To be brutally honest, the Shirley area of Solihull isn't exactly Paris or Rome, and, accordingly, you probably don't expect to find chic cafes and delicatessens quite as readily in Shirley as you would in the aforementioned cities. Therefore it's quite a shock when you stumble upon Cafe Shirley, a very attractive looking cafe, with seating both inside and out, and various nice touches, such as small ornamental trees either side of the door. Even more surprisingly is the food the specialise in: English and German cuisine. Now, admittedly I don't go out of my way looking for food from Germany, but aside from the obligatory sections of supermarkets and of course Birmingham's famed German Christmas market, I don't know of any other dedicated German eateries, so of course I had to try some. Never having had schnitzel before, I was delighted to find that I loved it, and immediately wanted more. Their menu is fairly extensive, and the ample seating makes it a great place to have a relax with some great food and while away a couple of hours. read more