Historic Stourbridge restaurant's front door reopens to serve brand new farmhouse breakfasts

The Lockside Steakhouse, Enville Street, Wollaston, has begun serving breakfast using local suppliers to create an alternative to traditional greasy spoon fare. 

And for the first time since opening four years ago the front door of the restaurant which opens onto Enville Street has been prized open for passing trade. 

Matt Lemm, from Lockside Steakhouse, said: "The back door has always been open for the car park. We have opened the front door because we are hoping to get people walking to work. They can order a takeaway or a sit down breakfast. And they are going to have a delight.

"It is not your average greasy spoon, we have top quality produce and it will be second to none."

Matt is no stranger to greasy spoon cafes with his first food outlet being The Lockside Cafe in Walsall. Which served breakfasts for years in Walsall before closing and then reopening last year in new premises inside the Saddlers Centre.

He said: "We've got a greasy spoon in Walsall's Saddlers Centre and I love a fry up there but with the steakhouse we wanted to offer an alternative chef-made start-to-the-day. Obviously, the prices are higher but not too expensive considering the quality ingredients we are serving."

He added: "Our suppliers are local who provide top tier ingredients and the venue is more upmarket than a cafe so the prices reflect that. When we opened four years ago we started with Farmhouse Breakfasts but had to stop because that chef left, now we have got an even better chef who has been a success creating popular lunch and evening menus so now is the right time for breakfasts to return.

"The mornings are getting colder so for people who want to start the day in the best place possible for breakfast are invited to the Lockside Steakhouse from 8am from Monday to Saturday."  

The full english, which includes bacon, sausage, eggs, tomatoes and black pudding, and the menu also includes kippers, eggs Benedict and for those with a sweet tooth American style waffles, pancakes, fast and maple syrup. 

To mark the start of farmhouse breakfasts Matt has decided to open the pub's Enville Street's front door for the first time. 

He said: "The back door has always been open for the car park. We have opened the front door because we are hoping to get people walking to work. They can order a takeaway or a sit down breakfast. And they are going to have a delight.

"It is not your average greasy spoon, we have top quality produce and it will be second to none."

"For instance, the kippers will be popular we've had customers phone up about the kippers because it has been so long since they have been served round these parts."

Thousands of pubgoers would have used the front door when the premises was The Somerset House pub. Serving the punters of Wollaston for over century the pub closed in 2013.

The ex-Banks's was renowned for having walls so sticky with grime patrons could stick their pints to the wallpaper. 

The success of Lockside has been helped by 21st Century technology. Matt harnessed his audience as a TikTok star who got millions of hits during lockdown with his humorous videos and steak expertise. 

 Often getting into rows on Facebook with trolls Matt will call out none payers and abusive customers. After appearing in The Express & Star promoting Kids Eat For A Quid Matt received abusive comments about scaring children due to his tattooed face which led to a massive outpouring of support by customers.

He said: "The way Facebook works is if trolls comment and I hit back all those people who like those comments make Lockside visible on their pages, so I will continue doing what I do as it seems to be working."