If we’ve learned anything at all in the last two weeks, it’s that Brits love a queue. We knew that anyway, but there was something about the queue to see the Queen lying in state that was quintessentially British.
But Brits won’t just queue for nothing - there’s got to be a really good reason to. Alton Towers ride wait time is an hour and a half? I’m not waiting in that. There’s only one cashier on in Home Bargains, the line is halfway up the auto accessories aisle and I’ve only got one item to purchase? Didn’t need it that much anyway.
But there’s a Northern Quarter café which sees food lovers queuing for up to 40 minutes for their best-selling brunch dish - and it doesn’t even need to be a weekend! In fact, when I visited on a crisp Wednesday morning, there was already a line of hungry shoppers perusing menus and waiting patiently for their name to be called. Naturally, I joined it.
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On the corner of Nicholas Croft stands Federal, a café and bar famed for its delicious brunch dishes and superb service. They also have a branch on Deansgate, and a stall in Altrincham, and are firm favourites with locals and visitors alike.
A friendly member of staff, Jada, asked how many seats I’d be needing, and explained that there would be a half hour wait if I wanted to sit inside. Those willing to brave the chill could pull up a pew on one of the outdoor benches, but I’ve always preferred indoor dining to al fresco, so I waited in line with everyone else.
Meanwhile, I asked other expert queuers, who had clearly been here before, what it is about Federal that means people are so willing to queue. I mean, I have NEVER queued for a café, and if a restaurant wait time is more than 30 minutes, I tend to just go somewhere else.
Lucy Morris, a 20-year-old student, reliably informed me: “It’s the French Toast.”
This was Lucy’s sixth visit to the NQ cafe, and she said: “Every time I come there is a queue but it’s worth it. The service is really good and the people are really nice so it makes you want to keep coming back. Someone down there had the French Toast a moment ago and it looked so good.”
Also a regular at the venue was Christine Hughes, visiting with her friend. The 63-year-old from Lancashire said: “This is my fifth time here - we love the French Toast with the fruit on top, it’s gorgeous. Last time I had Eggs Benedict and that was beautiful too. We will be queuing 40 mins if not more, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't delicious!”
Unexpectedly, Jada returned after about 12 minutes and updated me that a table for one had become free, and, as the only solo diner in the queue, it was mine for the taking, guiding me down the line and into the café to window-seat table seven.
Having already had a good gander at the menu, I went straight to the counter to order the Turkish eggs, French toast and a chai latte, which came to around £20 - a much cheaper affair than the time I visited The Green Lab.
My food arrived in no time, and it was immediately evident why people love this place so much, because the food really does look fantastic. While Federal may not scream ‘Instagrammable’ with all-pink interiors or photo opportunities, they’re gram-worthy in their own right. I instantly posted a photo of my food on my personal account, with followers commenting “I LOVE it here”, with another adding: “Agree that the Turkish eggs there are SO good.”
I tucked into the Turkish eggs first - it made sense to do savoury then sweet. Those unfamiliar with the dish, it’s two free range poached eggs on top of a whipped garlic yoghurt with hot chilli butter and za’atar served with sourdough toast. It’s hot, spicy, creamy and delicious. I was a little bit disappointed that the poached eggs weren’t runny - however, they were still soft, so I was able to spread it onto the toast rather than allow it to ooze into the garlic yoghurt.
I had added some chorizo to the dish too, which really levelled up the flavour profile for an exciting and more unusual brunch that’s far superior to smashed avocado on bread.
After the sizzling Turkish eggs, the sweet and sticky French toast was a welcome ‘dessert’ style dish. The thick brioche is topped with macerated berries, a white chocolate and almond crumble, whipped vanilla mascarpone and salted caramel drizzle. It's absolutely a party in your mouth and I totally understand why people queue so long for it. It’s worth the wait.
Fed, watered, full and content, I asked waitress Jada Giwa, aged 24, what it is about Federal that sees people queuing down the street, and how they maintain such impeccable military precision to keep things running smoothly.
She said: “A lot of the reviews say it’s the service, but it really helps when you have a really good team. We all work together and the food is really good, so people are happy to wait in the queue and it makes our job a lot easier when people love what we do.
“We sell a lot of the French toast but everything on the menu is SO good - we’ve also been told we’ve got the best coffee in town, so I think that’s why.”
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