This is in a bit of a strange place but it's definitely nicer inside than it is outside. If you're…read morein the area and in need of a bite to eat for lunch, you could do far worse than sampling some food from here. I tend to get bored of the standard lunch options so it made a nice change to be able to add a chicken tikka masala to a jacket potato. It tasted good and was only £2.50. If you're looking for a place to grab some lunch and you're in the area, this will do nicely. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here but walking by, it does the job.

This place sounds more like a psychiatrists than a coffee shop! Either way I was in need of…read morerefreshment after some retail therapy when I paid a visit. It's modern and funky and offers a large range of snacks. I had a ham and salad baguette which was generously filled. I had a large cappuccino to wash it down and pick me up. The place was clean and the service was friendly making it an decent place to stop off.

Oikos is easily the best cafe on Erdington High Street…read more Whether you want some breakfast, lunch, or just want to pop in for a tea or coffee, Oikos is perfect. Their menu has a great variety to satisfy whatever you may be crazing, but not too much that it's overwhelming. The staff is kind and accommodating, their smiling faces are always ready to welcome you whether you are a regular or a first time visitor. My personal favourite food is the personal pizza. They just got a new oven, so it takes even less time to cook it to perfection. But I've had many different things from their menu and have yet to have a bad meal.

Oikos Cafe is a bright light in Erdington! Amazing space, really clean, and great coffee. Staff is…read moresuper nice and helpful, and makes a great addition to the high street. You won't be sad to visit!

Coco is the sort of place that makes you regret years of calories wasted on hard chips and bad…read morepizza. It may even be enough to put curries - the takeaway king - on the back burner for a few weeks until you get cravings for the venue's simple yet tasty Caribbean menu out of your system. Opening in May 2012, there hasn't been lots of time to explore the range carefully, but what's been tried so far will guarantee multiple return visits. The cornerstone of the menu is gorgeous stuffed dumplings with the fillings you may expect - jerk chicken, curried mutton - along with centres perhaps less familiar, such as saltfish with either ackee or spinach-like callalloo. Each dumpling will set you back a measly £1.60. You can buy familiar accompaniments separately such as rice and peas, but the handy Coco Box puts it, or similar, in the same container as your chicken or mutton for £5.50, salad included. Curried patties and soup rounds out the menu and is joined by the standards of chips, tea, coffee and soft drinks. There's even fresh fruit for those whose head can't be turned by fried goodness. Other issues of note are the particularly friendly, helpful staff and limited seating at a small bar in the basic yet not unattractive surroundings, should you find it too hard to wait to take your food home. Cash is the only accepted form of payment. The chicken and mutton is Halal.

York Cafe, Erdington High Street. I order Breakfast with…read morechips and I get a bowl of chips just for £1.30 which is not reasonable the mount chips I receive was 10 in bowl. That been really stingy or what. you polls to receive apportion of chips not 10 chips

When your all tuckered out from thrift shopping in Erdington, the York Cafe is a pretty alright…read morestop. Its a standard diner environment with the coffee to match. I went there and ordered from the breakfast menu and it was completly satisfying. I have no complaints about the place and recommend for everyone. Its family-friendly, the waitresses are wonderful and the food is just nice diner food.

Two stars means. "Meh. I've experienced better"…read more I really want to like this place. I really do. I went before because I was told how great it was and how I'd love it. I didn't see what tea's were available and when I asked at the counter I was told to look at a sign that was 15-20 foot away. I had to take 4 steps towards it to get a proper look. I had given my table number but no suggestion was given if I was to wait for my tea to be prepared or to return to my seat. Then I couldn't get on the WIFI.. even though it claimed a good signal. Did it think all the people who had visited and logged on were still there?? Customer Service is KEY!! Update... They've just earned a star back as they tweeted me about the poor wifi issue..

I stumbled across this place whilst looking for somewhere to grab a quick snack whilst on the way…read moreto take care of some boring business in north Birmingham. The reviews are generally pretty decent, although a little mixed, so it looked a good should. Inside the décor is really relaxed with lots of shabby chic and exposed wood, pleasant and with plenty of space to sit. Its apparently part of a chain of lounges situated throughout the country, but I cant say I have ever come across one. Each lounge has a different name (i.e. Ocho, Trago, Verdo) so perhaps its that it isn't immediately obvious (or im not very observant). The food menu is extensive. This often worries me, because getting such a wide range of food spot on is always going to be pretty difficult, and in this case it proved to be an issue. The burger was served on a stale bun and was generally uninspiring and the Chicken and Avocado panini was served with an avocado sauce rather than fresh. The chicken was also reminiscent or packaged stuff from the supermarket. The portions were a little stingy too. So the food wasn't great, but with the general vibe of the place, the service and the comprehensive drinks menu, this place is a pretty good catch all type of bar/cafe. I wouldn't advise travelling to go here, but I don't think there's anywhere local doing anything similar at the moment.

Mega News lives up to its name. There is a huge toy and gift…read moresection, coffee to go, rental DVDs from Bollywood to Hollywood, ice creams, greetings cards and a surprisingly large amount of toiletries and beauty products - perhaps the biggest selection in the area; no mean feat among Slade Road's stretch of supermarkets and convenience stores. Only really food is missing from the comprehensive stock. But ultimately, this remains a newsagent surrounded by many purveyors of international produce so it would really be an unfair expectation. A decent range of mags complements the newspapers, while the cash machine is enough of a sign that it intends to - and does - punch well above its supposed weight. And if you know anyone in the market for Honey Monster stationery, tell them to come here. Surely the greatest product in the history of western commerce.This place is sugar puff, not powder puff.