In spite of having a name that would perhaps be more suited to a 'gentlemans club', Encounters is indeed a coffee shop. In a somewhat unconventional location on a dead end road, opposite a fishmongers, Encounters is somewhere between a locals tearoom and the style of coffee shop run by Ian Beal in Eastenders or Roy Cropper in Corrie. As such, whilst the coffee isn't likely to be brewed from a fair-trade bean personally selected by the owner of the shop, the food and drink on offer is good, honest stuff. In a premises that looks more like someones converted front room than a purpose built venue, and with a little outdoor seating area Encounters offers a location where you can watch (a very limited section of) life going by as you enjoy your drinks and cakes, or a jacket spud if you happen to venture in at lunchtime. With prices always competitive and a nice range of cakes and snack foods on offer as well as a limited 'sit down' menu, Encounters is probably something of a 'middle of the road' offering in Sale's hierarchy of coffee shops (if an overall score were to be given taking into account ambience, quality and price), somewhat behind Enjoy coffee and Nero, and someway above Carls Cuisine! Worth a try read more