I live just down the road and come in reasonably regularly. As far as I am concerned, this is the best coffee shop in existence - bearing in mind that I heavily dislike Cranbrook and admittedly am a little prejudiced towards the businesses and services on offer (you would be if you had grown up here too), that is quite something for me to say.
The coffee is absolutely to die for. I believe they get it from a supplier called John Street (there's a little plaque on the wall inside), and it's the best coffee I've ever had. Starbucks, Costa, and the rest pale in comparison. It definitely helps that the staff clearly know what they're doing and when you watch them make it you can see them put real passion into it which adds so much to the coffee. The food I haven't had as much of, but the baked goods are of similar quality to the coffee, and the breakfast/brunch menu isn't big but what I've had of it has been delicious and very well-presented.
Half of the appeal though is the atmosphere. The café is named after their dog, Arthur, who is a constant presence and is the sweetest, friendliest thing - always coming up and wagging his tail at you or sniffing you. The staff are also lovely - you will be greeted and interacted with in a positive, happy way the second you walk in the door, and in addition to being very very good at their jobs they will bend over backwards to make you feel comfortable. This has created a really welcoming and relaxed vibe, and they've managed to make what is a really tiny space that in a previous life was rather trashy and run-down into a community hub of sorts. I have a weekly meeting with my Latin tutor there, and I regularly see big groups of people sitting in the back just having a really nice chat and enjoying time together, which is something we didn't really have at an affordable price point beforehand. If I had to meet up with anyone, I would now always do it here.
If you're looking for a nice place to get a coffee and cake or brunch and catch up with someone this is 100% it. When I escape from Cranbrook this will probably be the one thing I venture back for because I guarantee the local equivalent wherever I go will be inferior!! read more