London has some of the best breakfast offerings in the world, and you would be forgiven for assuming it’s all brunch spots for shakshuka, artisan coffee roasters for flat whites and avocado toast, or Mittel-European all day coffee houses for omelette Arnold Bennet and a pot of Darjeeling 1st flush. But we mustn’t forget London’s original breakfast spots. Where it all started. It is easy to be intimidated by the bluff and bluster of these places, but don’t worry, follow our lead and you’ll be setting up your day like a real Londoner in no time.

We wanted to get a sense of where your ‘real Londoner’ does take his or her breakfast. So from some gentle research in the taxis, shops, and offices of London, we have come up with our top 5 breakfasts for proper, real Londoners:

1. Best Fry-Up: The Workers Cafe, Islington

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Order: The Worker’s Cafe special – Egg, Bacon, Sausage, Hash Brown, Beans, Mushroom, Black Pudding and Tomato

Why: There is a reason this long rectangular room, with little character, is full every morning, Monday to Sunday, and is frequented by everyone from the local builders, passing taxi drivers, to local residents such as Grayson Perry and Kenneth Cranham. It is because they care about what they do and they do it very well. It is simple. It is effective and it is delivered to you swiftly with a smile. What more could one ask for?

Who will you find here: You will meet them all in here; builders needing sustenance, passing cabbies, young trendies about to attack TwentyTwentyone, Folklore and Albam, young mothers sneaking in a crafty carb or two before a quick turn around Toast & Cos, nurses just back from a night shift craving some bacon before trying to sleep.

Where: Halfway down Upper Street in Islington – here.

2. Best Coffee: Bar Italia, Soho

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Order: A cappuccino before 11am and a double espresso thereafter

Why: This is the fast paced, no frills, grab a coffee at high speed because I’m late to get to the office, cafe that you fell in love with in Milan, but transported to Soho. Everyone passes through here. You may have just grabbed a pastry from Maison Bertaux, next you’ll grab a coffee from here and you’ll keep on moving. It’s what happens here. It’s what has always happened here. The coffee is good. The service is quick. Everyone passing through Soho, passes through Bar Italia. Fact.

Who will you find here: Locals. On their own, with a paper.

Where: Frith Street, Soho – here.

3. Best Hidden Gem: The River Cafe, Putney

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Order: Sausage, egg, bacon, black pudding and beans.

Why: Rob the Italian-cockney owner is the consummate host. For a man selling a fry up he holds the highest level of service as the minimum. Join the queue and hear him remember and recite the ‘usuals’ of all the bus drivers, taxi drivers and workmen who make this the way they start their day, every day. Add in the fact that Mamma and Pappa are there most days despite being well into their seventies, and the decor: original beautiful blue and white tiling, full colour murals, panelling and Formica tabletops and you have the perfect breakfast spot.

Who will you find here: This is a transport hub for tube drivers, bus drivers and taxi drivers. So they all come here daily. As do commuters from Putney Bridge station. Families on a weekend and young professionals who grow up in west London still make the trek back from Hackney and Dalston for that nostalgic charm and a chat with Rob.

Where: Opposite Putney Bridge Station – here

4. Best Eggs: Rochelle Canteen, Shoreditch

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Order: Scrambled eggs on toast and a cup of tea.

Why: This old School canteen is only open on weekdays and is rammed at lunch. At breakfast however they do one or two things and they do them excellently. Some toasted St John Bread with home made jam or an egg atop, is difficult to argue with.

Who will you find here: Shopkeepers and creatives from all over East London. When in the area they will find a reason to come here for toast and jam, or just a coffee, or if they have time or a meeting, for eggs on toast. This is the haunt of the real Londoner working in the rag trade or the art world today. Lots of fashion companies have their headquarters near here, as do Frieze and many artists. They all pop into the Canteen for their morning sustenance.

Where: The old Rochelle School, Arnold Circus, Shoreditch – here

5. Best Bacon Sarnie: Pickles, Great Suffolk Street

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Order: Bacon sandwich and a milky tea

Why: The lady who runs Pickles and the man working for her in the kitchen (both comfortably 70, at a guess) bicker like flirting teenagers. Which is fantastic viewing. She travels all the way from Islington each day and has done for years. He is an Italian who must have moved here 40 years ago and still pretends not to speak much English. They are reason enough to travel here alone. Her stories of the artists (Gilbert & George, Tracey Emin etc) who have passed through, as well as the stories of the times she saw Lady Diana, are the cherry on the cake that keeps us all coming back.

Who will you find here: Any day of the week you will likely find a confused tourist, a resting labourer, a rushing cabbie, a sated artist (who you recognise but couldn’t name), an undiscovered artist (who it’s worth befriending) and our two protagonists who run the place.

Where: Great Suffolk Street, just behind the Tate Modern – here