. Breakfast for one with service: around £13.

Best for... healthy appetites
Maggie’s Café
This Lewisham local has been around for more than 20 years, serving comforting fry-ups to south-east Londoners. An all-you-can-eat breakfast costs a mere £4.50, and the staff will frequently top up your tea or coffee.
Maggie’s Café, 322 Lewisham Rd, SE13 7PA (020 8244 0339) Lewisham rail/DLR. Breakfast served all day Mon-Fri 7am-8pm; Sat 7am-2pm. Breakfast for one with service: around £6.

Best for... veggies
The Organic Café
Thanks to the mountains of fluffy scrambled eggs with spring onions, slabs of fried halloumi, sundried tomatoes and juicy mushrooms on toast (all obviously organic), breakfast has never felt so virtuous.
The Organic Café, 12-14 Greenwich Church St, SE10 8BJ (020 8465 5577) Greenwich rail/DLR or Cutty Sark DLR. Breakfast served daily 8.30-11.30am. Breakfast for one with service: around £9.

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