As I read through some reviews on Time Out London, the words "posh, cozy leather sofas, Victorian-style and French Toast with caramelized plums and pistachio ricotta" kept jumping off the page. None of that sounded particularly appealing, I just wanted a place that would throw together some delicious food and not make a scene.
I knew there had to be something reasonable in the sea of cafes, bistros, brasseries and restaurants, so when I stumbled upon a review for "The Breakfast Club" in Soho, it was clear I had hit breakfast gold. The reviews weren't full of unanimous praise, and people didn't sugarcoat the possibility of waiting a while for food, but nevertheless it sounded like a brilliant option.
In contrast to the flaming yellow exterior, the interior has a very artsy, down-to-earth vibe. Polaroids covered the walls, neon signs glowed, mismatched chairs were scattered around the (very small) tables, everything seemed a little disorganized and most of the clientele was unmistakably English.
The menu is small, but mighty. They offer either a meat or vegetarian English breakfast, some "All American" breakfasts that include American-style pancakes, the usual eggs Benedict and various breakfast sandwiches.
It all sounded tasty, but I was in the mood for a hearty slice of America.
I ordered the "All-American" breakfast which consisted of pancakes, eggs, bacon and some "hash browns." "Hash browns" really meant diced, roasted potatoes (which were delicious, anyway). Bri had the "Half-Monty" breakfast which was a full English breakfast sans black pudding and mushrooms. Everything was really well-prepared, fresh and served piping hot. My "breakfast smoothie" consisted of strawberries, banana, oats, honey and yogurt. Let's just say it needed a little more strawberry/banana. It had the mouth feel of runny strawberry/banana-flavored instant oatmeal. Not the greatest sensation. To finish, my toast proved to be perfectly browned whole grain bread, bursting with hearty grains and topped with some fresh strawberry jam.
The service (as predicted) was definitely slow, but the place was packed and (as far as I could tell) there were only 3-4 people working the cash register, espresso machine, blender, serving, busing and seating. It became clear we had made a good decision when our waitress got visibly excited when she heard our accents. What?! She was excited about getting the chance to talk to Americans? With this realization, we knew we had finally found a place that didn't cater to tourists! So good.
With our stomachs bursting, we left about an hour and a half after we arrived. A worthwhile adventure and a speedy six minute walk from the Oxford Circus tube stop.
Check it out!
33 D'Arblay Street
London W1F 8EU
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