Let’s be honest here – this is not the most glamorous cafe, best placed or best kept cafe in Birmingham. However, and this cannot be said for many establishments, it is down to Earth. While other restaurants plaster the walls garish colours and throw avocados at you as if you were trying to pole-vault the Welsh border, Reservoir Cafe remains originally humble. In the dejection of this forgotten corner of Edgbaston, Reservoir Cafe stands as a bastion of common sense and straightforward food.
My colleagues and I had the chance to go for our yearly bi-annual Wellbeing Committee Walking Group luncheon. We ordered in advance and everything arrived at the table in excellent time. We all took tea and an ample helping of milk. So ample in fact that the rest of the place had to do without before we realised we had pinched the entire place’s milk jug!
I digress. The above photograph depicts the gorgeous club sandwich I ordered. This was filled with chicken, fresh vegetables and a lovely sauce. Forgive me for not going into detail – this was a month ago and my memory is foggy at the best of times. I remember it being really filling.
The colleague to my right had a chicken, tomato and bacon sandwich which I am told was quite divine, above is its photograph, taken in the macro style.
Let me distance myself from the food for a moment and talk about the style of the building. This must have been an hotel at some point in the past. The architecture would have been gorgeous. The windows are high and let in much sunlight (if any is available in this country). There is delightful wrought ironwork on the spiral staircase leading downstairs. The wood panelling backing the restaurant was also well preserved and helped give a quasi- ornate feel to the cafe.
Overall, this cafe makes good food at a good price in a good location. You know exactly what you’re getting and you know it won’t cost you. Seven of us ate and drank for a combined total of £30, which I found was extraordinary. This is the Edgbaston cafe to go to if you’re in the mood for something delightful and dependable.