Breakfast or bakery, Trafalgar Square

There’s a Pret on the south side of Trafalgar Square

There are a couple of Pret a Manger shops near Trafalgar Square. You can Google their locations to see which is closest to your hotel as well as their menu. They are our go to when we are in the UK and don’t want what is on offer at the hotel.

+1 for Pret. Or alternatively Caffe Nero, which is another chain - there's one right on Trafalgar Square. Both brands are all over London, and Pret in particular is also food for sandwiches and light hot food at lunch.

You can also Google bakeries near Trafalgar Square and a good number of them pop up in the search.

They're not open for breakfast, but did want to put a plug in for Cafe in the Crypt at St. Martin's in the Field church, right off Trafalgar Square. It's one of my favorite eating places in London. Very good food, reasonable prices, and you get to eat amongst many very old floor tombs. It's such a lovely spot!

I agree with Mardee. Cafe in the Crypt at St. Martin in the Fields for dinner.

Gail’s bakery, wonderful bakery for breakfast and also lunch. A short five minute walk on the east side of the square.
https://gails.com/

Cafe Nero has good coffee and some pastries and is close by.

Each of these is about a 10 minute walk away:
1) Fabrique Bakery on Earlham Street has fantastic freshly-baked Swedish cinnamon rolls and cardamom rolls, as well as coffee.
2) Dishoom on Upper St Martin’s Lane serves a great Indian breakfast. It is my favorite place for a sit-down breakfast. I like the bacon and egg naan roll.
3) Monmouth Coffee on Monmouth Street has outstanding coffee.

Thank you, everyone! Sure appreciate the suggestions.

There’s Bill’s if want a sit down meal or breakfast for dinner. Soho and Covent garden locations.

https://bills-website.co.uk/locations/

Right by the Leicester Square tube station is a donut and pastry shop. I’ve picked up some tasty treats here and left in the room for dessert.

https://donutelier.co.uk/

Prêt à Manger is usually convenient in a pinch, but the quality of the food is less than desirable. I am sure there are better choices, but probably more expensive.

I'm curious about the comment about the quality of Pret food. It is made fresh every day in each individual Pret.

What caused the comment?

The food in Pret is fine but if you’re comparing their pastries to those that you’d get from a proper bakery then they are inferior. They’re only made fresh in the sense that the frozen raw product is delivered to stores and then cooked on site.

Should add that it’s a lot cheaper than an artisan bakery so I am more than happy to go there and do regularly!

I agree with you Helen. It just isn't as good as what I am used to here in Canada or absolutely anywhere on Mainland Europe. There are so many better places in London, and although cheapish and fills you up, it doesn't have much else going for it!

A better chain that seems to be everywhere in London now is Ole and Steen. It’s a Danish bakery.

Pret is fast food and should be judged as such. It's fine. I like to get a cheese and ham toastie and a coffee. They have the lunch time market for ordinary people who work in London sewn up. I like Greggs too, but I'd hesitate to recommend it as good food. I had a sausage roll and a regular latte at Liverpool Street station yesterday and it cost me £3.18. Can't argue with that.

I think that the salads, wraps and sandwiches are pretty good at Pret.

Hard to argue with a coffee for a quid, and sometimes free.

Great to listen to this conversation - so appreciate the suggestions - thanks again!

Prêt à Manger is usually convenient in a pinch, but the quality of the food is less than desirable. I am sure there are better choices, but probably more expensive.

I agree. They used to be good but have gone downhill over the years. The quality has deteriorated and they're a lot more stingy with the fillings than they used to be.