E Pellicci

Was I potentially late to work as I popped in here for a fry up on a Friday morning on my way back from Viccy Park? Not by much. Was it worth it? Yes. A thousand times yes. Sat outside and watched the world go by as I scarfed down sausage, bacon, egg, mushrooms & tomatoes. Even the tomatoes were delicious. That's saying something. Oh and fried bread. Cheeky!

If it's your first time, just sit down and you will be served. Always know if you want a tea or coffee first. 

I got a fry up, tea and a chocolate croissant for about £9. The croissant was for my coworker. Because if you are going to be late, you may as well bring treats in. I think everyone won that day.

This is a very special cafe and one of the jewels in the East End crown, with stunning Grade II listed art deco decor which has hardly changed for over a century, with the true vibe of a bustling a greasy spoon. It's been in the hands of the same family all that time is firmly rooted in East End history, and was even a favourite of the Kray twins in their time. As such the cafe makes an appearance in the recent film 'Legend', with Tom Hardy tucking into his full English in character. Food wise E Pellicci still serves up proper east end grub and you can't fault it, but they have no aspiration for Micheline stars as the place is always crammed full of hungry visitors keen to soak up the atmosphere as much as the food. The service is second to none and you are guaranteed to leave with a smile on your face.

If visiting from afar there's plenty of things to do after breakfast within walking distance, Columbia Road, Hackney City Farm, Broadway Market, The Museum of Childhood and another legendary East End institution Bethnal Green Working Men's Club is also just round the corner too.

E Pellicci is a greasy spoon on Bethnal Green offering full English breakfast and Italian classics.

I’ll be honest here. The food here isn't anything special. It's just your reasonably above-average caff grub. Delicious nonetheless but nothing out of the ordinary. Bethnal green isn’t exactly glitzy either. So why is E Pellicci so highly regarded by the locals?

Well, for starters this place certainly has some history and it shows. The cafe is tiny but grade-II listed and beautifully furnished with vintage art deco along its walls with harks back to the halcyon days of the 1930’s. Opened since 1900, it’s been in the hands of the same family for the last 116 years and has welcomed famous (and infamous) faces including the Kray twins.

Then we have the effervescent owner (I presume) who seems to know just about everyone in the neighbourhood. He was chatty to customers and it was quite brilliant to hear him rattle way in his cockney accent. What then surprised me was the ease at which is seamlessly switched to fluent Italian. Like I say, the fry-up was nothing out of the ordinary. Don’t just order the Pellicci full English. Quantity is a little on the small side so add extra bacon, sausage or whatever you fancy.

E Pellicci is small but the place is alive with activity and conversation. You might even strike up a friendly conversation with the locals.

E Pellicci is a proper East End treat absolutely loved by the locals and it’s easy to see why. If you’re looking to experience London like a proper local, then a trip to the East End is where it’s at, definitely at E Pellicci.

Highly recommended to go in the summer months when you can pull up a chair and tuck into your full English whilst nurse that hangover or just welcoming the weekend with friends. It’s the perfect way to start the weekend. Get there early though - it’s gonna be busy.

I fiiiinally made it to E Pellicci before the queues began (8.30am if you were wondering) and had a fry up with a side of banter - banter, non-optional. Honestly, the food is nothing special but if you're going to have a fry up, you may as well do it in bustling surroundings with a family of hosts with either super thick Italian accents or super thick East London accents who don't mind stopping for 5 minutes to get to know you!

I took my family for a Kray's walk in east London. I was shocked it didn't end up at Pellicci's! So I did it on our own as I knew we would hear some more interesting news about the notorious twins there. It's always a great place to come back to anyway, as you feel like at home, Italian hospitality at its best! The food won't be the best Italian you've ever had, but you should definitely give it a go for the atmosphere! It will be loud, you will be rubbing elbows with strangers, but you will love it! You can get a full English breakfast all day long too and home made pies.

The family, who running the business from decades, will be happy to share stories not only about the Krays, but also other celebrities who visited their humble establishment over the years. And trust me, there are a few celebrities that have not passed their doors (if you need a proof, ask for the photo albums, there are piles of them!).  The close quite early, 4pm, but noone is gonna rush you to leave the space before you finished. And if you're lucky, you can even get a slice of an fantastic polenta lemon cake for the way!  

This place is an East London icon. The staff are incredibly friendly and the food is hearty and delicious. What more can I say.