The Railway Cafe – Hidden Surrey Gem Uncovered!
Craig and I hopped on the BBC train down to The Railway Cafe in Surrey recently to try their extra Special of the Day. That’s Boys Brunch Club for those unfamiliar with the term, and boy what a brunch it was…
The Railway Cafe is another one of those obscure hidden gems Surrey has to offer, and this restaurant is so hidden even the omniscient deity Google Maps can’t find it! While the actual location pin is correct, Google tried to navigate me into an industrial laneway at the end of a cul-de-sac where a forklift was stacking pallets and trucks were backing in and out which seemed to belong to a concrete company. While The Railway Cafe is in fact located in a nondescript industrial complex, be sure to take your first left once you make the turn onto 134th, then hang a right into the first row of buildings. The Railway Cafe is the last door on your right in the same space as Catering Visions.
And no, that isn’t spilt split pea soup on the floor, that’s their logo. Which should give you an idea what you’re in for when you step in the door…
We started by selecting a side dish from the regular menu. The Hot Fries ($4) were tossed in Frank’s Red Hot Sauce and came with a side of ranch dip to help cool them down. Two sides of ranch dip in fact, and we appreciated that The Railway Cafe was doing their best to help stop the spread of Covid since Craig and I are both double dippers! The Hot Fries were seriously addictive and we wolfed down the entire plate despite having two more orders of fries coming up…
The Bacon Cheddar Donut Burger w/ Loaded Bacon Fries ($15) was what had started us on this days’ treasure hunt, one of The Railway Cafe’s rotating Daily Specials. This repulsive chimera beckoned to us beguilingly with a juicy 4 oz. beef patty topped with oozing cheddar cheese and strips of oily bacon cushioned with loving care between two sickly sweet old-fashioned Krispy Kreme donuts. And somehow it all worked. Even when I exclaimed in horror at the slivers of purple onion that revealed themselves tucked under the burger patty after the first bite, I had to try another. Donuts and onions?? I could start in about how the savoury flavours of the burger and toppings cut the OTT sweetness of the donuts, but truthfully don’t ask me how or why it works, it just does.
Try and you won’t be disappointed, the regulars who were being served when we arrived had also ordered the donut burger to rave reviews. The Beef Dip and the awesome-sounding Train Wreck Burger were also recommended to us separately by both the regulars and our waitress. If you try either of these give us your opinion in the comments!
As if the donuts, burger and bacon weren’t enough to fill the heartiest of appetites, The Railway Cafe decided what this meal needed was some sour cream, and of course more bacon! The Loaded Bacon Fries give you all the toppings you’d expect from a loaded baked potato but in fry format. Once again, the fries got polished and demolished and it was on to the next round…
Another special item from the perhaps ironically titled “Today’s Fine Food” menu, I chose the 1/2 Rack BBQ Pork Ribs w/ Wedge Fries ($15). Is there anything on this menu that doesn’t involve fries?? The answer is yes: one. And we didn’t get it.
The meaty pork ribs were a steal at this price, and the homemade BBQ sauce was straight out of your childhood barbecue memories tasting like Kraft with an extra kick. The wedge fries were also reminiscent of the mojos of yore, and every dish on the menu was straight-up classic Canadiana, albeit with a little twist or a tweak here and there courtesy of Whalley’s own owner, Mark.
Mark started Catering Visions back in 2003 after a stint catering out the back of Kelly O’Bryan’s while working as a dishwasher there. The Railway Cafe came to fruition later in 2006. While Catering Visions has gone on to huge success, winning awards, catering to up to 5000 people at a time, and being used by the City of Surrey to feed VIPs at Fusion and cater their Canada Day celebrations, The Railway Cafe mostly caters to the workers in the surrounding industrial complex. Hence the hearty portions, but also the limited hours of operation; 7 AM to 2 PM weekdays.
We had a blast at The Railway Cafe which won us over with its unpretentious appearance, friendly down-home service, and most of all the “good food for busy people” which serves as its motto. Take the time to uncover this hidden gem for yourself, you will leave fuller for the experience.
Author: Matt
Prior to joining the Surrey Eats crew, Matt's love of all things edible and passion for writing led him to long-running food blog Eat 'n About where he penned articles under the nom de plume Hitman Howdy for several years. Matt's also been published in various local magazines, and is an extremely adventurous eater who has dined on things that would make Anthony Bourdain blush. Matt enjoys the melting pot of international cuisine on offer in Surrey and hopes to help put his beloved stomping grounds on the map as a smorgasbord for food-lovers of all ethnicities. SURREY WHAT!!
