Review: Cue, Stoneygate, Leicester

When I were a lad, cafés were places to get a full English. Some were bad, some were good. Nowadays they are more likely to involve avocados and chia seeds – but again, some are just following a trend, others are a real treat. Newly opened Cue is definitely in the latter camp.

It fits in well to the upmarket surroundings of Leicester’s Stoneygate with a simple, pared-down style. The food offering is pure 2018 – shaksuka, eggs florentine, quinoa and buckwheat granola – but on each visit we’ve seen real care and intelligence put into every dish. Sliced avocado on toasted sourdough soared above hipster cliché, being paired with salty crumbled feta, a spiky chilli and lime dressing and perfectly poached eggs. A lunch dish saw delicate Korean-smoked brisket piled into an excellent brioche bun with a very tasty sesame-rich Asian ‘slaw. It came with “home fries” – in this instance, good and crunchy sautéd new potatoes.

For old-school café lovers there’s even a fried breakfast – though note this being a halal business there’s beef sausages and beef bacon. There’s a good range of of teas and coffees and the cakes are suitably indulgent – think Eton Mess tiffin or white chocolate and raspberry torte.

With super-friendly and helpful staff creating a laid-back atmosphere, this is the kind of place every every local shopping street needs.

The author:

Leicestershire editor Tim lives in Leicester has been a journalist for 30 years, and over the last 12 years he has been restaurant critic for Metro, Great Food Club and the Leicester Mercury. He is also author of 2016 publication The Leicestershire and Rutland Cookbook.