Redhill Marina Cafe – Some Breakfast Adventures

The Redhill Marina Cafe alongside the river at Ratcliffe on Soar is a fabulous spot to grab some breakfast with a view.

We have spent the last couple of Saturday mornings sitting at the Terrace Bar in full view of the water, relaxing and watching the boats go by while we scoffed some excellent plates of food

The menu lists three main options, price based on size with a Mega Full English, a Full English, and a small breakfast being the key players in this breakfast game

Over the last two weekends we worked our way through them all

In size order

THE MEGA BREAKFAST

The MEGA Full English Breakfast for £9.50 comes with 2 Pork sausages, 2 slices of bacon, 2 eggs, Black Pudding, 2 Hash Browns, Baked beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, and 2 slices of toast

This is the biggest plate that they have on offer and the one that I had to try partly for the challenge and partly as it contains all the breakfast items available all piled up on one plate so I could check them all out properly

My highlights were the super crispy and nicely herbed meaty sausages. The menu says ‘pork’ but they are more like Cumberland in flavour. Later confirmed by the kitchen when I took our plates back

I also really liked the crunchy coated hash browns which is a breakfast item I am normally dismissive of. The ones here make me think again about my breakfast life choices

The black pudding was very thickly sliced, quite generous really, it was cooked well and had a decent flavour

Comments on the other contents as we continue to devour our way through the menu

THE FULL ENGLISH

The Full English Breakfast for £5.80 is a plate of Sausage, Bacon, Egg, Hash Brown, Baked beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, and a slice of toast

Price wise I think that this is the best value option from the menu. You can (if you so wish) add on additional items and I chose to upgrade with a slice of black pudding for just 75p more

Just like with the Mega version of the Full English you need to be accepting of the baked bean and tinned tomato meld to fall in love with your breakfast

I myself love the Meld but many others baulk at the orange and red pool of juice flooding the plate

The bacon is solid and meaty, I prefer my fat to be rendered a little more but I can live with the way that they do it here at the marina cafe.

If there is a third visit I’ll ask for it to be crisped up

THE SMALL BREAKFAST

The Small breakfast for £3.50 is a more meagre affair being a simple plate of Sausage, Bacon, Egg, and Baked beans

It doesn’t seem as much after you have witnessed the Mega and The Full English platefuls but upgrades are available with additional items at £1 for sausage and bacon, other items at 75p

My dining companion upgraded with toast and hash brown from my plate. Which seemed a fair trade as they paid for the meal 😎

I must say that the buttered toast is particularly good here. I might bring my own marmalade next time

THE BREAKFAST MENU

They do offer vegetarian options of each breakfast and you can get a bacon and or sausage cob too if you are feeling less hungry

As the combined cob is £4.50 I would probably have the small breakfast and a side of toast for 75p and make a small sandwich

Thinking about it now I quite fancy a sausage cob. Maybe I need to get the car out for a drive ( ponders life choices)

Each time we have chosen to sit at the bar terrace around the back overlooking the river

Mostly for the view but partly for access as there is a ramp for the wheelchair which is featuring temporarily on our MyFoodHunt adventures

Inside the cafe there are plenty of tables and more seating at the trestle tables alongside.

It was very popular at the weekend when we visited but still enough room for everyone

I like sitting outside but it was good to see there was shelter for visits on days with inclement weather

My favourite feature of the cafe is the sign that there is no wifi and they suggest talking to each other instead. A thought we often need to contemplate these days.

Anyway with the views they have over the river who needs to have your face stuck into a phone anyway?

The cafe is open every day until early afternoon. Breakfast is served until 1pm most days except Sunday when they stop at 11am

They do serve lunches which I am yet to try although I heard the homemade chilli is particularly good. I also heard that they do a Roast dinner on a Sunday which tempts me too and one to ponder when the weather is a little cooler