Here to Eat the Best Full English Breakfast in London
It rarely happens. A hospitality experience you will never forget for the rest of your life. It happened to me and 5 friends in London. In a small, busy place that we walked into without any expectations. Hungover from the night before, very hungry and craving a good English Breakfast, we experienced several magical hours.
“Mom makes everything fresh”
It started outside. When we were standing in line at E. Pellicci waiting to go inside, with about 3 groups ahead of us. A small, sweet Italian man enthusiastically came outside with chips & vinegar. He told us the day’s specials “Mom makes everything fresh everyday. Today she has a wonderful lasagne and steak and ale pie”. He promised us it wouldn’t be long and took our orders in advance. “Six Full English Breakfasts please”, we said in unison.
After a while, we were able to go inside. The place was brown, small and packed. Families, tourists, old mafiosi; it was all there. The old mafioso sitting there, complete with bowler hat and Versace shoes, had everything to do with the history of this Italian café in London. The notorious mafia brothers, the Kray Brothers, used to come here every morning for their cuppa.
So much, so greasy, so delicious.
Our lovely waiter, Nevio Pellicci, was wonderfully busy and had a very sweet face. He spoke proudly about the place and his family. He could even point out his family members, while orders and drinks were being loudly shouted back and forth in Italian among all the employees. We asked about a cake in the display window, what exactly it was, and before we knew it he came back with a piece of delicious sponge cake with red fruit, cut into six pieces for us to taste. Delicious. And then came the “breakfasts”. I am still amazed that we didn’t drop dead after eating these monster meals. So much, so greasy, so delicious. The English Breakfast was prepared perfectly. The sausage juicy, the egg yolk runny and the toast crispy and buttery. With a cup of tea with milk, we felt like a couple of Londoners in that special Italian joint.
“You want more?”
After struggling to finish the last bites of white beans in tomato sauce, our friend Nevio joined us again. He saw our after-dinner slump kicking in and asked “You want more food?” I don’t know whether it was a joke. But our answer was yes. We wanted more. We had to try Grandma Pellicci’s desserts, even if they killed us. The most delicious messy tiramisu and custard pudding followed.
Homesickness
If it wasn’t already for the food, then it would be for the lovely Pellicci family, who work incredibly hard there 6 days a week. You eat wonderfully and chat with the locals in the restaurant. When Nevio found out that a friend of mine was celebrating her birthday, the entire place sang happy birthday to her, including the mafia boss with the Versace shoes. Ladies and gentlemen, this place is worth it. Wait in the cold, take an extra tube ride; you won’t be disappointed. I often think back to Nevio and I miss his mother’s cooking. On my next trip to London, I know which place I’ll visit first.
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