Description: A place I pop in quite regularly to eat is Red's Cafe in the Kings Norton area of Birmingham, I've eaten here in the morning for breakfast (although breakfast is available all day) and also chosen takeaway sandwiches to eat during the day. My most recent visit was this morning when I popped in for breakfast with my partner who was working in the area.
Red's Cafe is a small cafe which will seat around 25 customers inside, it also offers outdoor seating by way of metal tables and chairs - unfortunately the weather wasn't conducive to eating outside when I visited but I did spot a couple of workmen braving the elements so they could have a cigarette while waiting for their meals to arrive! It's nicely decorated with a bright and airy serving counter, the seating area is done in bright neutrals with wood panelling for effect. I've always been happy with the amount if seating due to the fact that tables tend to be for four although I'm not fond of the baby seats which are the type that strap to the dining chairs, something which undoubtably saves space for the cafe but isn't ideal for me personally as my son eats much better using a proper stand alone high chair with integrated tray.
I was impressed with both members of staff and am pretty sure it's been the same two girls each time I've visited. They're both uber-pleasant, cheerful and efficient - I've always felt welcomed whether I'm in for a full meal, grabbing a sandwich or even just popping in for a coffee. Orders are taken at the front counter and the menu is prominently displayed behind the counter. It's one of those places that charge extra for substitutions and extra components to your meal so it's best to familiarise yourself with the menu before ordering - my only irritation being that you get a cup of tea with a medium breakfast but if you want coffee you have to buy it, this gives a mean impression to me and as I don't drink tea I was forced to pay extra for a coffee while my 'free' tea went cold on the table!
Our food has always gotten to the table in a reasonable time, salads are prepared at the front counter from a glass fronted salad bar - there's a nice selection of salads and cold meals to make up a takeaway box, or baguettes and various types of sandwich are available using the same array of fillings. I've eaten a salad box from here and it was really tasty, I know my niece regularly goes in to buy baguettes and coffee as she lives locally so it encourages repeat customers due to (in my opinion) the selection and quality of the food.
My breakfast today was delicious. I'd asked for the bacon to be well done and when it arrived it was perfect, crisp and very fresh but without being absolutely cremated as often happens when you ask for crispy bacon in this kind of cafe. My medium breakfast comprised two rashers of bacon, two meaty and well cooked sausages, a fried egg, hash brown, fried bread, beans, tomatoes and toast - I selected a slice of black pudding as an extra, which arrived perfectly cooked with a yummy spicy bite. Everything was well cooked actually; I found the fried bread to be very oily but I don't particularly like this anyway so it didn't matter how well/badly it was cooked I wouldn't have eaten it anyway! The egg was nice and soft, the yolk perfect for dipping toast and hash brown in! I enjoyed all of it, I'd expected a half tomato rather than the large serving of tinned tomatoes but I suppose I should have checked beforehand as to how they were going to be served.
Sauces and seasonings are available on each table, as well as a selection of up-to-date newspapers for customers to read while they're waiting for their food. These little touches, as well as things like the offer of a bowl and plastic glass for my son, add to the welcoming atmosphere inside Red's Cafe in my opinion.
The people who eat here are pretty diverse as far as I can see. There are family groups, women popping in with babies to meet friends, workmen, elderly couples - all sorts really. I noticed a sign offering discounts for OAPs on certain days and Red's also offer a telephone order service if you need a large quantity of food for your workplace or whatever. I like the mix of people when I visit as it gives the cafe a real community feel, I've never heard anyone complaining and overall people seem to enjoy their visits. I know I always enjoy mine! Prices aren't too bad, a little inflated compared to other establishments in the local area maybe by the time you've added any extras to your meal, but on the whole I don't mind paying a small premium for well cooked quality food so this doesn't bother me at all.
Red's Cafe is open from 7.30 in the morning and closes at around 3pm, although I've passed later in the day and found it still open so I don't think they're too strict about what time they shut up shop. These timings are ideal for this kind of place really as they're open nice and early for those who want breakfast and have a good market for lunch time meals, I love the fact that breakfast is available all day as this is becoming less common as cafes around here seem to be offering breakfast only until 10.30am which is often too early for me.
Overall I really love this little cafe and will continue to visit when I'm in the area, I'm looking forward to the warmer weather so I can sit outside as the location isn't bad - on a busy-ish road but in one of those areas that has plenty of green around so you barely notice the traffic.
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