Cowley Road favourite serves the full monty

Saturday morning, 11am and the place was heaving. We squeezed in, gratefully grabbed the last free table and perused the joint.

Café CoCo in Cowley Road is a hip and popular spot. It boasts a lively and friendly atmosphere, charming staff and oozes universal and ageless appeal.

A family group with a baby were happily nestled alongside a group of thirty-somethings. And two middle-aged women, who took an age to deliberate over the menu (yes, that would be me with my guest) were seated near a young couple deeply in love.

However, said couple did manage to tear themselves away from gazing into each other’s eyes just long enough to openly appreciate the beauty of the dishes presented to them.

Everything arriving from the kitchen looked fresh and wholesome. In fact, I had to stop myself from tapping the people on the shoulder who ordered the colourful vegetarian mezze (feta, olives, tzatziki, dolmades, humous, capers and garlic bread) to ask if it tasted as good as it looked. Our own plates also arrived attractively laden with a hearty full English breakfast (chosen decisively) and the Arnold Bennett omelette that I had pondered over. My smoked haddock omelette, cooked with herbs and a hint of cheese, was tasty as hell and worthy of the considered deliberation of the other 12 omelette fillings available.

The full English was also voted a winner. Highlights reported were the Cumberland sausage, crisp garlic sautéed potatoes and toasted ciabatta bread. Our brunch was accompanied with a decadent bottle of Prosecco – but we were briefly tempted by the freshly made juices that seemed a big hit with other punters.

I’d certainly return. Fascinatingly the full English can also be ordered as a pizza – I just might have to do that once...

Café CoCo, 23 Cowley Road, Oxford. Call 01865 200232.

Opens daily from 10am

  • Full English £8.25
  • Arnold Bennett omelette £8.95