We warn you now: this review of Boston Tea Party may be one of the most boring reviews you’ve ever read. Why? They’re just so darn good. So, let us apologise now as we digest, cogitate and generally tell you about our love-affair with BTP Solihull.
As soon as you walk through the doors of BTP Solihull you feel at home. It’s that 5 second rule that can make you buy a house. Or, on this occasion, a coffee. A converted old coach house, BTP Solihull has plenty of original features to draw you in and there was a welcoming smile at the counter as soon as we arrived.
My first cup of the black-stuff (which was voted best in the suburb on TripAdvisor) was just what I needed to kickstart my Wednesday morning meeting – which we’d decided to take over brunch for a change. This caffeine hit was smooth, hot and satisfying – in a way that no boyfriend has ever been – and helped perk me up and power me into the day ahead.
I remember going into my first Boston Tea Party in the early 2000s at their Exeter store, and being blown away by the freshness of ingredients and indy approach to the coffee shop – and wishing there was one closer to where I used to live in Worcester. When that store opened, I was over the moon and made sure I was a regular visitor until my work brought me to Birmingham a few years later.The Birmingham city centre store is always one I make a bee-line to whenever I’m near Corporation Street – so when I was asked to review the Solihull branch, which opened in March, I must admit I was more than a little excited.
Perfect for meetings, tete-a-tetes or social gatherings, we were shown to our private booth and left to peruse the ample brunch menu.
One of my friends was mid health-kick, so opted for The Green One, which is a raw vegetable smoothie (£3.35) jampacked with green goodness. She remarked on how fresh it tasted. We also sampled the Carrot and Tumeric smoothie (£3.35) which was also very refreshing and felt like we most certainly had our vitamin boost for the day. Both were filling and suitable for vegans.
Breakfast and Brunch are the main-stays for Boston Tea Party – so it was in the spirit of good journalism rather than greed that we decided to put the menu to the test; choosing a selection of dishes covering all options – from carnivore to vegan with a side of gluten free.
Myself and a friend decided we would share a plate of the Sweetcorn Hash and Halloumi (£8.75) with poached eggs, avocado and tomato salsa, and coriander with Tabasco maple syrup. I must admit it was delicious and we diligently polished it off together. I do think this dish could warrant being served as a side order, rather than just a main, as it’d give a chance to try multiple dishes at the same time. That said, it was more’ish, delicious and incredibly tasty.
My other dining companion is gluten intolerant and so opted for the lemon and ricotta pancakes with smoked bacon and maple syrup (£7.25). She said it was delicious and bursting with flavour, but she felt an extra rasher of bacon would have made it the perfect ratio of pancakes to bacon.
Another dish devoured was smoked salmon, avocado and scrambled eggs on sourdough toast (£8.75). There was a good mixture of the ingredients, it was a great portion size and value of money, but we did feel it could have been served slightly warmer, however this could have been because the smoked salmon is served at room temperature
And no visit for any self-respecting breakfast fan to Boston Tea Party should go without trying to conquer The Boss. A plate bursting with bacon, sausage, hog’s pudding, mushrooms, homemade hash, roasted tomatoes, baked beans, scrambled egg and two rounds of toast (£10.95) – and one of Boston Tea Party’s signature dishes. You can see why it’s so popular: hearty, flavoursome, beautifully presented and big enough to set you up for the day. Easily one of the best Full English breakfasts around, or so my Boss tells me – and it’s on the menu, like the rest of the brunch menu, throughout the day.
My love affair with BTP doesn’t just extend to the food; it’s also their ethical stance. Ahead of the curve, they’re determined – and committed – to make sure they are pioneers of the anti-plastic revolution. A case in point: a few months ago, they decided to ban plastic straws and also (single use) take-away cups entirely. Instead, you can buy, or borrow, a reusable cup on-site (with prices from £4.25 which are really great value), or else bring your own cup. For every sale of a takeaway hot drink they donate 10p to a local community cause. Whilst sales dropped – as you can imagine – their position did not. We salute them for this and would urge you to not only support BTP in their quest, but also put pressure on other coffee chains to follow suit.
The cafe is just a short walk from Solihull train station and the town centre on Herbert Road (behind John Lewis carpark), is spacious and also has plenty of activities for families to enjoy throughout the week with lots of community groups using the upstairs space. See their noticeboard for details.
For more details visit www.bostonteaparty.co.uk or call on 0121 7091552.
