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The Black Penny - Covent Garden, London, Greater London

The Black Penny - Covent Garden

4.5
4.5
44 Reviews
£25 and under
Cafe Dining

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2 people
19:00
Booked 15 times today
  • Great for brunch
  • Charming
  • Neighbourhood gem
The Black Penny Covent Garden is a unique cosy café, with bare brick walls, only a stones throw away from Covent Garden. Gourmet brunch is at the heart of what The Black Penny is famous for. Signature dishes include 'The Hunter' & 'The Gatherer', which is our take on the full English breakfast. Other signature dishes include 'Wild Mushroom Polenta Hash', 'Salt Beef' and 'Crispy Duck' hashes (try pairing with some of our fine wines and Penny cocktails). If you fancy something sweet try 'The Brioche French Toast'. Speciality coffee created at the hands of the skilled baristas is what keeps regulars coming back for their daily caffeine fix. In the mornings through lunch you can expect The Black Penny to be a popular go to café. The Black Penny values sustainability, therefore we work closely with London's best companies to ensure we meet these values. We welcome you through our doors each day, so be sure to 'find a penny' soon.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    £25 and under
  • Cuisines
    Cafe Dining, Breakfast, Cocktail Bar
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 08:00–17:00 Kitchen Daily 08:00–16:00
  • Phone number
    020 7242 2580
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Cash not accepted, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual

What 44 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseEnergetic

Loved For

  • West End London

    Great for brunch

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Black Penny in Covent Garden is a "fantastic breakfast spot" known for its excellent food and friendly service. Guests appreciate the "lovely buzz" and diverse menu, with standout vegan options and amazing coffee. The charming atmosphere and attentive staff make it a "fabulous little hidden gem."

44 Reviews
  1. Sonia

    London

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Place is cosy and nice, just too small. Tables of 2 fit just 2 plates and 2 cups of coffee! Service is quick and waiters kind Recommended for early weekend brunch before it gets too busy

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  2. Yvonne

    London

    24 reviews

    4.0

    24 reviews

    Dined on 30 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Brilliant food, very buzzy and busy. Had to wait a little for our brunch to arrive.
    The Black Penny - Covent GardenResponded on 3 December 2024
    Dear Yvonne, Thank you for taking the time to share your valuable feedback with us. We're happy to hear that you have enjoyed our food and ambience. Kind regards, TBP.

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  3. Ella

    London

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on 30 November 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 1
    Staff weren’t very happy. No space for a pushchair even though I stated I’d be bringing one when booking my table.
    The Black Penny - Covent GardenResponded on 3 December 2024
    Dear Ella, Apologies for this mishap on this occasion. We were informed the buggy was too big and struggled to fit through the doorways. We always try our best to accommodate all our customers. Again, apologies for the inconvenience caused. Kind regards, TBP

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  4. Jaimie and Sam

    VIP

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 27 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This place is super fresh and we love the service. Any time we are in town we make sure to stop in!

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  5. Elizabeth

    London

    14 reviews

    1.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on 24 November 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 1
    Made a reservation about 5 days ago and was put in the basement. Average coffee, very average food. Large portion but pretty tasteless. Service was fine but as soo as we were finished we were asked to vacate the table though seated next to vacant tables. Covent Garden has loads of nicer alternatives. Wouldn’t recommend this.
    The Black Penny - Covent GardenResponded on 26 November 2024
    Dear Elizabeth, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. Sorry to hear that you did not have an enjoyable experience with, we can assure you this is not our usual standard, therefore we will be sure to investigate why your meal may have been tasteless. Sorry to hear that you felt that you were put in the basement, this is actually our private dining room, open to general when not in use. They did have a private party booking in that room after your reservation. However, we do apologise for falling short on your expectation of us. The feedback is very much welcome as we are always looking for ways to improve. Kind regards, TBP.

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  6. Jeff

    London

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 22 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Late due to train delays, staff arranged later booking, great food as always
    The Black Penny - Covent GardenResponded on 26 November 2024
    Hi Jeff, Thank you for the feedback. Happy to hear that you enjoyed our food as always :) Take care, TBP

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  7. Andy

    Berkshire

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 19 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great food & service for brunch, will definitely be back.
    The Black Penny - Covent GardenResponded on 21 November 2024
    Thank you Andy :) Take care, TBP

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  8. Alison

    Hertfordshire

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 15 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    Food was lovely, as were hot drinks and Prosecco. We had a buyagift voucher that covered these. We had booked a table online but were berated by a member of staff for not mentioning when booking. I had previously emailed The Black Penny to book a table with voucher was told to just turn up and show voucher. So was confused when there was an issue. There was some building work going on behind the wall next to us so was noisy.
    The Black Penny - Covent GardenResponded on 18 November 2024
    Dear Alison, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. Firstly, apologies for the work going on next door, we're sure this won't be going on for much longer. Apologies for the miscommunication regarding the booking, we'll take this opportunity to remind employees on how to better speak to customers. Happy to hear you have enjoyed our food and beverages as to be expected. Take care, TBP.

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  9. Mélanie

    London

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on 12 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    This is still for me the best English breakfast in town, food is so good ! But the reception is very bad. When we went inside they were no welcome or cheers.. the waitress after was so nice though, and we felt more comfortable then. But same when we left, all the waiter had no smile on the face and never said goodbye or good day.. what a shame for such a nice place..
    The Black Penny - Covent GardenResponded on 13 November 2024
    Dear Melanie, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We’re delighted that the food made such a positive impression on you. At the same time we're sorry to hear that the initial reception and farewell didn’t reflect the warmth we aim to offer every guest. Your feedback is incredibly valuable, and we'll be sharing it with our team. We hope to welcome you back soon for another delicious breakfast and an even better overall experience. Take care, TBP

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  10. Carol

    Kent

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 9 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Lovely brunch before heading off to the theatre for a matinee performance. Great food and service and good value. As you might expect on a Saturday morning it was busy and so a little lively but we did book ahead and would recommend others do the same. We’ll definitely be back.
    The Black Penny - Covent GardenResponded on 12 November 2024
    Dear Carol, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We're happy to hear you enjoyed what The Black Penny has to offer :) Hope the show was great too. Take care, TBP

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FAQs

The Black Penny - Covent Garden is rated 4.5 stars by 44 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 15 times today
Google Map for The Black Penny - Covent Garden

34 Great Queen St, London, Greater London WC2B 5AA

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Area
    Covent Garden
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 08:00–17:00 Kitchen Daily 08:00–16:00
  • Price
    £25 and under
  • Cuisines
    Cafe Dining, Breakfast, Cocktail Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Cash not accepted, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wine
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