U.K. and Ireland - The Full Monty

Toast and marmalade, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, grilled bacon and sausages, sautéed potatoes -- you know, the lot.

Anybody know where? :D

P.S.: No buffets unless especially, especially good.

VERY VERY VERY tough question!

The main fact to consider is that the sausage is THE pivotal point of a breakfast. Bacon, eggs etc, are all foreplay, the sausage is the crux and end all of a breakfast.

So forget the cheap cafes, their sausages cost approximately 1 pence each for them to buy.

I'm going to pitch you a couple of higher end places to get you going, and I'm sure that at some point a row will break out about exactly what constitutes a breakfast. Another thing to consider is, is this breakfast going to be following a night of alcohol fuelled debauchery, a 'who the hell cares about the calories' breakfast or a 'i want the taste whilst trying to be light' breakfast -for the sake of interest I shall pretend the last category doesn't exist.

These are in no particular order:

Vingt Quatre (http://www.vingtquatre.co.uk/thefood.aspx): 325 Fulham Road, well known because its open 24 hours a day, very handy if you're in the area, but also very crowded in the early hours of the morning, Gordon Ramsey sometimes pops in after closing his restaurant with his staff, and if its good enough for him...


Electric Brasserie (http://www.electricbrasserie.com/menu_breakfast.php) Its in Nottinghill Gate, don't even think about going there on a saturday or sunday morning as it will be packed with people air-kissing each other, they have the cheek to call it the Full Electric Breakfast, but good it is.

Patisserie Valerie (http://www.patisserie-valerie.co.uk/index.php?sid=eed9393e051b&p=outlets&PHPSESSID=13b69ed0b69096129781296316fd6929) (french chain!) also serves worringly good english breakfasts and has excellent cakes etc to boot.

Simpsons in the Strand (http://www.london-eating.co.uk/2003.htm) is a high end place, which for a little while now has been doing English breakfasts, recommended with a Bloody Mary. Its smart casual and not cheap, but I've heard good things about the quinessintiality (sp??) of it there -I haven't been there (yet)

Take your pick.. never been let down by their recommendations

The London Review of Breakfasts (http://londonreviewofbreakfasts.blogspot.com/)

A personal favourite if you are in the City

Smith's of Smithfield (http://www.smithsofsmithfield.co.uk/groundA.htm#)

A personal favourite if you are in the City

Smith's of Smithfield (http://www.smithsofsmithfield.co.uk/groundA.htm#)To be assured of a table on Sundays, go right at opening time - 9.30, IIRC. Worth the effort.

To be assured of a table on Sundays, go right at opening time - 9.30, IIRC. Worth the effort.

Definitely, top breako, excellent quality ingredients and sharp service. I normally have a full on fry up, but last time I had the Eggs Benedict, superb..!

Mrs PG and I went one Saturday before Christmas when they open at 10:00 (?), there was 15/20 other punters waiting when we turned up and when we left about 45 mins later all the seats had gone and they were waiting outside.

Never been though in the evening, anyone got any comments..?

aceman's sausage axiom notwithstanding, if you are interested in cheap caffs, you could do worse than:

Soho greasy spoon: Bar Bruno (corner of Wardour and Peter Street).
Covent Garden greasy spoon: Can't remember its name but there's a great Italian run greasy spoon on Macklin Street just off Drury Lane.

However, I too like a decent sausage, so don't go to the above places that often. You might consider:

Oxford street midscale: The Eagle Bar & Diner (Rathbone Place)
Covent Garden midscale: Joe Allen (Exeter St) - certainly on a Sunday and I think a Saturday too.
Piccadilly Posh: The Wolseley

A lovely list -- keep 'em coming! :D

Any updates or additions to the Full Monty list? Will be staying in Bloomsbury in mid October.

Thanks!

Since I do not eat red meat I cannot comment on whether or not certain cafes or caffs have a higher form of sausage life than others......but.

The Omelette Arnold Bennett at the Wolseley is quite delicious, if a bit baveuse.

Bar Remo, on Princes Street not far from Regent Street, offers a very good egg and chips as well as pasta dishes; I think the eggs had been scrambled with a jet of steam as one would froth milk for a cappuccino. Nice.

From Bloomsbury walk up to the Euston Road and take the number 205 towards Mile End. Alight at Windsor Terrace - two or three stops past Angel - and toddle along to the lime green Shepherdess Cafe. V good scrambled egg and yummy fat chips along with proper builders' tea.

E Pellicci - a perennial favourite. Superlative everything, with some very tasty individuallly cooked bubble and squeak on the plate. Even better builders' tea.

There are plenty of food kiosks, restos and cafes along Whitecross Street, there to feed hungry City boys and girls. They're all right but the Elite Cafe offers a bang up breakfast at a tiny, tiny price.

I haven't been for a couple of years, but the Piccolo Bar on Queen Victoria Street (not too far from Blackfriars) is a caff with breakkie options aplenty, or was when I was there last. Hidden in the City but worth seeking out.