The Breakfast Club, London
Pancake stack with cream, berries, and syrup. Yes, it was a good day. Photo by L Royds
A quick disclaimer: I haven’t watched the film of the same so I definitely miss any references in the cafés and menus.
So, the Breakfast Club. It’s a collection of restaurants dotted around London – they literally have spots from Angel to Croydon. I’ve been to a few cafés and at each the food has been good, the staff so kind and friendly, and the vibe relaxed. For me: this is the perfect combination.
The menu
The Breakfast Club menus cover all the breakfast staples: eggs, pancakes, and different types of breads. They also give a selection of sweet and savoury or a mix.
They have all the ready-made options like an English breakfast (they also have an American breakfast), shakshuka, eggs benedict, and even breakfast sandwiches. The real appeal of their menu, for me, is how customisable it is. You can go for one of the foods we’ve all come to associate with eating out for breakfast or can you create a combination of elements you enjoy (like maybe toast, eggs, and avocado). You can order from Eggs All Day and have toast with eggs and two sides (choose from meat, vegetarian, or vegan) or you can have smashed avocado on toast with two sides from the meat or vegetarian selection.
Then the pancakes. Yum. They’re the thick American-style stacked pancakes (Makes sense since the film is American – at least this is a reference I do understand). You can have them savoury with meat, eggs, and potatoes or you can enjoy some sweet fruit, cream, or compote. And, because they really get breakfast, you can even have waffles or French toast.
It seems simple enough – let people choose what they want to eat. But I’ve found that more breakfast places get so stuck trying to put a fresh spin on breakfast food, that they forget that sometimes there are specific things you’d like on your plate. The Breakfast Club gets that. You can choose a dish they put together for you or you can compile your own plate of food.
The vibe
I feel like the staff at the Breakfast Club are happy to have me there and they have things to do. It means they are friendly and attentive while not hovering over me or staring at me while I eat (yes, this has happened to me). I feel both welcome and not the centre of attention. I really like that. It has meant that each time I have visited one of these spots, I could sit quietly and enjoy my meal, spend some time reflecting, or have a brief chat to one of the team.
I’ve chatted to team members about hair products, top tips for living in London, birthdays (I had a birthday meal there once), and lessons in life. I also like that the restaurants seem to fit perfectly into their locale – they have the signature menu, design, and vibe but also feel like the part of London they’re located in. I’ve been in a Breakfast Club café where a couple were having their first outing with their infant and when the little one started crying no one batted an eyelid about the noise – team members showed them where there was more space to roll the pram to help calm the baby and other customers looked on empathetically or nodded supportively as they tried to comfort the baby. . (The baby fell asleep pretty quickly and stayed asleep for their parents’ entire meal)
People not judging a baby for being a baby and considerate staff and customers. How are those for signs of good vibes?
The Breakfast Club. Go…and enjoy.
