Good Food Blog

British cafes

Posted at 9:43AM, 18 January 2008 by Graham Holliday - blogger

The food's not good, the surroundings are a formican nightmare and more often than not the air is thick with century's old grease, but we Brits love our greasy spoons. The essential stop off of choice for truck drivers the length of the country is a calorie radiating beacon on a bleak British winter road filled with the promise of a steaming mug of tea and a diet killing menu.

I used to be a regular at Bob's Cafe, a trucker's favourite near the Midlands village of Dunchurch just down the road from the Laughing Dog dog biscuit factory. As far as I remember the biscuits didn't make it onto the menu... Bob doled out greasy staples of bacon, eggs, chips, beans, sausages and pies - all delivered with sliced white and slabs of butter. It was served on sticky tables laden with refillable plastic sauce bottles, their lids caked with telltale crusty brown and red entrails.

Most British cafes, excluding the likes of the recently closed New Piccadilly, are an aesthetic mess, which makes their enduring appeal all the more intriguing. Transportcafe.co.uk meticulously details the delights of 'A' Road cafes from Aberdeen to Horsham, eggsbaconchipsandbeans does much the same in towns and cities, and Classic Cafes elevates formica, velour and grease to high art. It seems even Marco Pierre White has an eye for the British caff. He was recently spotted scouting out cafes for a new TV series on Morecombe promenade. What about you? Got a favourite truck stop or side street cafe gem to share?

Post a comment

Comments

  • Binder photo Barney
    18 January, 3:56PM

    Barney

    Open QuoteI love nothing more than an artery clogging Full English so full of sodium that it makes me sweat. What I find off-putting though is the shear cheapness of the average greasy-spoon ingredients, I might be totally missing the point but I would rather pay a bit more for a proper butter than lashings of ‘value-spread’ on my sliced white. With that in mind my happy-medium greasy spoon of the moment is Bridge-The-Gap on Askew Road, Acton London. For the best breakfasts in London, though worlds apart from a transport café, I can’t recommend Smiths of Smithfield higher and the perfect way to start one of those all-day special days (weddings, stag dos, day without children)is an early Full English at the Wolseley.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo noodlepie
    18 January, 7:03PM

    noodlepie

    Open QuoteBut Barney, doe s Full English last you the whole day i.e. do you skip lunch, next stop dinner? If I have a really big Full English at a reasonably early hour lunch is replaced by activity... or sleep.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo angela
    20 January, 3:17PM

    angela

    Open QuoteThe whole idea is totally disgusting and goes with the concept of obese men with their guts spilling over their trousers. I work in an operating theatre and see the mounds of fat surgeons have to wade their way through.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Barney
    21 January, 1:43PM

    Barney

    Open QuoteNoodlepie, a full English is treated as brunch, regardless of the time of day it’s eaten so no lunch would be required. Angela, the rules to what I eat is everything in moderation. Cooking and eating are my biggest joys and I wouldn’t deny myself anything I find tasty, that said, I certainly wouldn’t eat a cooked breakfast every morning, I don’t smoke and take regular exercise so at my last check-up I was declared slightly underweight. ‘Guts spilling over trousers’ is never a good look but I would say that comes from years of bad diet without any exercise rather than the occasional greedy pleasure.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo White Jeans
    21 January, 2:42PM

    White Jeans

    Open QuoteYou can't beat a proper cup of British tea drunk in Britain. It's one thing I look forward to when coming back from holidays.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo squizita
    23 January, 11:07AM

    squizita

    Open QuoteI've lived with doctors and nurses, angela. They enjoy a good fry up as much as the next person- in moderation. Most obesity now is down to 'modern' takeaways like KFC, Pizza etc', washed down with booze. A 'working man's' (or womans') breakfast followed by a day's graft is entirely different. The Unthank Kitchen in Norwich and the Ace (the famous biker caff) in Park Royal are my two faves. The Unthank Kitchen is reputed to be run by pop star/writer Cathy Dennis' parents! I always remember their breakfasts- none of that grimy stickiness, lovely clean and sunny. But still a traditional caff.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Debora
    24 January, 9:30AM

    Debora

    Open QuoteA full english breakfast is the first meal I always have when I come to England! I've lived in the UK for several years before moving back to Italy, and greasy breakfast are one of the things I miss the most!

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Barney
    24 January, 9:31AM

    Barney

    Open QuoteI completely forgot about The Ace in Park Royal – good call..

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Madge66
    24 January, 11:23AM

    Madge66

    Open QuoteI love American breakfasts. Much better than the English version. Grits I wouldn't recommend though!!!

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo malcolmeggs
    26 January, 2:09PM

    malcolmeggs

    Open QuoteIt was a dreadful shame about the New Piccadilly. When I went to review it (this comment is partly (or is that wholly?) a subtle plug), I was struck by its immense beauty and rather undercooked bacon. The food doesn't have to be bad - one of the best greasy spoon fry-ups for my money is found at Rossi Restaurant in Spitalfields, just by the ukelele shop and that splendid pub The Golden Heart. Malcolm Eggs Editor The London Review of Breakfasts www.londonreviewofbreakfasts.co.uk "To eat well in England, you should have a breakfast three times a day." (W Somerset Maugham)

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo malcolmeggs
    28 January, 4:59PM

    malcolmeggs

    Open QuoteSorry about that last post - all my line breaks disappeared.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo igglepiggle
    20 February, 10:22PM

    igglepiggle

    Open QuoteThe World Famous Comfort Café (www.comfortcafe.co.uk) Fourwentways Service Area, Little Abington, Cambridge CB1 6AP (A11) This is my favourite stop first founded in 1922. excellent food massive amounts of choice several different menus based around different types of food. Check out their website. Great out side area with seating for those sunny days or you need a ciggie... Great motorbike venue for ride outs too made very welcome. Families too they have childrens menu`s... Just fab

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Leave a comment or suggestion

You must sign in or register to leave a comment.

Sign in / Register

Subscribe to Good Food

Good Food Magazine

Subscribe to Good Food and enjoy inspired recipes delivered to your door every month. Order today and receive your first 3 issues for just £3. Order today!

Shows

BBC Good Food shows

Looking forward to this year's Good Food shows? Find out everything you need know, from dates to ticket prices here.

Foodie TV

Food on TV

TV listings on
Radio Times

Saturday Kitchen, BBC1, Saturdays at 10am.

The Food Programme, Radio 4, Sundays at 12.30pm.

Shopping

Shopping

Buy one Le Creuset casserole and get one free! Only £105 with free p&p.

For more great buys visit Lifestyles direct.