English breakfast in the twin cities?

July 13, 2005 12:35 AM

Does anyone know of a place that serves a full english breakfast in the Minneapolis area?

I've been jonesing for this since the last time I was in England. I'm looking for a place that does its toast on one side, serves real back-bacon rashers, fried tomato and mushrooms.

posted by bonecrusher to food & drink (13 comments total)

Toast done on one side? I'm English, and that's new to me.

Please don't think me rude, but surely you can buy Bacon / Tomatoes / Mushrooms etc. in Minneapolis?
posted by coach_mcguirk at 2:42 AM on July 13, 2005

YOu can get a full Irish at O'Donovan's pub. Close, but no cigar.
posted by essexjan at 3:10 AM on July 13, 2005

coach_mcguirk: in my experience, in most American cities, the only place you can get packaged English/Irish style bacon would be at a place that also serves an English/Irish breakfast--generally a pub or cafe with a little "imports" store attached. So for bonecrusher to be able to make his/her own, they'd almost certainly still have to find such a restaurant first!
posted by bcwinters at 5:45 AM on July 13, 2005

Does Brit's in downtown Minneapolis serve breakfast? If they're open before noon, they seem like the best bet. I've had lots of inedibly British food there later in the day...
posted by COBRA! at 7:10 AM on July 13, 2005

surely you can buy Bacon / Tomatoes / Mushrooms etc. in Minneapolis?

no, I'm afraid we subsist here on cheese and lutefisk. Sorry!
posted by norm at 7:35 AM on July 13, 2005

Toast done on one side? I'm English, and that's new to me.

Do you mean Sting steered me wrong? The toast was definitely different though - it looks almost like it was grilled or something. And I swear it that it looked like it was brown on only one side. The point of it is that it's perfect for putting a fried egg on and eating them together. Where I was staying (The Fox and Goose - I don't remember exactly where it was. The nearest tube stop was Hangar Lane), it was served in little metal toast racks. White bread from my toaster just isn't the same...

And like bcwinters says - your bacon is different. So was the tomato, but that may just be because you can't get a decent tomato in Minneapolis.
posted by bonecrusher at 7:43 AM on July 13, 2005

Bakery on Grand does an authentic English breakfast, complete with the aforementioned mushrooms, beans and bacon. 3804 Grand Avenue in Minneapolis. I'd give them a call, though, as the menu changes frequently.
posted by hamster at 8:05 AM on July 13, 2005

Fantastic, hamster! Thanks.
posted by bonecrusher at 8:32 AM on July 13, 2005

Don't forget the fried bread and black pudding.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 9:10 AM on July 13, 2005

When I lived in Mpls (gone 4 yrs now), Kieran's downtown did an Irish brunch that had some of those items, but not all.
posted by GaelFC at 9:30 AM on July 13, 2005

Your toast was "toasted on one side" because they probably dropped it in the frying pan after they were done with the bacon for a minute or two to soak up some of the grease before they fred the eggs.

Back bacon is available in ordinary grocery stores. Look in the sausage section should be near the "Canadian bacon" if not labeled as such. As for english style version of what we Americans call bacon, just look for the cheaper brands (not the big names), thicker cut and smoked. Maybe its a Minnesota thing, but any store I've shopped in has had a pretty wide array of pig meat if you know where to look. of course, I've always lived in the south, so that may explain...
posted by Pollomacho at 1:43 PM on July 13, 2005

Bonecrusher : Ah, the toast-rack deal is usually reserved only for genteel or "quaint" B&B / rural Hotel type breakfasts. If you were a guest in my house, you'd get toast done in the toaster :)
posted by coach_mcguirk at 3:50 PM on July 20, 2005

Oh, and Hanger Lane means you were probably staying in Ealing, or thereabouts.
posted by coach_mcguirk at 3:50 PM on July 20, 2005