English Breakfast and Pub

[BryanZ]

I'm in London now, enjoying various eG dining recommendations. What I would like, however, is somewhere I can find a quintesentially traditional English breakfast. Ideally this breakfast would be quite affordable and, more importantly, near Marble Arch or Bloomsbury. I'm staying on Oxford Street but realize I probably won't find much right there; I'm looking for something that may be located off a side street or something that I might not otherwise have noticed. I'm also spending some time by UCL's campus, so that's why I mentioned the Bloomsbury area.

Any good pubs, maybe with some history, by Marble Arch/Bond St tube stops would also be great. Ideally walking distance just for a quick pint or two would be better rather than something that's a tube or bus ride away.

Thanks.

[Charlie O]

Hmmm - sounds like what you want is a good breakfast from a greasy spoon cafe. Reasonably near you is the New Piccadilly (Denham St, just off Piccadilly Circus). There's more information on it here (as well as profiles of lots of other cafes if it is too far out of the way): click

If you're on your way to UCL, you can pass through the Covent Garden/Neal Street area which will have a many nondescript places to try. Monmouth Coffee is also around that area - IMO best coffee in London - though you won't get a quintessentially traditional English breakfast there.

For pubs, I tend to use Fancy a Pint.com which gives a good guide to old man's pubs across London.

[gethin]

I'm in London now, enjoying various eG dining recommendations.  What I would like, however, is somewhere I can find a quintesentially traditional English breakfast.  Ideally this breakfast would be quite affordable and, more importantly, near Marble Arch or Bloomsbury.  I'm staying on Oxford Street but realize I probably won't find much right there; I'm looking for something that may be located off a side street or something that I might not otherwise have noticed.  I'm also spending some time by UCL's campus, so that's why I mentioned the Bloomsbury area.

Any good pubs, maybe with some history, by Marble Arch/Bond St tube stops would also be great.  Ideally walking distance just for a quick pint or two would be better rather than something that's a tube or bus ride away.

Thanks.

←

if you want to kill both birds with one stone:

The Cock Tavern, Smithfield

Gethin

[nikkib]

For history try the Mitre on Ely place just off charter house st in farringdon. One of oldest pubs in london dating back to 16th century (i think) v. quaint and worth stopping off for a pint in.

[BryanZ]

The Cock Tavern seems interesting. Has anyone been? Is it seedy as it sounds? Not that that's necessarily a bad thing.

[naebody]

Time Out provided a peerless Zone One pubs guide a few weeks ago.

As for Smithfield breakfasts, I prefer Sir Loin to the Cock. (These are places that pre-date innuendo.) It is nevertheless worth remembering that the average greasy spoon breakfast is, not to put too fine a point on it, repulsive. If your goal is something edible, the Wolseley (Piccadilly) and Roast (Borough) both do their best to reinterpret the processed-meat-and-lard theme, albeit at a price.

[Winot]

Good pubs in Bloomsbury include the Lamb on Lamb's Conduit St, Princess Louise on High Holborn, and the Duke (of York) on Roger St. Have a play on fancyapint.com for details.

[Peter H]

I like the beer in the Yorkshire Grey in Langham Street (not far from Oxford Circus). There's always the Marylebone Tup in Marylebone High Street - not quite as much history, but you can eat your own food there, so you could check out the charcuterie round the corner in the Ginger Pig and the cheese in La Fromagerie </pseuds corner alert>

Edited March 13, 2007 by Peter H (log)

[MSchmidt909]

a few years back, the best breakfast I had while I was in London was at Providores.

http://www.theprovidores.co.uk/intro.html

[sandra]

A good caff is Blandford Cafe on BLandford Street (almost on the corner of Paddington Street - typical b'fast and just a walk up Baker Street from Marble Arch

In that area, there s a teeny little pub called The Feathers just off Gloucester Place

[Baggy]

For the atmosphere and good prices Smithfield is ‘tops’, go early for the authentic experience as the market is all but closed up by 9am. Just choose the one that has the most appeal (and has an empty seat). Best time is to try around 7am when the market is starting to run down and the night shift at the local hospital is ending.

For quintessential, but not cheap, try any of the luxury hotels around Oxford Street – Ritz, Savoy, Connaught, Browns, and many others. Don’t overlook the Wolseley restaurant for a good breakfast experience (it will probably set you back £20, rather than the £30-35 for the hotels).

You might also try one of the many small cafes – the experience of sitting in a cramped booth, with a large plate of egg, beans, sausage, bacon and toast (and pasteurised OJ) is something you won’t forget. Strong, brewed tea is the best accompaniment. It’s heavy, and you may want some exercise before lunch.

Looking at the menu card is helpful as many places serve ‘fry ups’ (and all-day breakfasts) even though the main dishes served throughout the day are Italian (it’s a history of the West End thing!). There’s a nicely run place in a side street opposite Selfridges called ‘The Lucky Spot’ in Audley Street (don’t know what time they open).

And if you’re headed over towards Covent Garden there’s a place in Chandos Street (just behind Charing Cross police station), which I believe is called Porky’s Pantry. It’s often overlooked and not being on a main thoroughfare, not always so busy.

Let us know where you go.

[PoppySeedBagel]

The Fox & Anchor, also in Smithfield does jolly good fry-ups from very early in the morning right through the day. The bacon was superb a couple of years ago. They have a lovely little private room seating about 6.

The Mitre sure is quaint but the food is v. basic. It's also often full of tourists.

Edited March 14, 2007 by PoppySeedBagel (log)

[rjs1]

FAnd if you’re headed over towards Covent Garden there’s a place in Chandos Street (just behind Charing Cross police station), which I believe is called Porky’s Pantry.  It’s often overlooked and not being on a main thoroughfare, not always so busy.

←

I used to live about 100 yards from this and the smells emerging from it whenever I went past would make me retch without fail. Never went inside for obvious reasons, but I'd say avoid.

[nikkib]

The Fox & Anchor, also in Smithfield does jolly good fry-ups from very early in the morning right through the day.  The bacon was superb a couple of years ago.  They have a lovely little private room seating about 6. 

The Mitre sure is quaint but the food is v. basic.  It's also often full of tourists.

←

oh basic is right - pork pies from a packet and toasted sandwiches (done in the toaster) in the bar but worth a pint if your nearby even if its just to check out the next door chapel where Henry viii married Catherine of Aragon...

[nikkib]

The Fox & Anchor, also in Smithfield does jolly good fry-ups from very early in the morning right through the day.  The bacon was superb a couple of years ago.  They have a lovely little private room seating about 6. 

The Mitre sure is quaint but the food is v. basic.  It's also often full of tourists.

←

The Fox & Anchor, also in Smithfield does jolly good fry-ups from very early in the morning right through the day.  The bacon was superb a couple of years ago.  They have a lovely little private room seating about 6. 

The Mitre sure is quaint but the food is v. basic.  It's also often full of tourists.

←

oh basic is right - pork pies from a packet and toasted sandwiches (done in the toaster) in the bar but worth a pint if you're nearby even if its just to check out the next door chapel where Henry viii married Catherine of Aragon...

[Zoticus]

Simpsons in the Strand does the 'Ten Deadly Sins', which is pretty hard to beat.

[Jon Tseng]

Simpsons in the Strand does the 'Ten Deadly Sins', which is pretty hard to beat.

←

Ten Deadly Sins was good on paper but surprisingly miserly in practice when I tried it... NB however this was at least three years ago.

Cock Tavern is was plentiful and cheap n' cheerful when I went. Don't expect anything too fancy, it is at heart a greasy spoon in a basement. But worthwhile.

Fox and Anchor at Smithfields good. They also do brekkie on Sat I think.

Sir Loin I've always wanted to go but never got round to. Always think it looks worth a shot.

Providores brunch is fantastic.

J