Running late, Katherine MacAlister swaps brunch for lunch and discovers some tasty ‘specials’ treats

Oxford is so eccentric it takes a lot to turn heads around here.

I only mention this because on my last few visits to the OFS Skylight Cafe on George Street I have been interviewing pantomime dames in drag, which strangely fails to raise many eyebrows, despite their best efforts and loud double entendres.

And yet, it was the first place which tripped off my tongue when someone suggested a meeting in town, as I’d been dying to try the food, particularly the wonderful sounding all-day breakfast.

As with all the best-laid plans, I was delayed to such an extent that we had to swap brunch for lunch, and was thus presented with a totally different menu when arriving at the former fire station doors, slipping into the professional, welcoming city centre location, now much loved by Oxford’s inhabitants.

Although the fireman’s breakfast is an all-day treat, I had passed that point and wanted something more fitting. But that’s the beauty of Skylight – it’s all things to all people, and as I settled down at one of the smaller tables, rather than the squashy sofas, or wooden trestle tables, and looked around, I realised this was as evidenced by the meals being eaten around us and the clientele in situ.

One man was eating pancakes, a couple were having the full monty fry-ups, ladies were drinking tea, a lunch party was tucking into nachos and jacket potatoes and the street-side ice cream booth situated at the front of the shop must rake it in during the summer months.

Personally, I was drawn to the specials of the day – ham and sweetcorn fritters with a tomato salsa and a selection of two salads, and was then torn between the choice of pea and mint, potato and feta, brocolli and cauliflower or the fennel salad.

There was also some fabulous looking stuffed butternut squash, a fresh frittata or wedges with salsa on offer, but before I had time to query my choice, our food was presented to us at the counter and we took it to our table.

For those of you who don’t know, Skylight is a social enterprise cafe run by Crisis to provide on-the-job training and experience for those experiencing homelessness.The four-month cafe training scheme for members who want to gain on-the-job work experience in the professional catering industry, means that trainees can choose between working in the kitchen or front-of-house, and gain support to obtain qualifications and find work.

In the last year, 13 Crisis Skylight members who participated have successfully secured either full- or part-time paid employment.

Which is great, but to work, the food needs to be up to scratch, and the enterprise needs to be targeting the right audience. That they are achieving both of these objectives was obvious from start to finish, establishing a little oasis in the heart of Oxford’s chain restaurant land where life can stand still for a bit and you can put your feet up.

As for my food, my fritters were a bit – how to put it? – bouncy. I’m not sure I’d have them again, but the choice of salads was encouraging and it was a really nice, light, refreshing lunch, and all for the princely sum of £4.95.

So now all I have to do is return to try the fireman’s breakfast.

Probably around Christmas time, then? Oh yes I will!

Crisis Skylight Café 
40 George Street, Oxford, OX1 2AQ 
01865 263 972 
Mon-Sat, food served 8.30am-3pm

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