We try the cooked breakfast at a timeless Bristol greasy spoon cafe at the heart of the community

Mario’s Cafe is still very much the hub of Stockwood. In the middle of the rank of 1960s-built shops on Hollway Road, it’s one of the few places left in the area where locals can meet up over a cup of tea and sit down for a hot meal.

When I arrive just after midday, there is only one table unoccupied and that has a 'reserved' sign on it. Luckily, another table is vacated just in time for me to dive in and settle down.

Looking around and the place is absolutely rammed for a mid-week lunchtime. But it's not a surprise to the friendly staff - the waitress says ‘it’s always like this’ when I ask whether it’s unusually busy.

The speckled concrete floor is a throwback to the 1960s when it was built. There are comfortable leather banquettes and strip lighting. With a counter where you order and an open kitchen at the far end, it has a timeless greasy spoon look. 

Mario’s Cafe serves food all day and the vast menu includes made-to-order sandwiches, baguettes and paninis as well as full range of meals (described as ‘platters’ on the menu) including lasagne and chips (£6.95); faggot, peas and chips (£4.95) and something called a ‘country vegetable grill’ (£6.95 for two ‘scrumptious’ vegetable burgers ‘cooked to perfection’ served with a hot jacket potato, crunchy coleslaw and salad garnish).

There’s also a range of chicken dishes, burgers, fish and chips, jacket potatoes, omelettes and salads.

But it’s the all-day cooked breakfast I’m interested in and there’s quite a choice, from the ‘early starter’ (scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, beans and two hash browns) through to the ‘mega mixed grill’ (two griddled eggs, two sausages, a beef burger, bacon, onion rings, beans and chips).

Of course, there will be Full English purists who will choke on their mug of builders’ tea at the suggestion of chips as part of a cooked breakfast, let alone a burger and onion rings, but if that’s what they want in Stockwood, let them have it.

I went for Mario Special (£6.50) with a mug of tea (£1.50 although cups are just £1). The breakfast arrived within ten minutes of ordering - impressive, considering how busy it was with people ordering so many different things - and each component was piping hot and cooked to order.

The two large rashers of bacon were crisp-edged and the two mahogany brown-hued sausages were plump and meaty. There was a thick slice of black pudding, a crunchy hash brown, plenty of beans and two griddled eggs, one with a runny yolk, the other a little more cooked. 

And, yes, there was a mountain of seriously good chips, but then as this was a late breakfast after midday, it was more like lunch anyway so let’s not get too pernickety about it.

In short, Mario’s Cafe lives up to its widely held reputation as one of the best old-school greasy spoon cafes in Bristol. It's a gem.

If I lived in Stockwood, I’d probably be there most days. It’s more than just a cafe, it’s the absolute heart of the community and without it, Stockwood would be a much poorer place.

Mario’s Cafe, 66 Hollway Road, Stockwood, Bristol, BS14 8PG.