In the heart of London's Soho, a daily ritual unfolds for broadcaster Adrian Chiles and his two companions—a fabric dealer and a psychotherapist. Their quest is simple: find a decent breakfast spot open at 7am. Yet, in a city teeming with dining options, this proves a surprising challenge.
The Breakfast Hunt in Early Morning Soho
Chiles reveals that their options are severely limited at this hour, narrowed down to just four establishments. Three are fancy restaurants, and one is a traditional cafe, or 'greasy spoon'. For Chiles, the choice is clear, and it's not the expensive one. The posh alternatives are so costly that he compares the feeling afterwards to playing a golf shot 'three off the tee'—a immediate handicap to the day.
The Unbeatable Appeal of the Proper Caff
The appeal of the greasy spoon is threefold. Firstly, the price is undeniably better. Secondly, and perhaps more surprisingly, the food is superior. Chiles passionately states that the eggs Benedict served in the caff 'knock into a cocked hat' the versions presented on silver platters elsewhere.
Then there's the tea. It comes in honest, sturdy mugs, leading Chiles to declare, 'A pox on teacups, teapots, tea leaves, tea strainers and all that faff.' This rejection of finicky ceremony is at the heart of his argument for the simpler establishment.
The Company and the Comfort of Knowing
The most significant draw, however, is the atmosphere and the clientele. Looking around the caff, Chiles sees people in 'big boots and trousers with big pockets'—builders, scaffolders, plumbers, and engineers. He knows what they do; it's 'proper clever work doing proper stuff.'
This stands in stark contrast to the 'besuited smarty-pantsers' in the expensive restaurants, whose work—'moving money about' or other 'highly remunerative white-collar capers'—feels more abstract and less tangible.
While Chiles acknowledges that he and his friends probably blend in better with the latter crowd, he knows where he feels happier. As he downs his second mug of tea, he finds pleasure in the thought that it will be a long time before AI can do the work of the tradespeople around him, a certainty he doesn't share regarding the 'clever-dick crew' in the city's pricier eateries.
