Breakfast and Rugby at the Dolphin

Earlier this year (blog) I reported that Clare was now the chef at the Dolphin Inn, 11-12 Rock-a-Nore Road, TN34 3DW (website), but I have not eaten a Full English Breakfast there since, although I have had many excellent bacon (locally 'smoked' across the road) sandwiches, because I'm being sensible about my diet these days, and despite having eaten breakfasts all around town before, eg at the Anchor Inn (blog). But yesterday, I was there for the Rugby Union World Cup Final, along with many others of various ages, male and female, all of whom were a wee bit upset at the result, except 2 Scotsmen, oh well, I did enjoy my breakfast, ales, and the craic!

So, to the food, of the various breakfasts available, I had to chose the Full English, of course, as it's what I've always compared when writing about breakfasts before, and above you will see a photograph of my meal, costing £6.75, and the price including a mug of tea or mug of various coffees. This is a slight variation on the usual Full English, which includes bubble & squeak, but without the beans and fried potatoes.

They also have a smaller version at £4.25, a Vegetarian Breakfast, Welsh Breakfast, Kedgeree, GEG (a pretty special scrambled eggs on toast, but look up all the breakfasts at the website!), and a Classic Omelette, all at £6.75 and including a tea of coffee in the price too. Breakfast is available until lunchtime (12.00 noon, then lunch) every day, starting at 10.00 am on weekdays, but at 09.00 at weekends. Food is locally sourced, particularly from Hastings Fish Market, which is opposite the pub.

Of course there is always ale, including these 2 excellent guest ales yesterday, another guest ale (Harveys Old Ale yesterday), and 3 regular ales, including 2 ales brewed in Sussex, Dark Star Hophead and Harveys Sussex Best. But to the breakfast I ate!

As I said above, a slight variation on the usual Full English, with Double Bacon (Clare's own and delicious!), a Pork Sausage (very eatable), Fried Egg (perfectly cooked, only a wee bit runny), Plum Tomato, Mushrooms (should always be included in any Full English in my opinion!), Black Pudding (not everyone's favourite, but I'm happy to eat it), Fried Sliced Potatoes (liked these muchly!), Baked Beans and Toast (lovely bread). Also, they are always happy to omit or add other ingredients when asked, eg if you hate Black Pudding, which I don't, indeed, you can create your own breakfast! 😉

Anyway, good value, nicely cooked and presented, thanks to Clare and colleagues, but maybe I shouldn't leave it so long before I have a cooked breakfast next time...

Breakfasts West of Central Hastings

Following on from my blog 2 weeks ago (also an adapted article I wrote in the Hastings Independent plus more photographs), I have since eaten 'traditional' Full-English breakfasts west of the centre, essentially at St Leonards, and my already extensive waistline has increased yet more! 2 breakfasts were at a similar cost, one of the venues has an excellent view, and a great value breakfast was produced at the third. All three served up a very decent meal, two provide a 'vegetarian' alternative at the same price, and the Azur has Egg Benedict as the closest to a vegetarian option.   

First up, a good meal with an excellent view of the sea was enjoyed at Azur, opposite Marine Court, TN38 0BU (tel: 0845 812 1066). This isn't somewhere I had expected to find a Full English breakfast available, but I spotted “The Sussex Breakfast” on the menu when my brother and I had a coffee on their balcony overlooking the sea a while ago, and a 'full English' they certainly do provide!

The breakfast included 2 'butchers' pork sausages, 2 free range eggs, 2 rashers of dry-cured bacon, tomato, a decent portion of mushrooms (though not "field mushrooms" as advertised, as they are out of season, a reliable friend has since made me aware), and a slice of granary toast. The meal was a reasonable £6.95, and a pot of tea for one was £1.95; the Egg Benedict costs £5.60.

Azur Sussex Breakfast

My second meal was at the Love Cafe, 28 Norman Road, TN37 6AE (tel: 01424 717815), recommended to me by a friend. I thought it was a playschool when I had first spotted it many moons ago, but no, it is a very fine cafe in which to enjoy your breakfast, and with a large outside area (where children could certainly play!). There is a plethora of interesting articles and decorations inside that kept me interested, even though I was alone with a newspaper provided by the cafe, notably a fine glowing rabbit table lamp; you have to see it to appreciate what I mean.

The breakfast again cost me £6.95 and included 2 thick rashers of smoked back bacon, a fried free-range egg (which could have been poached or scrambled), 2 very interesting and tasty sausages (I asked why they were so different, and it's because they are unique, indeed, especially made for this cafe and containing very little cereal), tomato, baked beans, button mushrooms, and 2 buttered slices of quality granary toast (could have had white bread instead). A pot of tea increased the cost, that is a very large pot for one in an 'elephant teapot' (consequently, many cups of tea!) for £2; though I could have had a mug of tea for £1.50. The vegetarian option has 2 'non-animal' sausages, sautéed potatoes, a grilled tomato, mushrooms, baked beans, an optional egg, and toast.

The Love Cafe breakfast

Third on my list was the friendly family-run Cafe 17, 17 Bexhill Road, TN38 0AH (tel: 01424 420839), and another recommended to me by the same friend, and another great suggestion! This is a short walk west of the Bo-Peep pub, on the south side of the road, and their breakfast cost just £5.50. All their food is 'locally sourced'; notably there is an excellent butchers (Appleyards) a few doors back along the road.

The breakfast included 2 rashers of back bacon, 2 fried free-range eggs, 2 good quality Cumberland/Lincolnshire sausages (I should have asked, but I didn't, silly me, but they were nice, whichever!), tomato or baked beans (I had the beans), a decent portion of mushrooms again, and 2 hash browns. There were also 2 buttered slices of toast and a mug of tea included in the price. Good quality and excellent value, indeed! Their vegetarian option includes an egg, 2 Quorn sausages, mushrooms, hash browns, beans or tomato, 2 slices of bread and butter or toast, and tea or coffee.

Cafe 17 breakfast

I received a good quality breakfast at all 3 of the venues; the view from Azur is excellent, the interior of the Love Cafe is spellbinding, and the friendliness and value at Cafe 17 would be hard to beat... whichever you visit, enjoy your breakfast! 

Next time I shall be heading east from the town centre, indeed, I have visited 2 of my chosen 3 cafes/restaurants already...  

Where to Eat a 'Full English'

23 07 2018 - Please note that Hoagies and Tutti Frutties no longer exist, certainly not around the America Ground anymore, sadly...


I shall be writing about good 'Full English' breakfasts in 3 instalments (who knows, maybe more to come yet!), the first is for central Hastings, then a second to the west, and a third to the east. All three establishments discussed today are within a very small radius of the America Ground, and a version of this blog has already been published, in my name and with fewer photographs of course, in the Hastings Independent. 

First up is Hoagies-Reloaded, 39 Robertson Street, TN34 1HL (telephone: 01424 427830). £3.95 if you get there before 11.00, and £4.95 thereafter, and that's literally. I walked in the door at 10.59 and was still given the cheaper price, nice one! 2 rashers of very decent quality bacon, 1 fried egg on either toast or fried bread (I went for the less unhealthy option of toast this time), baked beans, half a large tomato, a not great sausage, and a mug of either tea or coffee. Excellent value, indeed! 

Hoagies' Breakfast

As I will often say, and often have in the past, for the sake of another 50p or £1, a good quality sausage would make it a very good breakfast and still great value, but often cafes do seem to go for the cheaper option over quality, sadly... Oh well, I still enjoyed my meal very much. They also provide a vegetarian option, at the same prices, before and after 11.00, and includes 2 'veggie' sausages (I rarely like these, told you I'm fussy, I prefer just simple ingredients for my vegetarian option, eg I'd pack it with mushrooms, and maybe sautéed potatoes, but that's me!), fried egg on toast or fried bread, baked beans, tomatoes and a mug of tea or coffee.

Secondly, I enjoyed the atmospheric Tutti Frutti's, 4 Trinity Street, TN34 1HG (telephone: 01424 423946). This is a 1940/50s themed restaurant/cafe. I very much enjoyed the music and decor. The pot of tea was extra to the cost of the meal, £1.30 for a single pot, and £1.80 for 2, though the 'wee pot' was pretty big! Oh yes, or £1 for a mug of tea or coffee. The breakfast was £5.00, and the food was advertised as 'locally sourced', something I look for too, of course.

Inside Tutti Frutti's

The meal included 2 sausages, not too bad at all (you'll appreciate I'm very particular about the quality of my sausages and will go on about them!), 2 rashers of nice thick bacon, very tasty, 1 egg, perfectly fried, with the 'yellow' just the right amount of soft, gently cooked tomatoes, and 2 slices of fresh toast. Again a vegetarian option is available, but at slightly cheaper price, that is £4.50 a meal, and includes a hash brown, scrambled egg, tomato, baked beans, mushrooms and a slice of toast.  

Tutti Frutti's Breakfast

My third breakfast was at the White Rock Hotel, virtually opposite the pier at White Rock, TN34 1JU (telephone: 01424 422240). A bar as well, and usually serving 4 real ales from Sussex brewers (bar opens at 10.00!). There are 2 sizes of breakfast, I had the "Full Audrey's Breakfast” for £9.00, which consists of a glass of fruit juice, a pot of tea or coffee, toast (white or brown), 2 free range eggs (choice of how served, I had fried eggs, just perfect), 2 sausages with herbs in, probably Lincoln, 2 rashers of bacon, a tad overcooked, a fried tomato cut in half, and good portions of mushrooms and baked beans. I've always had excellent service here from friendly staff (I've been more than once, usually after working a night shift), and enjoyed the view of the seafront from the window.  

There is also a smaller breakfast available at the White Rock Hotel, ie “Little Jill's”, for just £6.00; which includes just one egg, a sausage, bacon, baked beans, mushrooms, and tomato, with either fruit juice, tea, coffee, or milk. The 'vegetarian' option is £9.00, and includes 'veggie' bacon and sausages, free range eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, baked beans, toast, fruit juice, and either tea or coffee. 

 Full Audrey's Breakfast

There are obviously many other places nearby that provide decent breakfasts too, but I have tried all three of these recently, and found them all to provide excellent value, with Tutti Frutti's just edging it, taking into account the quality of food, value, and ambience, but neither should disappoint you, so enjoy whichever you visit!

Next stop, to the West, and St Leonards!

POSTSCRIPT: Tutti Frutti's has closed down, the lease being sold (a neighbour told me), so we shall have to wait and see what develops there. I have a few other ideas in central Hastings, though, research required, but I'm sad, I did like Tutti Frutti's...