There’s nothing quite like breakfast with a view, is there? Our community reporter, Keimae Blake, found a cafe perfect for people watching with exceptional customer service as she reports…
After finding out what it’s like for boaters during the winter at Beeston Marina, I met the owner of the Boathouse Cafe, Tony. The cafe had people sitting inside and outside - and they appeared to be enjoying themselves.
So I thought I have to come back one day and try what Tony described as the ‘best breakfast in Beeston.’ Making my way down to Beeston early in the morning, I got to the cafe at 9.15. Before I arrived, I had already spoken to a cheery gentleman loading his van.
READ MORE: The hidden Nottingham café selling huge fry-ups for just £6
‘Where’s your hat and scarf?’ he joked and we chatted for a while. Despite the cold, the sun was glistening against the water and you could hear the wind.
Arriving at the cafe on 1a Riverside Road, Tony was tending to a couple sitting outside with their Labrador. I was greeted with a smile and a ‘how are you?’ whilst being ushered inside.
The Boathouse Cafe reminds you of one of those little hidden gems you may find on holiday. Maybe you're in Spain and there’s a little hut at the end of the beach that may not look high-end and fancy but serves the best food ever. Although I wasn’t in sunny Spain, the cafe had a homely feel to it.
Happy as Larry, Tony introduced me to a few of his regulars as I ordered a full English breakfast - without the beans (I can’t stand them) and with an extra hash brown instead. Sitting down on a seat at the back of the cafe, I could see everyone.
Dog walkers, joggers, couples, workmen. My cup of tea was made just how I like it: strong, no sugar, just what I needed on yet another cold, winter's day.
I couldn’t help but notice the unique tablecloth. It wasn’t long before my breakfast arrived.
Piping hot and ready to eat. Now, I may be called a greedy guts but I was disappointed... I only had one sausage!
The one sausage that I did have however was nicely cooked and burnt round the edges. My bacon was nice and greasy and not undercooked at all.
The eggs were well done, not as runny as I would usually want them to be but I had the tomatoes to dip my bread in instead. It was a 9/10 breakfast with the one sausage affecting the rating unfortunately.
I was happy as throughout eating all my breakfast, my cup of tea stayed piping hot and in the background, I could hear Tony laughing and interacting with his customers despite being busy.
After paying £8 for my meal, Tony gave me a free copy of the Beestonian and said ‘you have a nice day, I hope to see you soon’ the breakfast may not have been 10/10 but the customer service most definitely was.
READ NEXT:
