Ah, the Euston Sandwich Bar, I've been meaning to visit for ages but was spurred into activity by a suggestion from visitor Steve Hill. It's on the North side of the Euston Road, near Great Portland Street tube. A tiny little place but always bustling and friendly. And always a welcoming glow in the Euston Road bleakness.
The ebcb is faultless - look at the aesthetics, nicely reduced beans, those modern crunchy chips which really absorb the bean juice, and a beautiful pale egg. And the bacon is hugely flavourful - it tastes fresh off the pig.
The signs are great. Really classic and clean - again a welcome contrast to the corporate wasteland around there. (Though the chess shop across the road is always worth a visit.)
Simple condiment display. And isn't that the best sugar dispenser? I can't be doing with those spouty ones. They don't give you enough control.
I didn't get great photos inside, I was stuck round the corner, but it's got great tables and counters and those magnificent orange plastic seats bolted to metal frames. You can't have customers moving themselves around when you've not got a lot of space.
At lunchtime there are huge queues of people getting a sandwich to take back to their desk. But you can always find a seat, even if you have to sit next to someone else. Anne and I were sitting there yesterday, planning our future, sat next to a bloke chatting on his mobile earpiece thing about this gruesome operation he was about to have. The perfect cafe experience.
Lovely tables. Lovely white crockery.
They're open to 6.30. And everything's free.
See the seats? That's how to run a well-ordered cafe.
You've absolutely got my vote at the Yahoo! thing. I can't believe I never came across you before, so to speak. All I need now is a chippy blog and a hedgerow forager blog and I'll be set. Will link you post haste.
Posted by: pieman | January 13, 2005 at 04:21 PM
Blimey! I used to here when i was a student! Thanks for the reminder! I will have to check it out again next time i am up that way. If you get chance there is a fantastic place in Battersea High Street that retains that faded 1960's glory..
Posted by: Andy | January 14, 2005 at 11:05 AM
At last a really useful website, thank you so much! Does amyone know of any fantastic greasy cafes in Enfield that I can visit on the weekends and in South East London while we're at it.
Posted by: Mimi | January 14, 2005 at 06:20 PM
Andy,
Are you talking about C. Notarianni's in Battersea High St.,with the fantastic old-style ice-cream parlour exterior ? If so, this is basically an Italian pizza restaurant. One of the sons was a pupil at my old school in Battersea.
There's quite a good old-style cafe just around the corner in York Road, which is one of those places that doubles up as a cheap Thai cafe
Posted by: Patrick | January 14, 2005 at 07:43 PM
This website would be a million times better if the cafes were sorted by geographic areas or you could search by county or city. I live in Leeds and I'm finding very hard to find my local cafs.
Thaks, bye.
Will.
Posted by: Will | January 15, 2005 at 03:09 PM
I'm looking for a decent cafe in the centre of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Any suggestions?
Have you seen this site...?
http://www.transportcafe.co.uk/
Posted by: Jonny | January 19, 2005 at 10:16 AM
it's shite
Posted by: Rachael | January 28, 2005 at 02:59 PM
Euston Road Café - closing on June 24 2005!! When it's gone, it's gone!
I was sent the link to ebcb by a mate, and quickly put in a plug for the Euston Road Sandwich Bar.
Good News - I'm famous - the caff's on the site, and so is my name.
Bad News - I was there last weds 26 January, and the lovely Polish lady said the building had been sold and that the Café was closing on 24th June.
It's a dam' shame!
Steve Hill
Posted by: Steve Hill | January 31, 2005 at 11:47 AM
GREAT NEWS!
me and my best-friend mark went to the ESB last week and the good news is that the lease has been extended until Xmas 2005!!!!
The EBCB was and still is divine...
Posted by: Prawn Bolus | June 22, 2005 at 03:19 PM
I walked past the ESB last Saturday morning. I know it's not open on Saturdays, but the interior had that definite look of still being open for business.
Can any ESB regulars let us know if it's still in business ?
Posted by: Patrick | April 24, 2006 at 08:35 PM
This is a really bizarre coincidence... I was trying to find my friend's Typepad weblog and came across this site instead. And TODAY AT LUNCH I went to the Euston Sandwich Bar... I often go there. Anyway, looks like they're shutting down for real this time -- they asked me to sign a petition because they'll be shut down by end of November 2006 as the building's being redeveloped, but they haven't been offered any of the available space next door. If they move into the other space, a new-look Euston Sandwich Bar will emerge. Which is better than none at all. I urge supporters of the Euston Sandwich Bar to sign the petition and show your support! :)
Posted by: Jasminetea | October 11, 2006 at 09:52 PM
Too late. Today was the last day of Euston Sandwich bar... :( A sad afternoon...
Posted by: Jasminetea | November 30, 2006 at 01:29 PM