Insider Guide: Awesome Brunch Spots in St Albans 🥑

St Albans is a gorgeous cathedral city located in Hertfordshire, England. After spending a few years living down the road in Hemel Hempstead, I’ve got to know all of the hidden gems and the top brunch spots in St Albans you simply won’t want to miss.

Whether you’re looking for a bottomless brunch experience in St Albans, or some simple classics like pancake stacks or avo on toast, read on to discover exactly where to head for the best brunch in this beautiful city.

#1 Hatch

When it comes to brunch spots in St Albans, Hatch should top your list. This award-winning eatery is unlike most traditional brunch spots in the city, as it puts a bit of a twist on everything.

For example, Hatch serves brunch classics like waffles (but adds chicken schnitzel) or eggs benedict (but with truffle) to make their dishes extra tasty and unique.

Hatch is also known for serving the best burgers in St Albans, with people lining up every week to sample this delicious treat.

If you need to get some work done, the free WIFI here makes Hatch a great place to be productive with an iced latte (or cocktail) in hand! 🤓

#2 Waffle House

Looking for the best Belgian waffles in town? Head to the Waffle House which offers an organic-waffle-to-table experience.

From a classic full English to smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, Waffle House does all your favourite breakfast foods, but serves them on waffles!

Don’t have a sweet tooth? That’s no problem, Waffle House offers lots of savoury waffles and a range of other breakfast options as well.

What makes the Waffle House stand out as a special brunch spot in St Albans:

• Almost all ingredients and toppings are farm-to-table
• 100% of bottled water profits are returned to Belu (an ethical, carbon-neutral company that gives 100% of its profits to WaterAid)
• The waffles are made using white, wholemeal, or spelt flour made in the local mill
• Waffle House makes annual donations to international charities that protect the environment

This is a super popular brunch spot in St Albans – when it’s sunny the queue can reach St Michael’s Street!

#3 Slug and Lettuce

Looking for a Bottomless Brunch experience in St Albans? Head to the Slug and Lettuce.

Since this is a cocktail bar and well-known UK chain, any drinks you order during your two-hour session are guaranteed to be delicious!

As part of the brunch deal, you’ll get to line your stomach with the delightful breakfast food on offer, such as a full English, eggs benedict and smashed avocado on toast. Plus, you’ll get unlimited glasses of Prosecco, Pints of Amstel, Mimosas, Bloody Marys, Aperol Spritz, Virgin Marys or alternately a choice of soft drinks.

If you want to try something a bit different, go for the ‘Pornstar pancakes’ which are topped with a Prosecco, vodka mango and passionfruit compote! 

This brunch experience in St Albans is available every day (who says Mondays have to be boring?) but you will need to pre-book.

#4 The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club in St Albans serves a HUGE variety of classic dishes like a full English, french toast or pancakes. But the brunch menu also has some unique dishes, like their hippie breakfast, crazy eggs benedict, or their breakfast naan!

If you love Frozen yogurt, the Breakfast Club is actually one of the only places in St Albans serving froyo, which is the perfect treat to grab before strolling around the picturesque city during the warm summer months.

#5 Bill’s

As one of the most popular places to dine at in the UK, Bill’s is a great shout if you’re hungry for some brunch in St Albans.

There aren’t many places that serve better pancake stacks than Bill’s (in my humble opinion!)

But if pancakes aren’t your thing 😲, Bill’s has a diverse range of brunch options to choose from, including all the classics and a Mediterranean style breakfast. There’s also a range of tasty vegetarian options too.

What I like about Bill’s is that it has a lovely eclectic and home from home kinda vibe.

#6 Megan’s at the Old Bell

Having won numerous awards for its bottomless brunch, Megan’s at the Old Bell offers one of the best brunches in St Albans, making it the perfect place for a special and delicious occasion!

Megan’s offers a modern spin on Turkish food and is one of the only places in the city to serve shakshouka (which I highly recommend trying). They have lots of other delicious brunch options too, including classics like smashed avo and eggs benedict with a freshly made hollandaise sauce.

You’ll love the location of this St Albans brunch spot. It’s right on Chequer Street and its terrace overlooks the Maltings Shopping Centre, so there’s lots to do post brunch if you’re looking to have an awesome day out in the city.

#7 The Beech House

The Beech House, located on the main high street, is another lovely venue in St Albans that offers a bottomless brunch, available until 4pm.

Prices here are super reasonable (£35 per person) and the vibes are great, with the most attentive and friendly staff ever.

As part of the package, you’ll get one item from the brunch menu and as much Prosecco, Mimosas, Craft Beers or Coffee as you can handle (just be careful not to go overboard!)

#8 Verdis

Verdis is located on the corner of Clarence Park and opens super early (at 8am everyday) so it’s a great option if you’re an early riser.

They serve Italian-style breakfast, amazing coffee and tasty paninis or pizzas for brunch.

For me though, the real highlight is that Verdis is VERY dog friendly – they even serve doggy ice cream!

If you don’t fancy eating in, you can also take your food to eat in the park.

#9 Blacksmiths Arms

While a pub might not be the first place you’d think of when considering brunch spots in St Albans, the Blacksmiths Arms actually offers an award-winning bottomless brunch!

This pub is located in the city centre and ranked as one of the best pubs in St Albans. Since you can stay here for as long as you like after your bottomless experience, the Blacksmiths Arms is a great venue for brunching and hanging out with a group of friends.

As part of their bottomless package, you’ll get to drink as much beer, cocktails, or prosecco as you like, alongside a varied choice of food. From tasty burgers to jackfruit crumpets, there’s something for everyone to enjoy here.

#10 Craft and Cleaver

Another little surprise entry on this list is Craft and Cleaver, located just off the high street on Catherine Street. Despite being a place that specialises in barbecues, it’s considered one of the best places for bottomless brunch in St Albans.

Craft and Cleaver is well known for serving up tasty meats in their wood-fired smokers, so heading here for brunch one weekend provides a great opportunity to try it out for yourself.

The brunch menu offers unique dishes like an open burrito and delicious milkshakes, making it more diverse than most other brunch spots in St Albans. In terms of alcoholic beverages, Craft and Cleaver serves a range of breakfast cocktails, craft beers, and bubbles.

One of the best aspects of Craft and Cleaver is that it’s one of the only places you can enjoy an alfresco brunch in St Albans, as it’s got a pretty courtyard that’s covered and has heated booths.

#11 The Ivy

The Ivy St Albans offer a Weekend and Bank holiday brunch in an art deco inspired space – perfect for getting some stunning Instagram content! 

They offer some seriously tasty and unique options such as Truffle Arancini, Zucchini fritti and Avocado Benedict, so head here if you’re looking for something a little boujee and unique.

#12 50nine

50nine is an award winning brunch eatery, with a range of globally influenced burgers, pasta dishes, and breakfasts including wellness bowls.

Their speciality coffee menu is particularly unique – I highly recommend trying their black forest latte!

Top tip: Book ahead of time as 50nine is one of the most popular and trendy places to get brunch in St Albans.

Note: The parking situation can be challenging here as 50nine is right across from the station. You can either pay for parking in the multi-story or look for any available free parking off High Town Road.

#13 The Pudding Stop

The Pudding Stop is an absolute must on your St Albans itinerary. Everything about this adorable little British bakery is fabulous and worth traveling from anywhere for.

It’s owned by British Bake-Off contestant, Johnny Shepherd and is the ideal place to eat in St Albans if you’re short on time.

If you can only try one thing from the menu, it’s got to be the Butterscotch Blondie which is simply to die for!

The Pudding Stop has become a local favourite and is undoubtedly the best restaurant in St Albans for anyone with a sweet tooth.

FAQs:

Usual opening hours for brunch in St Albans?

Most of the best brunch places in St Albans are open at 9am or 10am and serve brunch until midday or sometimes early afternoon. Usually places offering bottomless brunch in St Albans only do so on the weekends, so don’t miss out and check this in advance before heading to any of these awesome brunch spots.

Should I book brunch in St Albans in advance?

I recommend booking in advance if you plan on having brunch in St Albans, especially if you have anywhere on this list in mind. This is because lots of people come to St Albans specifically for brunch, especially at the weekends. Whenever I’ve been to Hatch, I’ve genuinely booked it about two weeks in advance as it gets booked up quickly!

What are the Best Picnic Spots in St Albans?

If you don’t book your St Albans brunch in advance and end up without a table, you could always get a meal to go, as there are tons of great picnic spots to enjoy here. A few local favourite picnic spots in St Albans include Clarence Park, St Albans Cathedral Vintry Garden and Verulamium Park.

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed my guide to the best brunch spots in St Albans – if there’s somewhere amazing I should add to this list please do let me know in the comments below! 🫶

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