The Birds Nest — Restaurant in England

The only remotely good thing about my experience at the birds nest today, was the food. And that was pretty average.

The waiting staff having “good vibes only” printed all over their shirts couldn’t have been more wrong. I sat down firstly on one of their blue “booth” style seats, made out of plywood and plastic leather, ripped and duck taped together, although it looked more comfortable than scrap wooden 1990’s school furniture. I was then asked to move, because these blue taped together makeshift seats are apparently “for families”.

Fine - I was directed into a corner which quickly became apparent as the least comfortable possible spot probably in the whole market hall. I found it odd that I was being moved under the premise of that blue seat thing being a “family seat” - onto a larger table set for four people, but whatever, I was hungry. There was a freezing cold draft coming from above, the blaring sound of ice in a blender to my right, all chairs bar the one I chose were coated in food remains and crumbs, and zero staff traffic which meant I was waiting what felt like eons for any opportunity to order, or pay.

I was so hungry by the time my food arrived that I ate it in 4 minutes - I know this because that was the time gap between a text conversation with a friend of exactly that time. As if this wasn’t unpleasant enough, to add insult to injury the blue booth seat was then taken up by a party of two people, not a family at all.

I was moved to a table bigger than the original one, onto a rickety old wooden chair, left cold, hungry, ignored for a total of about 50 minutes, uncomfortable and then salt was just rubbed into the would by that final “we’ll let these people who aren’t a family sit here, but not you”. Having to sit there waiting an eternity for the bill with the scene of where I was sat before laid out in front of me, a pair of happy customers receiving great service, was nothing short of cruel and torturous.

After I managed to eventually pay, I left with tears streaming down my face. Not the experience I wanted on a bank holiday Friday, it felt like paying to be treated meanly. Needless to say I couldn’t recommend it any less, unless you’re into being made to...

We've eaten here a number of times and it's usually a good experience with a great vibe. However yesterday we ordered two coffees with our food, one oat milk latte and one dairy cappuccino. I explained I was dairy intolerant. When the coffees arrived I asked the waitress which was the oat milk, but she didn't know. She went way to check and returned pointing to the one with oat milk. After a few sips I became concerned and at the same time my partner realised his was the one with oat milk. We mentioned this to the waiter (the owner?) and he didn't apologise or offer to replace the coffee, he just said he'd tell the waitress. I explained to him that this was a systems fault and not that of his staff, but he showed no real concern. She came over and was professional and apologetic, so we said the same to her (ie not her fault). It's not hard to use colour or shape coded mugs, or stickers to differentiate non dairy. All this would have been redeemable, but with barely an apology from the owner and no offer to reduce the bill (e.g as a minimum not charging for my coffee) or put things right, we won't...

While exploring the charming Shrewsbury Market Hall, we found ourselves drawn to its array of global food stalls—ranging from Asian to Mediterranean, and of course, classic British fare. Among all the enticing options, The Birds Nest immediately stood out. Nestled in the corner of the ground floor, you can’t miss it—the mouthwatering aroma hits you before you even spot the bustling crowd.

We ordered the Full English Breakfast and The Veggie Beast, and both were absolutely delicious—hearty, fresh, and packed with flavor. Our meal was perfectly complemented by a cup of coffee and a rich hot chocolate. Every bite hit the spot.

What made the experience even better was the exceptional customer service. The staff were incredibly friendly, welcoming, and always had a smile on their faces. It’s clear they care about both their food and their customers.

As you can tell from my nearly spotless plate—highly recommended! A must-visit if you’re in Shrewsbury and craving a...