Despite the poor star rating, let me say that the coffee served here is excellent. Expertly crafted espresso-based drinks, lattés are decorated (latte-art), and the tea steeping time is literally timed with a timer before being poured out.
What lets down the cafe in Groningen this morning is the shop itself. Today was not the warmest day, but the sun was out so the door was wedged open, meaning it was actually quite cold in the café. The café is entirely devoid of soft furnishings, which isn't a bad thing in itself as the chairs are comfortable, but it also means all the sounds echo like mad! The baby screaming in the corner is hardly Simon Lévelt's fault, but the screams echoing around the room hampered conversation. The waiters also has a booming voice, and is very vocal in his greeting of customers. It's a nice touch and makes you feel very welcome, but after you've sat down and want to enjoy your coffee, it becomes quite distracting. Coupled with the noises of the espresso machines, milk frothers and background music, it swells to a cacophony which means you end up sitting around looking at each other not being able to put a sentence together.
It's a shame, like I said the coffee is second to none, I've had great experiences at other Simon Lévelt coffee and tea bars in the Netherlands (Utrecht), but based on my experience this morning, this particular one was no good. In Groningen, there are other places to get a great cup of coffee and relax with a friend, read a book or do a bit of studying a few minutes walk away (Coffee Company for example).
Shame. read more
