Cafes / Reviews
Cafe Concious
Birmingham’s own UB40 may have been playing on the stereo on a sunny autumnal lunchtime, but Cafe Conscious is as authentically Jamaican as it’s possible to be on a small shopping precinct in Barton Hill.
Owner and chef Wayne Dixon used to run a cafe and cook shop in St Catherine on the south of his native Jamaica before moving to Bristol 13 years ago.
He worked as a cleaner before opening the cafe partly so he and his wife Deniece, who is front of house at Café Conscious, could spend more time with their young son.
Several portraits of Bob Marley are dotted around the 20-cover restaurant.
More Jamaican heroes from across history can be found on the menu – Marcus Garvey, Alexander Bustamante, Mary Seacole and Queen Nanny – which also features a map of Jamaica which was greatly pleasing one fellow diner who could spot where his mother in law’s family were originally from as he enjoyed his rice and peas.
Cafe Conscious has already become a popular community hub for Barton Hill, with promise of the good food here spreading on word of mouth alone.
My jerk chicken was satisfyingly fiery and washed down by a juice the colour of muddy puddles but no doubt full of health giving properties thanks to the purple carrots, yellow beetroots, ginger, lemon and honey.
As I tasted the earth of the carrots in the juice, Wayne showed me a purple carrot from behind the counter with a beaming smile.
Rating: ***
182 Avonvale Road, Barton Hill, BS5 9SX
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