mjr wrote:
If you want such food, there's no shortage of places serving Brakes/3663-style food, even other chain pubs,.
Don't think anyone would ever claim that they are high cuisine, and of course the food comes out of boxes. In truth it does in lots of lots of eateries, including I would guess most cafes - boxes, tins, bags etc etc. Very few slaughter their own cattle round the back. Me and a riding pal used to very regularly go for their bargain burger deal after a long ride. The steaks are good. The lamb shank not half bad. The breakfasts I think pretty damn good and reliable - have had some truly awful things in cafes in my time. Its the sausages you have to be wary of with cafes. By the by, spoons will swap sausage and bacon elements of a breakfast - ie - if you don't like the sausage so much (they are OK but kind of so so) they will swap for more bacon.
CTC folk are of course great cafe fans - have ridden with CTC groups a fair bit - I seem to recall that the favourite order of many on cafe stops was beans on toast - hardly high cuisine though of course good cycling food. I don't think any of the cafes ever baked their own bread or grew their own beans. Let alone carry out whatever that process is that makes them go that strange shade of orange.
On the app referred to in a post above - yes it is kind of neat but I only used it once to try it. It does have serious drawbacks though.
@ The time I used it I ordered a coffee. It arrived at my table impressively quickly. I then had to get up and walk across the room to get the milk
@ You can't order the guest beers on it - the main and wonderful reason I go in - just the branded stuff
@ In a truly wonderful civilised fashion, spoons let you taste the beer before selecting your pint - you can't do this from an app. I also kind of like the bar experience.
If you do know Downham Market intimately as it seems you do, you could tell me about the garden access. I will be wending that way soon from Peterborough towards Kings Lynn - first day may involve a few halves as they seem to have opened a few in that neck of the woods.
I do find the attitude to spoons from some folk intriguing and even educational. Probably the best one I know for beer is not particularly cycle friendly - does have an outside yard but not a wonderful spot. Inside the pub is OK but a bit so so. But for sure if it was in central London its fine and large beer selection (the place has a particularly large cellar apparently) would make it a hipster's "craft beer" dream.