The Cosy Teapot, 101 Carrington Street, Nottingham
The Cosy Teapot is an East Midlands favourite. It was voted Britain's Greatest Greasy Spoon in 2003. And they're not resting on their laurels. A splendid place.
I'm not sure my photography does this ebcb proper justice. This doesn't look as delicious as it tasted. I especially liked the random looking effect. It looks so casual, like it was thrown together, but this doesn't just happen, this kind of nonchalance takes years to achieve. The chips were sharp shards of crisp specialness, spearing their way into the soft flanks of the beans which were driven into a careering retreat for the side of the plate. The eggs peered imperiously over the battleground like generals directing their troops from afar. The bacon lurked around the corner, ready to strike when the taste buds had grown weary of the fight. What am I on about? I don't know. Suffice to say this was a top quality fry-up. Really excellent. Highly recommended.
Big old cup of tea and all. Big, strong and heartening.
I always like a menu above the counter. Leads to that odd eye contact moment. You want to look at the person behind the counter and smile but you also want to check the menu, so you flick between the two. Unless you always have the same thing. Ah-ha - another advantage of the ebcb.
I like having an order number. Makes it feel like you're in a system. You won't get overlooked.
Oops. Forgot the condiments in all the excitement. Here they are. Lovely set. I like the light-bulby salt and pepper.
Always nice to see painting on the window. Even better to see it from the inside.
I think one of the two men on phones has spotted me. Ooer. I wonder if they're talking to each other on their phones. Anyway, that's not important. Above them on the shelf you can see The Cosy Teapot's collection of, you've guessed it, teapots. Splendid. That's dedication to the cafe-keeping arts. Top marks Cosy Teapot. We shall return.
Brilliant. Thank you for this.
Posted by: Diego | February 02, 2007 at 08:03 PM
You are really taking every detail of the place huh..from the menu to the condiments and the paintings..This is what we call documentation! :) Nice move.
Posted by: nicole cruz | February 03, 2007 at 03:32 AM
I absolutely love this site Russell.
I regularly come back to this site just to see all the lovely food and read your comments, which are pure entertainment in itself.
Thanks very much for having this site on the Net!.
Posted by: MikeNZ | February 04, 2007 at 10:17 AM
This place serves up pure fryup nirvana. early-to-mid saturday morning mecca for Nottingham's raving community. Many is the massive night out this place has sorted me out proper afterwards...
10/10
Posted by: Roger Irrelevant | February 07, 2007 at 12:28 PM
I love this site! It helped inspire me to do my own blog... hungeroverthirst.blogspot.com! And the English breakfast is the best part of vacationing in the UK! I can't get enough!
Posted by: Jennifer | February 07, 2007 at 06:40 PM
lurvley looking bacon on that plate!
:D
I think that you should have pictures of the owners on all your pictures though
that would make it feel more personal
oh & I think you could have a little picture of the UK & have a spot where it is
or if its in london
a map of london
then it would make it easier to see where it is, and maybe then people could go visit them more easily!
apart from that though
everything is spot on!
Posted by: Gus | February 10, 2007 at 10:02 AM
Excellent blog. Here's my recommendation for a visit - the Forge Dam Cafe in Sheffield (see http://livingwithrats.blogspot.com/2007/02/chips-with-everything.html ). Also strongly recommend the David Street Cafe in Leeds, though it's probably been gentrified by now.
Posted by: julian dobson | February 15, 2007 at 11:37 PM
You single-handidly made me want to go back 'home' ...
I have such amazing memories of the 'Teapot' ... infact some of the best of my youth. The overly warm room when outside was cold ... the clatter of cutlery that was louder than the speaking ... the aroma of fry-ups that was more potent than the cheap aftershave of the customers ...
LOVE IT!
You know what, I'm going to get off my arse and book a flight home and have a fry-up.
Posted by: Rob @ Cynic | March 15, 2007 at 04:20 PM
The English Breakfast looks great. Do you deliver? I have lived in holland for several years now, you just can't get a decent Cooked breakfast.
thanks for the images, my tastebuds will be watering for weeks ;-)
Posted by: TED | March 23, 2007 at 12:11 PM
Bunters in Nottingham is even better....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobby_stokes/251357569/in/set-72157594461519657/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobby_stokes/231844922/in/set-72157594461519657/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobby_stokes/244400963/
Posted by: darren | April 15, 2007 at 03:31 PM
they are talking to eachother for sure.
Posted by: tara bethune-leamen | April 21, 2007 at 10:35 AM
that used to be an old favourite of mine. i lived in notts for seven years and first sought it out when i heard it was voted cafe of the year on bbc r2. many a saturday morning fry-up enjoyed in there. run by proper old english mother types too :-) now i'm living in canada where the bacon leaves a lot to be desired, so all i'm left with is my memories for now.
long live dry-cure.
love the site.
Posted by: james | June 07, 2007 at 10:18 PM