The German Cafe Shirley

To be brutally honest, the Shirley area of Solihull isn’t exactly Paris or Rome, and, accordingly, you probably don’t expect to find chic cafes and delicatessens quite as readily in Shirley as you would in the aforementioned cities. Therefore it’s quite a shock when you stumble upon Café Shirley, a very attractive looking café, with seating both inside and out, and various nice touches, such as small ornamental trees either side of the door. Even more surprisingly is the food the specialise in: English and German cuisine. Now, admittedly I don’t go out of my way looking for food from Germany, but aside from the obligatory sections of supermarkets and of course Birmingham’s famed German Christmas market, I don’t know of any other dedicated German eateries, so of course I had to try some. Never having had schnitzel before, I was delighted to find that I loved it, and immediately wanted more. Their menu is fairly extensive, and the ample seating makes it a great place to have a relax with some great food and while away a couple of hours.

Café Shirley (or as it is now know as The German Café) is situated a little too far up the Stratford Road, and would probably gain more custom if it were close to the main Shirley shops. Having said that, when you do eventually find the restaurant, it feels like you’ve climbed a mountain to find a hidden gem.
Sometimes, you can’t wait for the German Market at Christmas time. I know I can’t. The food is just addictively tasty and the alcohol is just as great too! Technically, now you don’t have to wait until the festive season at all, because Shirley has its own German cuisine, which is just as delicious, if not more!
Inside the café, the décor is convincingly German, with the stereotypical moose’s head on the wall, and flags. The staff even dress in traditional garments when serving the food.
Price wise, the meals are a little expensive, but well worth the money because portions are so big. I bought a Bratwurst with curry sauce and chips for £6.50, and I really struggled to finish it all. There was so much flavour too. I also highly recommend trying the waffle with sugar for £2.50, which fills your entire plate and tastes amazingly fresh.