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[Closed] What makes a great café?

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I'm surprised there has been no Barista's biting back at the 90 mins training to become a coffee weekend warrior
How long to become a master coffee bean roaster who can taste fruity papaya, caramel notes, toasted almonds, rum and raisin frooty notes a week intensive training perhaps


 
Posted : 02/12/2020 9:42 pm
 joat
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MoreCashThanDash
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@anyexcusetoride both Cafe Velo Verde and Cafe Allez at Belvoir Castle are pretty active on social media, so sure you can get a feel for them and probably get some tips and advice

I'd second this, in fact I have been known to visit both on the same ride.

Serving drinks and food in timely fashion is key, people will start getting cold in most months if waiting too long. There is another nearby café where cyclists seem an inconvenience and drinks take ages, I make my excuses and don't stop there if the rest of the club do.
Oh and free coffee or tea for responders to this thread.


 
Posted : 02/12/2020 11:15 pm
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And no dogs, absolutely 100% on that one.

No dogs in places serving food. Ever. I ( and I bet many others) would just turn and walk away if i saw dogs in there.


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 12:27 am
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I’m surprised there has been no Barista’s biting back at the 90 mins training to become a coffee weekend warrior

My point was that, even a small amount of training is going to elicit a significant improvement in the quality of the coffee - it's more the acknowledgement that the quality of the coffee is important.

At least it is here in Australia - in Norway, I have no idea. In Crikey's UK, sounds like anything more than barely slowing down to slurp some muddy water out of a roadside puddle is considered bourgeois bellendery of the highest order


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 3:43 am
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Bike parking in view, ideally with customer settable combination locks
Communal pump
Communal tools
Drinking water tap
Supplies like bananas or bars to takeaway

And the usual stuff to eat and drink.


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 9:14 am
 poly
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No dogs in places serving food. Ever. I ( and I bet many others) would just turn and walk away if i saw dogs in there.

Are you sure about that? Or do you object to blind people (or others with assistance animals) from eating out?

I'm not a huge fan of people bringing their pets to the pub/cafe with them - because I don't like someone else's wet dug jumping on me when I eat my dinner but actually the vast majority of people who take 1 dog, to a pub or cafe have very well behaved dogs and there is something nice about coming into a rural pub after a day on the hill to be welcomed by a friendly dog and roaring fire. HOWEVER if multiple owners bring dogs it can seem a bit like having a pint in a kennels. The dog is not in the kitchen and I don't eat off the floor so I don't have a fundamental issue - certainly there are probably people who are worse trained in hygiene than many dogs - and some of them work in kitchens! Now don't get me started on cats in B&Bs though...


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 10:54 am
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Assistance dogs are fine of course. I didn't think that needed saying. Dogs in pubs are OK. Dogs in establishments where they serve food is a basic H&S fail


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 11:28 am
 colp
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Dogs in establishments where they serve food is a basic H&S fail

And yet many establishments that allow dogs in are still able to achieve a 5* food hygiene rating from their local authority.


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 11:40 am
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I tend not to worry too much (at all) about H&S failings with dogs in places I eat 😉

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50675226496_937e69a321_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50675226496_937e69a321_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2kcZMkE ]2020-12-03_10-47-36[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

As I said earlier and as poly said - roaring fire, pint and some food at a country pub, it's absolutely wonderful having a few happy dogs around too


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 11:50 am
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Good coffeee and homemade cakes/pastries - what makes life interesting is variation, I've had enough of eating the same mass produced frozen cakes that are bought in by cafes.

Dogs are welcome by me, the kids can **** off though.

+1 never been given a headache by a dog, been given plenty of headaches by kids screaming 10-20hz white noise. 😀


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 11:51 am
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Big tables and plenty of space. Benches not chairs can be more flexible.

Outside picnic benches with space for bikes where you sit.

Outdoor under-cover seating area.

Friendly staff

Fresh cooked food not packaged.

Have a system for table/order numbers.

Good luck - sounds a great idea.


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 1:04 pm
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What makes a great café?

not being full of grumpy old men.


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 1:06 pm
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not being full of grumpy old men.

STW forum members banned then?


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 1:08 pm
 DrJ
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been given plenty of headaches by kids screaming 10-20hz white noise. 😀

This has given me a headache 🙁


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 1:09 pm
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STW forum members banned then?

given how long they seem to want to stay, how little they want to pay and how many others they want to exclude, it would seem good business sense...


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 1:11 pm
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HAH! White noise has a flat frequency doesn't it.


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 1:11 pm
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You mentioned Innerleithen. If you base your plan on No. 1 with a Norwegian twist you won't go far wrong. On the expensive side, but the best coffee I've had anywhere, good food and cakes, and friendly people that make it the town's social hub. It would be a different town now if it wasn't for them being there.


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 1:43 pm
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Colp nailed it 're making money and tray bakes, I do banana bread and bread pudding and even with organic ingredients am down to c 15p a slice.

Decent coffee, big slab of cake, friendly service.

Also, offer cakes with no sugar no butter options, I substitute Apple sauce for butter I cant tell the difference now.


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 1:58 pm
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"white nose" is a decent name for a cafe. Although so is "bourgeois bellendery"


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 11:22 pm
 poly
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Assistance dogs are fine of course. I didn’t think that needed saying.

But you wrote a one word sentence. Ever. When you actually meant something different.

Dogs in pubs are OK. Dogs in establishments where they serve food is a basic H&S fail

What about pubs that serve food? Would you eat a packet of crisps (with your fingers) in a pub that had a dog, but refuse to drink coffee in a cafe that had a dog? I suspect (at least in non covid times) the average pub table is actually grottier than many well groomed dogs but people will put their cuttlery on it to eat their stake pie or fish and chips. Would you even eat a picnic at a public bench/picnic table? I’m confused where the boundary lies. I probably share similar bias to you - but I can’t rationalise them with hygiene - I just don’t want someone else’s pooch or child pestering me or making a racket.


 
Posted : 04/12/2020 12:01 am
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