What is a greasy spoon breakfast? What is a traditional English fry-up? This is heaven on a plate to the average Brit especially with a hangover from a heavy drinking session the night before. If you compare this meal to what other cultures have for breakfast you will see it is definitely in a league of its own. Some may say it’s an unhealthy greasy plate of food but to the true Brit the most important meal of the day is breakfast and a proper full English fry up certainly is a meal that will keep you going all day.
When travelling around the world, yes I get the opportunity to taste some fantastic food from different parts of the world, but the 3 main British meals I miss most are a traditional roast dinner, Fish & chips and a proper full English breakfast.
The difference between a greasy spoon fry up and a greasy spoon full English breakfast is the ingredients, A full English breakfast will consist of your general breakfast items fried egg, Bacon, Sausage, Baked beans and usually tinned tomatoes and generally eaten in the earlier part of the morning. A greasy spoon fry up could also be called a brunch as it has the usual breakfast items with a burger and chips added for good measure. Not to be mistaken for a mixed grill as this is a totally different meal altogether.
What does a typical full English breakfast consist of?
A traditional English breakfast could be something as simple as a fried egg on toast, egg and bacon, egg, bacon, sausage, beans on toast and the list goes on in fact, there is a wide range of variations. Full English is exactly what it says, A full plate of food using most if not all of the ingredients used in a small breakfast. Below is a list of all the ingredients that make up this fantastic meal and there is a difference between a proper English breakfast and an English breakfast. ALL WILL BE REVEALED.
- Bacon
- Sausages
- Black pudding
- Eggs
- Baked beans
- Tomatoes
- Hash Browns
- fried potatoes/chips
- Bubble & squeak
- Mushrooms
- Toast
- Fried bread
What is a proper full English breakfast fry up?
A traditional full English breakfast would usually consist of 1 rasher of bacon, 1 sausage,1 egg and the other usual items. This is perfect for the small eater or average lady but when it comes down to a hungry big eater just finishing a hard day’s graft or after a heavy night on the booze, this would not even touch the edges as it went down. 2 rashers of bacon 2 sausages 2 toast extra hash browns and basically double the standard portions. NOW THAT’S PROPER.
What kind of food is served in a greasy spoon cafe
You are very unlikely to find a Michelin star greasy spoon. Traditionally built to cater for the working class a greasy spoon cafe menu will consist of simple home-style cooked dishes, Bangers & mash, Steak and kidney pie, fish and chips, Liver & bacon, pie & mash and of course the typical greasy spoon breakfast. Mostly frequented by builders, Factory workers, motorbike groups and Truck drivers. Unlike your up-market cafe, a greasy spoon has no dress code and no table manners just great down to basics food for the hungry man or woman looking for basic food during a lunch break or after a heavy night on the town. What would be commonly known as soul food in the states the food served in a greasy spoon is very rustic and usually at a lower cost in comparison to an upmarket cafe or diner.
Why is a diner called a greasy spoon?
A diner is predominantly an American diner what we would call a cafe generally serving fast food like burgers and fries or chips as we call them. The name greasy spoon is used to describe a simple cafe restaurant serving traditional home-cooked meals the same as you get at home, nothing fancy and normally kitted out with the most basic table and chairs. The greasy spoon part is because in a more up market-style cafe there would be more care taken in making sure the fried items were not steeped in grease as they get put on the plate unlike the greasy spoon chef who just chucks it on the plate straight from the pan grease, fat and all, this usually means that by the time you finish your spoon or eating utensils are left with grease on them. A typical greasy spoon is often frowned upon as being dirty in appearance and for the lower class, mostly frequented by the poor so health and safety stipulations went out the window.
What is a full monty breakfast?
There are many different choices when it comes to an English breakfast and the average customer will choose what breakfast items and how much of them they would like depending on how hungry they are. For hungry customer who does not want to sit there deciphering the menu, they can order a full monty. This breakfast will generally consist of every breakfast item being offered, all on one plate and sometimes even double portions for the really big eater.
Is there a greasy spoon in Bethnal green?
Renowned for its gangster activities during the 50s & 60s with the blind beggar pub being the centre of activity Bethnal Green in the east end of London next to Whitechapel with its nostalgic London community is the ideal location to find a traditional greasy spoon. Although the traditional greasy spoon is slowly disappearing and being replaced by modern-day coffee shops and restaurants there is still a demand for these nostalgic cafes by die-hard Londoners who love to stick to traditions they have grown up with and are used to.
10 best greasy spoon cafes near Bethnal green East London
Finding the best greasy spoon in Bethnal green is down to personal preference and depending on how far you want to travel before hunger gets the better of you. Bethnal green is also renowned for its curry houses so after breakfast have a day out and in the evening treat yourself to an authentic Indian curry and you have the perfect day.
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