When was the last time you saw a greasy spoon?

They feel like a distant relic from 80’s TV but there are still a few knocking about Cambridgeshire. Street Cafe in Ely is one which I have been going to for years now and has always offered a decent fry up for a fair price. 

Not every meal needs to be locally sourced, organic, or imported. Sometimes you just want a familiar meal that will fill a gap without costing you an arm and a leg…and Street Food does exactly that!

I decided to take my bottomless pit of a son, who is now 11 years old and a staggering 5’9. He could eat for England, so I am often wary about where I take him as he is often left “hungry” after a meal which would fill up most adults.  Street Cafe was a natural choice here as I could fill him up and not break the bank.

Upon entering, the place is very clean and laid out with fixed tables to the wall. The chairs are fitted too, so there is little room to move. This keeps the place tidy at the sake of comfort. I think most people wouldn’t struggle on these chairs but for someone my height was a little awkward.

The staff here were fantastic. They came up quickly and asked us what we wanted. After studying the menu I could see a huge selection of classic British dishes which you’d expect from a greasy spoon. Fry up’s, burgers, egg on toast, steaks, salads, jacket potatoes, and omelettes. 

Naturally, we decided to go for a large fry up each being early morning which came to £18, including a drink each. A nice little touch here was the free tea or coffee included in the price. What a bargain! 

When the meal came out we were given a side plate of toast. Nothing fancy, just some white bread with butter on. Perfect for mopping up the fry up at the end of the meal.  The portions were generous and served on a huge oval plate. The amount of times I have gone to a Chinese or Indian and had the plate completely overloaded which makes a mess inevitable. You won’t get that here.  The bacon was impressive and incredibly thick. The sausages were just the way I like them. I have always been a fan of cheap and cheerful sausages and they were perfectly suited for a fry up. The baked beans were pretty much standard beans from a can but by no means a bad thing. The eggs were executed perfectly and burst open upon breaking which was great with the white toast.

Street Cafe is the kind of place you just don’t see in Cambridge anymore. It’s the last of a dying breed which is rarely seen these days. Visiting today gave me a real feeling of nostalgia and I am so glad the city of Ely has managed to hang onto this gem. 

Thanks for reading.