The 7 Best Breakfast Spots in Henley-on-Thames

Henley does mornings well. Whether you want a full English by the river before a walk, a proper coffee on Duke Street, or somewhere the children can play while your eggs arrive, the town centre has a breakfast for you. We checked the menus and opening details for seven spots that genuinely serve breakfast or brunch, all within a short stroll of Market Place.

The quick list

• Best full English: Lucy's Courtyard Café
• Best riverside: Viv's
• Best coffee: Spoon
• Best for families: d:two
• Best healthy: Geo Cafe

Viv's

Where: 13 Thameside, right by the river and a few steps from Henley Bridge.

What to order: Viv's is built around breakfast, with an all-day breakfast and brunch menu, fresh juices and a much-loved hot chocolate alongside the coffee. It was formerly the Chocolate Café, and the new name reflects how much more it now serves.

The vibe: Warm, friendly and family focused, with the Thames on your doorstep for a post-breakfast wander. Even dogs are looked after, with dog ice cream on the menu. Start here if you want breakfast with a river view and no rush. Viv's

Lucy's Courtyard Café

Where: In the courtyard of The Three Tuns, 5 Market Place.

What to order: The all-day menu runs from a traditional full English, with sausage, bacon and black pudding from Gabriel Machin butchers, to eggs benedict, classic sausage or bacon baps and a Spanish style pan con tomate, a nod to owner Lucy's Portuguese roots. Smashed avocado on toast comes with extras such as chorizo, smoked salmon or feta, and there are smoothies and milkshakes to drink.

The vibe: Sunshine yellow inside, tables out in the pub courtyard, and doors open from 7.30am for the early birds. Lucy's Courtyard Café

Spoon

Where: 45 Duke Street.

What to order: Spoon pours Extract Coffee, and regulars rate the full English and the avocado on toast with poached eggs. The sourdough comes from Lawlor's, the local bakery, and owner Sandra bakes fruit and cheese scones fresh each day.

The vibe: A cosy deli café with outdoor seating for people watching on Duke Street. Published hours are Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 4.30pm and Sunday 9.30am to 4pm, so it is an easy first stop before the shops. Spoon

Geo Cafe

Where: 7 Friday Street.

What to order: This family run Georgian café, bakery and grocery bakes organic sourdough and pastries daily. Its all-day breakfast menu stars the Eggsellent Brunch, free range eggs cooked your way or Kikliko, the Geo take on French toast, with toppings such as halloumi, feta or chorizo and an optional kick of green ajika. Plant based eaters are well served too, with dishes like the aubergine and walnut wrap.

The vibe: Somewhere between a bakery, a deli and a café, and the healthiest feeling start on this list. Geo Cafe

Harris + Hoole

Where: 1-3 Duke Street, at the Market Place end of town.

What to order: The chain's thing is single-origin, speciality coffee, and the Henley branch serves breakfast, lunch and pastries through the day, so think a flat white with something warm from the counter.

The vibe: Rustic, spacious and relaxed, with plenty of seating, which makes it a handy pick when the independents have queues out of the door. Harris + Hoole

d:two

Where: 55-57 Market Place.

What to order: Coffee, homemade cakes and fair priced food from this community café and family centre, run with Henley Baptist Church. The Saturday Dad's Breakfast at 9.30am has become a local fixture.

The vibe: The one to choose with small children. There is a small play area, soft play runs on weekday mornings from 9.15am to 11.30am, and the café is open weekdays from 9am to 2pm. d:two

Hot Gossip

Where: 15 Reading Road, a short walk from Market Place.

What to order: Keep it classic with a bacon butty or a sausage roll, followed by homemade cake. Visit Henley sums it up as a wonderful little coffee shop with coffee, homemade cakes and soups.

The vibe: Small, friendly and keenly priced, the sort of place locals pop into rather than queue for. Hot Gossip

Good to know

Thursday is Charter Market day in Market Place, and the cafés around the square fill up fast, so go early or pick a spot a street away. Most places on this list are walk-in cafés rather than bookable restaurants, so at weekends it pays to arrive before ten, and where a venue does take bookings it is worth making one for a Saturday. Menus and hours can change with the seasons, so check the venue's page before a special trip.

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Header photo: Viv's, Thameside.