Let's Do Coffee #2

Date: 08 April 2009 07:19:20

There are a couple of ways to discover the local coffee shops, (i) wander around spotting them, (ii) get friends to decide where they want to do coffee and (iii) use sites like this one which whilst not totally complete are pretty comprehensive.

Yesterday I used method number 2 to discover Vennels which is just gorgeous. It's up by Scorpio (shoe heaven) along some rather depressing alley ways (which apparently give rise to its name).

Anyway enough of the setting onto the place. This is a proper tea room / cafe type place rather than a generic coffee house. There is not just seating outside, rather it has a patio area with seating and the pictures on the wall are framed prints with character rather than Athena inspired oversized tiles (if you get what I mean). This is a place with character and the most beautiful woodern surround to the fire place if you go upstairs. There is plenty of seating... it has a certain tardis character to it.

The selection of drinks is not as clear as it could be, I wasn't entirely sure of the selection on offer. Also I wasn't sure if the coffee was fair trade or whether fair trade was available if it didn't come as standard. However, they were clear on the different ways you could take your coffee, which included caramel latte, at a reasonable price.

The main attraction of this place is, I gather, the home-made cakes and scones. Third Party had "done coffee" with a friend earlier in the day there and come back singing the praises of the scones. I was informed by the friend I was "doing coffee" with that the scones were indeed wonderful, but you had to get there quite early as they always sold out. Have to say though the banoffee pie I tried was absolutely sensational.

So all in all is this somewhere I would try again? Most definately, it is the sort of place I will take visitors. It is also the sort of place I might find myself frequenting if I need to take time out to go an chill over a coffee in a place with a good vibe to it.