Spud Bros Express: TikTok stars bring viral jacket potatoes to London’s West End

Viral TikTok sensation Spud Bros have brought their famous jacket potatoes to the heart of London’s theatre district.

Preston lads Jacob and Harley Nelson, aged 29 and 22, are celebrating the launch of their first pop-up restaurant, Spud Bros Express.

Formerly home to Jamie Oliver’s Pasta Dreams restaurant, the new Spud Bros eatery is located in a prime spot next to the Apollo Theatre on Archer Street - a busy backstreet off bustling Shaftesbury Avenue in Soho.

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It opened last week (Thursday, November 28) with people from around the world queuing outside its doors from 6am. They have a short-term lease for three months and if it proves a success, they hope to open more Express restaurants in the future.

With three ovens on the go and seven members of staff, Jacob and Harley are excited to be serving up a taste of Preston to London’s hungry legions.

But the lads say they will never forget their roots. In an emotional TikTok video, Jacob paid tribute to Hot Potato Tram founder Keith Roberts, who sadly died aged 43 in 2020.

Jacob said: “This is so sick, honestly guys. We’re just two lads from Preston - had an idea, had a vision, had a dream. We wanted to inspire the youth. And how we have a shop in London.

“We’ve had people waiting in the street since 6.15am. Honestly, it is just so surreal. I can’t actually believe what is happening.

“From 1955, we’re keeping that legacy alive - big-up Keith - we’re just seeing how far we can go.”

Just a few minutes’ walk from the Lyric, Apollo, Gielgud and Sondheim theatres - and a stone’s throw from Piccadilly Circus and Charing Cross Road - they are confident their tasty baked potatoes will be a hit with the city’s throngs of tourists and theatre-goers.

The new restaurant also features a TV on the wall so their London customers can watch their hugely popular TikTok livestreams from the Flag Market in Preston. Their more than three millions followers can also watch a livestream from the new restaurant on their TikTok channel @thespudbrothers.