It's a cold Saturday morning in the middle of January. The mist rises over Stalling Down, just as it did in 1405 as Owain Glyndwr's men took on the might of the English army. There was slaughter on both sides, horses covered in blood above their fetlocks. Glyndwr took a phyrric victory. It was his last great stand, celebrated with a fry-up in Wales's first ever cafe.

OK that last bit isn't true, but had Downs Cafe been open that day for Glyndwr and his men, might they have beaten Henry's troops into total submission? In the interests of revisionist history you might just want to go and sample what could have been the Welsh hero's 'battle breakfast.'

In 2009 the horses have been replaced by bikes. Bikes of all kind. Racers, Harleys, tourers, tandems - the place is strewn with them and their riders. Inside, tankards have given way to a kaleidoscope of colourful mugs. And a medieval fighter would have loved to see the notice on the wall advertising pigeons for sale.

As for the menu, this is definitely fighting food: bacon sarnies, chips, pasties, rolls, and several breakfast options right up to the 'mega'. The 'special' is probably the best to go for, especially the tomato option which looks like some kind of sumptuous scarlet Matisse. It's not going to win any awards for subtlety of taste, and wouldn't meet Heston Blumenthal's new Little Chef breakfast standards, but if you want a pile of reasonably priced heart-busting morsals this is it. Skip the black puddings though. They are reputed to be old brake discs from the Harleys outside.

But what would really have refreshed Glyndwr's troops is the warm welcome from the owner, and the gritty charm of it all. There are copies of the Sun in abundance, sauces of every variety at no extra cost, cyclists swapping chafing tips, and that crazy wall of classified ads. Until further notice Downs is THE greasy spoon destination in South Wales. Welsh revolutionaries, get down there.