As I type it is The Stockpot last day of business, this unassuming place in the middle of Soho Crompton Street takes you back into a time warp. The decor is 1960’s with wooden booths they even use the olden cashier tills from historic times which brings out character in the restaurant/café. The owner is sadly retiring and The Stockpot will be turned into another burger joint.
Daniel was sad to hear The Stockpot was closing down and voiced how he wanted his one last meal there. Since I was free yesterday, I went with him to The Stockpot for breakfast.
Strolling along the empty streets of Chinatown with homeless people slowing rising up to the sun, and passing by usually very loud Soho, that now became hauntingly quiet. I walked towards Old Crompton Street to The Stockpot. It’s not of those places that stand out and being born and raised in London walking past this street many times. I just never seemed to have notice the restaurant.
Lights were all switched off before 10 am, and a sign with closed on the front. A chef happened to pick up the mail and I knocked on the unlocked door to ask if they were opening and he replied in a sheepish “yes, from 9 am”.
Another employee walked in and by this time I was starting to shiver from the cold and asked if I could wait inside for my friend. I looked at the fallen menu board on the table I sat. Daily specials are handwritten and there are set deals for meals under £10. The owner casually walked around and didn’t seem to have a care in the world.
Daniel finally arrived feeling all nostalgic and told me tales of his many visits at The Stockpot. Since it was breakfast time we were offered the breakfast menu, we both went for the full English and got some pudding at the end.
Full set English breakfast came in a decent portion size, one sunny side up egg, one sausage, one tomato and two large sizes of bacon with two slices of toast. Now the real deal here is, the two meat ingredients are fantastic quality meat that taste like real meat. Which is hard to come by in London, that offers breakfast at cheap prices like The Stockpot.
My sponge pudding took me back to my primary school days in crazy coloured bright luminous yellow custard and homemade school dinner’s puddings. Great crunch on the outer edges with a dense sponge and caster sugar sprinkled on top.
The Stockpot offers that great British classic with that homemade style of cooking. It’s not your fancy fine dining restaurant but very low key, and charming.
18 Old Compton Street, Soho, London W1D 4TN
{google_map}18 Old Compton Street, Soho, London W1D 4TN {/google_map}
