In the quaint town of Ironbridge, Shropshire, a seemingly ordinary Saturday morning at Truffles Cafe turned into a moment of local legend when 18-year-old darts sensation Luke Littler, known as “The Nuke,” walked through the door. Fresh off his meteoric rise in the darts world, the reigning PDC World Champion and world number two quietly slipped into the cozy eatery, accompanied by what cafe owner Jenny Barratt described as “beefy” security guards. Despite his global fame and a net worth soaring past £1 million, Littler went unnoticed by most patrons until a kitchen staff member sparked a frenzy with a single exclamation: “Luke Littler’s just come in!” The unassuming visit, marked by a simple order of beans on toast with scrambled egg, has now inspired a new menu item dubbed “The Luke Littler,” cementing the teenager’s impact both on and off the oche.
Littler, who has captivated the sports world with his record-breaking performances, was in town just before his triumphant 16-3 victory over Martin Lukeman at the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton. His choice of a modest breakfast—eschewing the full English for a classic dish—surprised Barratt, who expected the young star to opt for something heartier. “Nobody recognised him until one of our staff members who works in the kitchen came out,” she recalled, describing the moment the Truffles WhatsApp group chat “burst into life” with excitement. Determined to let Littler enjoy his meal in peace, the staff refrained from posting about his visit on social media. “We kept it off Facebook for a bit so he was able to just have his breakfast in peace,” Barratt explained, highlighting the cafe’s effort to respect his privacy. “He wanted no trouble at all. [We’re] quite honoured, really, because there’s a few cafes up and down here [and] they chose us.”
The visit wasn’t just a fleeting moment of celebrity spotting. Littler, described as a “nice guy” and “down to earth,” posed for photos with staff members, including Zoe and Dylan, leaving a lasting impression. The cafe, buzzing with pride, decided to immortalize the moment by renaming their beans on toast with scrambled egg “The Luke Littler” in honor of their famous guest. “The Ironbridge breakfast may have fired Luke Littler to a first major ranking title at the Grand Slam of Darts,” one observer speculated, noting the timing of his visit and subsequent victory. That win, which netted him £150,000, was part of a 2024 season that saw Littler pocket £900,000 in prize money, a testament to his dominance in his debut professional year.
Littler’s journey from a darts prodigy to a household name is nothing short of extraordinary. Born in Warrington, he began throwing darts at 18 months, joined the St Helens Darts Academy at 10, and claimed his first PDC World Championship title at 17 years and 347 days, breaking records as the youngest world champion in darts history. His 2025 season has been equally stellar, with victories in the UK Open, World Matchplay, and multiple World Series events, pushing his career earnings past £1 million. Off the board, his sponsorships with Target Darts, BoohooMAN, and Xbox, along with his role in ITV’s Bullseye reboot, have boosted his profile and wealth, leading to a lavish move to a Cheshire mansion.
As Littler prepares for the Players Championship Finals, where he’s currently ranked 54th with £21,000, his focus remains razor-sharp. The Ironbridge visit, though, offers a glimpse into the grounded side of a superstar who, despite security guards and global fame, craves the simple pleasures of a quiet breakfast. “Some of our staff members were able to get a couple of photos,” Barratt said, reflecting on the joy of hosting such an unassuming icon. For Truffles Cafe, the visit was a badge of honor, a moment when a small-town eatery became part of darts history. For Littler, it was just another day of blending extraordinary talent with ordinary moments—fueling his legend one breakfast at a time.
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