Bath's bible to Cafes and Coffee Shops

Admin
May 19, 2018
9 min read

If you haven't already guessed, I'm that type of girl that prefers a cup of coffee and a brunch meeting with friends and family than a night out with 4 gin and tonics and staying up till the sun rises. When I moved to Bath, although it does have a nightlife, I was mostly excited for all the bespoke, boutique cafes and coffee shops I could visit. As a student on a budget of course I couldn't do this all in one one (that's why this post have been writing itself since September 2017!). I've finally managed to get here....

Introducing My Coffee and Cafe Guide to Bath

Beyond the Kale- Green Park Station💚

Vegan Cafe

Health foodies dream and totally instagrammable location and design of both food and place. From having all the ingredients played out in front of your eyes so you can visually see you food being prepared, to all health products and delicate homemade treats presented along the counter- I was just in heaven. Located in a converted old station to a unique cafes and little pop-up shops and markets, makes it even cooler and hipster (who said that trend hasn't died yet?!). It sets healthy as their biggest theme with fresh fruit, milks and nut butters in baskets and decoration, this makes me so happy- as I love a good nut butter any day! It's up to date health trends and vegan foods with turmeric lattes and green justices (the list was simply endless- I promise!) The name speaks for its self- It is beyond just kale! Vegan is often associated with bland, tasteless foods... THIS IS NOT THE CASE!! This cafe completely changes the stigma of boring vegan food, I've never raved and enjoyed a dish more than at this cafe. It has brought vegan food alive with healthy, natural and tasty combinations of beautiful tasting foods. I was simply in awe of the chefs and staff as they were friendly, passionate and produced quality food and standards of this cute cafe. Even if you're not vegan, I promise this place will not disappoint your tastebuds!

My only negatives is that there was limiting seating

(so get there early if you're visiting it at a weekend!) which means sometimes you'll have to share your table with people - but everyone is very friendly so hopefully that's not to terrible. Sadly due to it being in a renovated station means that this cafe doesn't have a toilet facility (don't order too may coffees!).

My dish was the organic nourish bowl with falafels, roasted vegetables, pesto, hummus and sooooo much goodness!

Overall- trendy, friendly and healthy with everything so fresh and top notch quality of ingredients and presentation with a rustic finish.

Full brunch and lunch menu with an endless list of drinks from coffees to 'milk'shakes.

Rating: 8/10

WILD Cafe - 10a Queen Street💚

Classic Brunch menu

Fabulous food, friendly staff and fun feel! This super quirky and young atmosphere makes those drizzly rainy days THE place to go for when that happens. Very decretive (the bathrooms were comic book themed). Shall I mention..... ALL DAY BREAKFAST!!!! I think those three words are completely the most satisfying words and most thrilling for someone that likes to have brunch any time of the day. No pressure to be rushing there before 12 (which is when most places change their breakfast to lunch menu) because all day breakfast is exactly that- ALL DAAAAYYYYY!!! AMEN...

I would say as a student this place was reasonable and affordable in pricing ranging from £4.50- £9 items. The menu caters for veggies too, with a list of brunch, lunch, sweet treats, sandwiches and sides. I had the veggie breakfast which at a £8.25- I thought it tasted delicious however portion sized was a little small for my liking (the eggs were eggcellent I cannot complain about that!). Mushrooms were cooked to perfection, and avocado on toast was mushy and moist (just the way I like it!). Not an atmosphere you could do work in, more of a social climate with everyone chatting, laughing and a energy buzzed zone- I liked this.

My dish; Avocado on toast, with poached eggs, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms

Although getting the attention of the staff was difficult, the positive from that was we didn't feel rushed. They let us enjoy chatting and eating without the need to check up on us every 10 minutes- so either way it could be seen as a positive or negative in that respect. I'd recommend this place for somewhere to go when you need an energy boost with a friend, where you have lots to discuss and laughter to have with a light-hearted vibes, not a quite sit down for deep conversations or work area.

Rating: 7/10

The Green Rocket- 1 Pierrepont Street💚

Vegan and Vegetarian Cafe

Award winning veggie and vegan cafe, and the prices do reflect that.... not student budget friendly. Nevertheless, this is a good quality cafe with a wide choice of foods and also have gluten free options as well. This is a dedicated cafe for all things meatless and natural. A busy atmosphere with quaint designs. Not modern but certainly homely feel about it. Staff were very accommodating as they were able to adapt the menu so it fitted my personal preference, which is a big thumbs up! That extra effort went very far. The food had a good taste and presentation was also good- nothing I felt amazing about however. I was happy with portion size, however for the price it should have been a little cheaper.

My salad was a little dry and lacked that extra 'pow' of flavour I was expecting. As you read previously from Beyond the Kale- I don't hate the taste of vegan food, when done well, vegan food can taste even better, sadly I didn't quite get that at The Green Rocket. I'd recommend this place for a quick dine and dash (of course pay before you leave!!) however the atmosphere wasn't partially suited for long chats or a place to work.

Rating: 6/10

My dish; Salad Plate – Greek Salad, beetroot with rocket pesto, sliced avocado, tzatziki, hummus, black bean and quinoa salad, served with homemade flatbread.

Hunters and Sons - 14/15 Milsom Place (closed)

Relaxed and trendy

This place is seriously oozing coolness and Instagram vibes massively! Not only does it have my favourite marble tables (I seriously live for anything marble patterned). What makes this place very different to other cafes in Bath; 1) it is healthy but doesn't shove health down your through (as someone who is often talking about healthy, this can be a refreshing change) 2) it focuses on both coffee and beer! So even if you aren't a massive coffee drinker, they're just as passionate about their beers too (even if it is 10:30am- no judgments).

The penny decretive wall and tiled tables makes this cafe super sophisticated with a certain decadence which is far different from anywhere in Bath. The price is reflected in this, although this is far more than just a coffee and cake kind of cafe, the quality of food (the eggs really were something else!) is certainly shown and I really appreciated this as you could tell everything was made with passion and a certain knowledge that I hadn't seen from other cafes. The location is also something that I admire about this bespoke cafe, located off the beaten track of Bath, making it a place where only locals go, which don't get me know, I love tourism, but something about having locals around just makes this place feel a little more homely and chilled. A feeling this place certain portrays really well. Friendly, relaxed, laid-back (you might think that the serves have had a cheeky beer or two before work), I didn't take this as a negative though, a cafe that lets you go at your own pace is something I really like- personally thats what I prefer then having a waiter/waitress breathing down my neck (although I know it's only there job!).

Beautifully made coffee with artisan designs, a massive variety of beers (the bathrooms reflect this well- as it's desecrated with all the beer mats they serve there) just adding another twist.

My dish; Sourdough mashed avocado with mushrooms and two poached eggs (cooked to perfection) + a coffee!

My only negative was the menu was slightly limiting and didn't ofter any vegan options (although they did have items you could make your own dish from). I love having a massive choice and variety with menus so to see only around 7/8 items was a little disappointing.

I'd recommend this place for a quick coffee/beer catch up with 2-3 people (seating with bigger parties was be limiting) or doing some work with your laptop and a caffeine fixture! Rating 8/10

Sadly, Hunters and Sons closed at the end of April due to finance reasons. This is why I am so supportive of local cafes and businesses and they bring something different and unique and show passion within products and food that more commercial brands sometimes miss within their service.

CASCARA - 3 Upper Borough Walls

Cakes and Shakes

Do you have green hair? Purple moustache maybe? Anyone fits in here! A bohemian and colourful environment. Everything is brightly decorated, pretty fairy lights and even a hanging pineapple (because no cafe is should be without one, right?!). From the staff to the homemade cakes everything is FUN with an individual and unique quality. I say individual and unique because all the cakes are homemade by the staff members and the recipe are all her own. Vegan and gluten free options which means are accessible for many.

The staff are so welcoming and have great personalities and you can tell they care about both product and costumers. There is something about the energy and vibe that bring life and colour back into you. I feel this would be a brilliant place to go if you were feeling low or needed a energy boost (both fuel a

nd mood!!).

The interior design of the cafe is clever as it has the 'Tardis effect'. The outside shows it is quite small and narrow.. at first! But once inside has three floors, varying with different seating depending on how you're spending your time there. Sofas and cushions for a more relaxed, chatty catch up with friends or long work benches for work related cake and coffee session (because we all work best with a cake boost amiright?!?!).

This is a classic cake and coffee cafe - with of course the added twists of the amazing shakes and smoothies they offer. The drinks menu is pretty long, but I love having loads of choice and if you're going to have a cake you might as well have a drink that is a little bit different. HERE IS THE PLACE FOR THAT. Prices are reasonable and the amount of cake you get from what you pay is MASSIVE so bring your appetite with you.

My only negative is because all of the shakes are made behind the counter, the blender is constantly on and making a lot of noise, and within this smaller cafe the sound does travel, so bring some headphones if you're planning on doing work.

Rating: 7/10

My 'dish'; the 'after gym' shake (make fresh from banana, almond milk, agave, whey protein and dates) + Mom had the white hot chocolate (I also tasted) it was seriously delicious!

Mokoko Coffee - Abbey Churchyard and Dorchester St.

Coffee with a contemporary classic twist

With exams season coming up quickly, finding a good coffee spot where are you have the ability to work in establishments that have the right balance between feeling friendly but with a serious atmosphere in the room to help concentrate. In Bath we are lucky to have two Mokoko coffee cafes, Abbey churchyard brings a certain contemporary but classic live with wooden chairs and hide tables with pretty plant parts all with individual names (my favourite was Owen!). A great work environment, in a beautiful spot right next to be Bath Abbey. Meaning the views are stunning that tourism means that the cafe is often busy and doesn't always quite create the atmosphere that might help you work best in coffee shops. However the Dorchester Street Cafe, did see this atmosphere as it's opposite the bus and train station and is quite a small venue that means Limited seating but the amount of tourism is reduced.

The menu had a wide variety of coffees, shakes, smoothies and tea. There really was something there for everyone. As well as having an unlimited amount of choice for drinks. The food was a healthy salad buffet, meaning you could pick your salad choice and the amount you liked for a set price of £8. the food is fresh and healthy and looked very desirable. Although some of the furnishing can you create a slightly cold, more historic feeling due to the location. It was the people inside that created the bubbly positive and friendly atmosphere, which we received.