My first visit to this place but as ever it's the coffee, the service and the venue that I look at. You know the drill by now; each is scored out of 5 (see the first post for what the scores mean) and there is an overall score out of 15.
The venue: 4
This is a quirky place, being a coffee shop set in an antique shop, though it feels like its the other way around. There are others like it, especially in Kemp Town, but I'd say this is the best of them. At least one of the sets of tables and chairs were for sale along with all of the light fittings and the whole place had an eclectic bohemian feel to it. It's a well thought out space making good use of the 20 covers inside and 8 outside. Large floor to ceiling windows on two sides gives this small space a light and airy feel and the illusion of space. The background music was very much in the background and suitably chilled. The clientele are all regulars and the staff know them by name and I think that says quite a lot about this place. There's a furniture showroom in the basement so you can have a poke about when you've had enough coffee. An unswept floor and grubby napkins wedged under my once wobbly table stopped this place from scoring top marks.
The coffee: 4
Nicely presented in a patterned habitat bowl, chocolate was lightly dusted without being requested. The antique silver plated teaspoon was a lovely touch. Rock sugar available on the table in desert glasses. There was a rich roast flavour to the coffee and the cappuccino was expertly put together with exactly the right combination of bean, milk and froth; best I've had in town. They use beans from the Small Batch Coffee Company in Hove, which I've reviewed recently. The quality is excellent, but its been a good year. The froth didn't quite make it to the half way mark and with only one size available, which is priced towards the top of the speciality coffee bracket it misses the top score; just.
The service: 5
Relaxed and very friendly is the main selling point of this place. Lovely attention to detail and a genuine welcoming atmosphere make this place a wee bit special. There is a good selection of albeit expensive cakes available and the menu is full of homely, rustic fare. I had a sandwich that was fresh and delicious and so much of it that I had to have a doggy bag. The staff know their customers and go out of their way to ensure that the service is personal. This is somewhere that you'll come back to again and again.
Overall 13 out of 15
