Café 338, 338 Bethnal Green Road, E2 0AG

Café 338, 338 Bethnal Green Road, E2 0AG

Be still my beating heart.  A local café that proves great value whilst being quirky enough to offer quality food alongside squirty sauce bottles.

I have been on the search for a decent greasy spoon for some time now.  The thing is, now accustomed to good coffee and high-end food I’m in a quandary.  I baulk at the idea of paying around a tenner for a decent fry up, but my fusspot ways generally leave me at an impasse.

Café 338 is my panacea.  Breakfasts for around the fiver mark seem astonishingly reasonable.  This value only intensifies when the plates arrive, piled high with generous portions of everything.  This really is a meal in itself as testified to us not needing anything else to eat all day; a personal record I think.

You can basically pick and choose whatever you want from the usual breakfast offerings, the menu is just there to organise the procrastinators among us.  May I heartily recommend the hash browns – golden deliciousness without the grease, grilled tomatoes in abundance and Cumberland sausages, which were substantially meaty and lean.

Understandably, there’s sometimes a bit of a queue and expect some table sharing particularly if you’re on your ownsome.  This may well add rather than subtract from the ambience though as I saw strangers at nearby tables making friends.

Décor is simple, clean and bright, but with some interesting twists such as framed pictures on a dove grey wall.  The obligatory laminated gingham tablecloths add the final touch.

This place is so good that I am wanting to skip over my only criticism as I know I’m a fusspot, but the ketchup isn’t Heinz and that’s a real downer for me.  At these prices though I can bring my own vat next time.  I heartily reached out for the generic brown sauce instead.

I must also mention the presentation; parsley adorned the dishes, with little cherry tomatoes added for colour.  Its little touches like these that make you realise somebody really cares.

Even the coffees were spot on and the orange juice freshly squeezed.

Three ate an embarrassing amount for less than £30 including coffees, juices and service.