West Café — Restaurant in Cambridge

I used to come here for lunch almost every day over the past year, but unfortunately, the experience has steadily declined. Prices have gone up recently, and now the salad—previously included—is almost an extra £2. It was once a hidden gem—cheaper than the West Hub, quicker service, and decent hot food. The cost is now comparable or higher than the West Hub, but the side portions here are significantly smaller.

Customer service has also been an ongoing issue. One of the male staff members in particular is often rude and visibly aggressive—hitting the checkout machines when they're not working, and acting irritated if you ask about the student discount to the point where multiple friends have stopped trying to ask.

The quality of the food is inconsistent. Some of the hot baps used to be quite good (the gammon with piccalilli was my favourite), but others have come with barely any filling at all. Sometimes you'd be lucky to find more than a teaspoon of filling.

Disappointing to see such a sharp drop in both value and atmosphere. Used to be a reliable go-to. Now, it’s more “West Disappointment”...

The cafe closes too early for most of the people in its catchment area (staff and students who live in the vicinity, and those who work on the West Cambridge site who may want to use the cafe after finishing work between 5 and 6pm). The staff are almost litigously ignorant of nut allergies, and some insist on leaving all of the doors open even when temperatures outside are near freezing - mainly, it seems, so that they can feel comfortable working at a hot serving counter while the customers are wrapped up in coats and scarves!

Food and drinks are...

The staff is very friendly, coffees and croissants are decent, but this place is better avoided for warm meals.

The regular food at West Cafe is just a touch better than in-flight meals with Ryanair. Hot meals are pre-made centrally and warmed up in advance. You get a choice between either a vegetarian or meat-based main with the meat typically being low quality pork or chicken. Sandwiches are uninspired, with bland white bread and varying combinations of industrial...