Avenue Coffee Bar in Southampton

We love M&S Food Hall and shop in the Hedge End branch regularly so thought the café at West Quay would be a good place for brunch while out shopping. My partner ordered spicy Chicken in Ciabatta with chips, chicken was as rock hard and grey, chips were like match sticks and cold. I ordered an English breakfast which consisted of cold pouched eggs, one cold mushroom, 2 slices of what I can only presume was supposed to be bacon and two strange looking sausages. The tea and coffee were ok but would never go back...what a let down, food was just awful.

From the moment we got there the service was rubbish, we tried ordering drinks only for the bar staff to serve their friends and locals first even though we were there before most of them. After being shown to our table had to wait about half a hour to get our food order taken then seemed like an age for the food to come out. Not once did anyone ask if anyone had any food allergies! First meal out they left the chicken of the pasta then had to wait 2 minutes in between each meal to come out for the 6 of us. 2 people had lasagna which was was only warm on the outside, 3 of us had the swordfish which was covered in some kind of butter and 1 plate had 12 olives and the other 2 had 3. Asked 3 members of staff for water for the table. Had to keep asking for service as no bar staff seemed to be bothered to come check on us as they were too busy chatting to each other. There were about 6 young members of staff but no leadership as they only seemed bothered serving all the locals and youngsters which there were lots off and chatting to them all. I could carry on with complaints but there wouldn’t be enough characters!

Bill arrived at the end and they’d added on a bottle of wine that supposedly I had but definitely did not. I queried this but they refused to take it off and we had to pay. The server would have known we never had a bottle. Really dishonest and won’t be returning.

Roosters is basically a knock off Nando's with a similar meal - spicy chicken in pittas, burgers , chips , salads etc and a choice of salads. Branding is very like Nando's - food can be quite good - its not at Nando's level but its a bit cheaper although they don't have a loyalty scheme. Ordered a chicken burger and fry's and was served by an Indian chap who turned out to be the manager. Paid with a card, and the machine said approved Manager insisted that the machine , said there was an error and I had not been charged. After some arguing , and the manager being very rude and declaring that he knew how the machine worked. I paid again. Guess what a few days later I discovered I was charged twice. Called and was told to come back to shop as they count refund on the phone. Eventually gave up and came back to Roosters , where I was refunded. The arrogant manager made no attempt to apologise and was quite rude. No attempt to compensate me for lost fuel, time etc, I was also refunded in Cash , probably as the manager doesn't know how to use the credit card machine or is covering up his mistake. The food is OK , shame about the management. Next time its the real thing - Nando's for me. It works out cheaper with their loyalty scheme.

I have to use one of their electric buggies to do my shopping. I could easily get to the counter and the girls put my coffee on the table for me. Many thanks.