The Golden Sausage: Help us find Britain’s best biker café
Is this the most famous biker haunt on planet Earth? We think so
With a history rich in rockers and classic British metal, the Ace is the stuff of legends. So this week MCN took to the North Circular as the hunt goes on for Britain’s top biker eatery. The Ace’s art deco façade has been a feature along the A406 since 1938, but it was during the 1950s that it became synonymous with motorcycling, when the ton-up boys would race against the jukebox to complete a circuit to Hanger Lane roundabout and back before the song of choice had played through. These days there’s too much risk to life and licence to even consider such a dangerous feat, but the rock’n’roll heritage lives on and is a big part of what the Ace is all about today.
We went for the sausage sandwich, featuring the Ace’s house bangers. “We have our own recipe,” says Managing Director Mark Wilsmore, “using prime English pork and our own blend of herbs and spices. We sell over seven tonnes a year!” Mark is a great host and regaled us with tales from the Ace’s history, so grab a chat with him if you can. “I’ve never had a better breakfast in London,” says Tom Woodrow from Adventure Bike TV, who uses the Ace with colleague Graham Hoskins. “The sausage and bacon sandwich is outstanding.” David Wilson is a big fan too: “It’s a fair price for a great meal, really good value. The tea gets ten out of ten from me.”
For Honda X-11 rider Richard King, the Ace is the perfect place for meeting up “I organise rideouts from here at least two or three times a month,” says Richard. “Everyone knows where it is and there’s plenty of space to park the bikes. The food is good, too.”