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Recommended Reviews - The Foundation Coffee House
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Great location, spacious, which is always a plus in NQ where plenty of places are of small capacity and constantly busy. Love the industrial art set-up, very atmospheric and unusual. However, found the menu a bit disappointing - they didn't have pancakes and the rest of food seemed pretty standard, nothing special. Coffee was good, but milkshakes are milkshakes (not ice-cream shakes) which might be slightly expensive for 6 pounds.
Must be Manchester's newest independent coffee house. On the edge of the city centre / Northern Quarter. Upon entering the open space is what hits you and a non cramped atmosphere. If you are looking for comfy arm chairs and sofas then this isn't the place for you. The staff are friendly. The flat white I ordered wasn't badly priced and tasted very good. The homemade savoury muffins and cakes looked amazing, but being on a diet, tempted is all I was! The materials used to construct the booths at the end of the room and that of the counter, are certainly different and as such this place fits well into the Northern Quarter of Manchester... Good luck to the venture! PS the wooden looking box in the middle is available to hire as a meeting room!
This place is the stuff of dreams. Nerdy dreams, albeit, but dreams all the same. The look of the place is simply stunning - white tiles everywhere with accents of black and copper. It's very well done and clearly the people behind this place know their stuff about design. It's a cafe with a working-office vibe to it so it has a huge seating area with comfy booths, tables as well as a large "box" in the middle of the room if you want to have a private meeting or take a call. We stayed for a few hours and overall, I really liked the vibe of this place. There was lots of people working away and everyone was really respectful (read: no annoying music/ringtones, no overly loud people). The tea is lovely and the only thing I didn't like was the cake I tried, but then I'm not really a cake person and I left the decision up to JQ. It was really sickly sweet so I just couldn't eat it.
I popped into this new coffee house on what I think was the first day it was open - and what I saw I was definitely impressed with - so much so that I've been to it twice now! Set up as a side project from the No Chintz design agency, it's a huge unit with so much space that I can't see you ever feeling cramped in. Lots of creative space is on offer and being right in the middle of the NQ and Manchester's creative hub will really pay dividends. My flat white was good quality if a little large compared with others around town and it looks like they are also selling sandwiches and other quick bites. I'll be back to investigate even further soon, that's for sure!
Huge new Coffee Shop on Lever Street, just off Stevenson Square. I like the bright, airy, spacious feel. Too many establishments squish as many people as possible into too little space. This place is the exact opposite. There is a good range of Teas as well as different coffees and hot chocolate. There's a lovely selection of cakes. I had a slice of carrot cake which was enormous and delicious. You are offered a glass of fruited water to drink while your hot drink is being prepared. They bring your hot drink to your table when it's ready, much nicer than that awkward hanging around the end of the counter waiting. A very useful addition to this part of Manchester city centre. I'm sure I'll return many times.
While in Manchester myself and a couple of colleges decided we would go and get on with some work at Foundation Coffee house. This place has been designed in a very industrial style with wall tiles and harsh concrete floor. Someone recently told me that this design had been put in place to make it feel like the perfect working environment, I can understand that this would be great instead of visiting a cozy coffee shop but the internet connection here is telling me a different story. I am sadly old enough to remember the days of dial up and shouting downstairs to see if someone is on the phone so you can use the connection.....the internet here was not far from taking me on a trip down memory lane. At times we were struggling to load basic web pages and had to use hot spots on our phones before moving onto another location. The coffee here is excellent but the lack of breakfast options and the slow internet connection let it down slightly for me. I have to say the staff were very accommodating and I did enjoy coming to this place so it was a real shame everything was not spot on.
What an excellent space! It must be the biggest (floor space) coffee shop in Manchester and so very well presented. I had a Venezuelan hot chocolate with cream and it was dark, not too bitter and quite light. I thoroughly enjoyed the berry water (FOC) too! I am in love with the décor in here and the furniture is comfortable and inviting. I'll be spending a lot of time in here for sure :)
After walking past this newly opened Coffee shop/House i just had to go in a take a look, it just looks like you're stepping into one of those designer magazines with hip tables and chairs scattered around and a whole open spaced feel to the place. The staff were friendly and efficient. The coffee was very reasonably priced around the £2-3 mark and it was nice to see my coffee in a mug instead of those tiny coffee glasses which i don't particular like! I had the latte and it was smooth and very tasty. I think this place will become very popular and i will be a regular. Maybe do a loyalty card though?
I popped in for a quick meeting the other day and I was impressed with what they do here. First off it's a little unique, which is what you need to be with so many coffee shops around NQ! The bar is very different and is made of old drain pipes and the decor in general is really abstract and cool! I had a Macchiato and a Flat White over the course of my stay and both were very good. I should have branched out and gone with one of the fancier coffees - they have loads of different types and styles - so that'll be my excuse to come back soon! My friend asked me to get her a Hot Chocolate, so I trotted off to the bar not realising there was 5 different types of Hot Chocolate! Wow! They all vary in percentage of Cocoa, milder options ranging right through to 80%+. I guessed at the Ecuadorian option - 70% and would you believe it, I got it right. Yes, I made a choice for her and I was RIGHT. Massive pat on the back for me. All said and done, Foundation is a very welcome addition to the coffee scene in NQ and Manchester.
As you look up from Lever St you think, wow, that's one big coffee shop - and it is. I don't know how the figures work having such a big space so sparsely populated, but that's not my concern - it's a huge bonus. Some coffee shops are Cosy and quaint, but some are just small and invasive, so what a refreshing change this makes. There's a minor error in giving me the wrong brownie, but if I hadn't been so British and told her I would have been fine. Coffee is superb and fruity, music on point and the place is a discernible atmosphere already. Only a few niggles; wifi is a bit troublesome, stools and tables a tad wobbly (where I'm sat anyway) but that's it really. £4.45 for an Americano and brownie slice, pretty standard for NQ.
A very hip yet modern coffee stop. They have a large interior so it's very spacious. Plenty of room to sit down and work for an afternoon. In addition, this place has amazing drinks: matcha latte, chai coolers, deeeelish hot chocolates, and many more. They also serve food for lunch but it's advised that for a scanty amount of salad and chicken, you could be paying upward of £8-9 pounds. So advice would be to stick to the coffee and sweet treats. Overall, one if my favourite places to work/study in city centre as they open and close at reasonable times.
In two words: sadly underwhelming. Following the gushing comments previous reviewers have put up, I was excited to give Foundation a try. I love coffee, I love an excuse to lounge around the NQ and people-watch, and there are SO MANY great coffee houses in Manchester that I assumed this would just be added to the growing list of favourites. I tried a simple filter coffee so I could really get a taste of their blend. The barista also suggested is as such, and said that's how he often drinks his. It ended up being what I would call almost definition "acidic," and had a weak mouthfeel to boot. My first thought was that maybe the extraction had been done wrong, but this is filter coffee...how does one go about that? Alright, so how about the espresso drinks? The cappuccino was next on the list. There was way too much foam (yes, I know they're meant to have foam, but not this much!), and it wasn't all that stiff. The taste itself was miles improved on the black coffee, but nothing to write home about. Accompanying everything was a chocolate brownie that further failed to impress. The saving grace of Foundation is the atmosphere with a cool wooden interior and spacious feel to it. While it may have just been an "off" day for them, I doubt I'll ever return to find out.
Foundation coffee was nice but not my cup of tea in the sense of the environment myself. I am more a cosy coffee venue with books and sofas lover than a rather chilly open space venue with a few tables and chairs place BUT... Their hot chocolate is AMAZING. They have 4 different types including a white chocolate option which I would go back for. This time however I chose the Ecuador which was delicious and definitely satisfied my need for chocolate craving. The staff were friendly and welcoming, especially the Irish gentleman who did some amazing artwork with the milk in my HC. Lastly I would like to comment on the bathroom. Now, I'm no designer but I LOVED THE BATHROOM - the tiles were so cool and it was ridiculously clean... Random I know but I point I felt necessary to make!
4 years ago
I wanted to grab food here but came too late as the kitchen just closed. I ended up just trying their coffee. I asked for a cold Vietnamese coffee (not sure if they didn't hear) but got a hot one instead. I didn't mind it as the weather was being indecisive that day anyway and would be too cold to be holding my cold drink outside. The coffee itself was pretty good considering I haven't had decent coffee in awhile. It wasn't overly sweet either which was what I was worried about at first. I'll try to come back and try their food next time. read more
7 years ago
This is a pretty cool coffee shop in the Northern Quarter. It's quite large too with ample seating. We surprisingly found a big table in its own little cubicle with space for our newborn's stroller and 4 adults. The ambiance here is great. I like the decor. It's perfect to catch up with friends or coworkers, and it would be also be an enjoyable co-working space. We saw plenty of people toiling away on their laptops. Unfortunately, one little gripe though, all of the booths only had one person, camped out with their laptop, so those people should be more mindful to take a smaller table if they're going to work for several hours. I like the various seating options including big tables, small tables, comfy sofa chairs, and counter seating. The menu offers lots of options too including chai lattes which seem less common in the UK, so that was a nice surprise. Overall, it's a cool spot. I'd come again. read more
3 years ago
8 years ago
Great location, spacious, which is always a plus in NQ where plenty of places are of small capacity and constantly busy. Love the industrial art set-up, very atmospheric and unusual. However, found the menu a bit disappointing - they didn't have pancakes and the rest of food seemed pretty standard, nothing special. Coffee was good, but milkshakes are milkshakes (not ice-cream shakes) which might be slightly expensive for 6 pounds. read more
Must be Manchester's newest independent coffee house. On the edge of the city centre / Northern Quarter. Upon entering the open space is what hits you and a non cramped atmosphere. If you are looking for comfy arm chairs and sofas then this isn't the place for you. The staff are friendly. The flat white I ordered wasn't badly priced and tasted very good. The homemade savoury muffins and cakes looked amazing, but being on a diet, tempted is all I was! The materials used to construct the booths at the end of the room and that of the counter, are certainly different and as such this place fits well into the Northern Quarter of Manchester... Good luck to the venture! PS the wooden looking box in the middle is available to hire as a meeting room! read more
This place is the stuff of dreams. Nerdy dreams, albeit, but dreams all the same. The look of the place is simply stunning - white tiles everywhere with accents of black and copper. It's very well done and clearly the people behind this place know their stuff about design. It's a cafe with a working-office vibe to it so it has a huge seating area with comfy booths, tables as well as a large "box" in the middle of the room if you want to have a private meeting or take a call. We stayed for a few hours and overall, I really liked the vibe of this place. There was lots of people working away and everyone was really respectful (read: no annoying music/ringtones, no overly loud people). The tea is lovely and the only thing I didn't like was the cake I tried, but then I'm not really a cake person and I left the decision up to JQ. It was really sickly sweet so I just couldn't eat it. read more
I popped into this new coffee house on what I think was the first day it was open - and what I saw I was definitely impressed with - so much so that I've been to it twice now! Set up as a side project from the No Chintz design agency, it's a huge unit with so much space that I can't see you ever feeling cramped in. Lots of creative space is on offer and being right in the middle of the NQ and Manchester's creative hub will really pay dividends. My flat white was good quality if a little large compared with others around town and it looks like they are also selling sandwiches and other quick bites. I'll be back to investigate even further soon, that's for sure! read more
Huge new Coffee Shop on Lever Street, just off Stevenson Square. I like the bright, airy, spacious feel. Too many establishments squish as many people as possible into too little space. This place is the exact opposite. There is a good range of Teas as well as different coffees and hot chocolate. There's a lovely selection of cakes. I had a slice of carrot cake which was enormous and delicious. You are offered a glass of fruited water to drink while your hot drink is being prepared. They bring your hot drink to your table when it's ready, much nicer than that awkward hanging around the end of the counter waiting. A very useful addition to this part of Manchester city centre. I'm sure I'll return many times. read more
While in Manchester myself and a couple of colleges decided we would go and get on with some work at Foundation Coffee house. This place has been designed in a very industrial style with wall tiles and harsh concrete floor. Someone recently told me that this design had been put in place to make it feel like the perfect working environment, I can understand that this would be great instead of visiting a cozy coffee shop but the internet connection here is telling me a different story. I am sadly old enough to remember the days of dial up and shouting downstairs to see if someone is on the phone so you can use the connection.....the internet here was not far from taking me on a trip down memory lane. At times we were struggling to load basic web pages and had to use hot spots on our phones before moving onto another location. The coffee here is excellent but the lack of breakfast options and the slow internet connection let it down slightly for me. I have to say the staff were very accommodating and I did enjoy coming to this place so it was a real shame everything was not spot on. read more
What an excellent space! It must be the biggest (floor space) coffee shop in Manchester and so very well presented. I had a Venezuelan hot chocolate with cream and it was dark, not too bitter and quite light. I thoroughly enjoyed the berry water (FOC) too! I am in love with the décor in here and the furniture is comfortable and inviting. I'll be spending a lot of time in here for sure :) read more
After walking past this newly opened Coffee shop/House i just had to go in a take a look, it just looks like you're stepping into one of those designer magazines with hip tables and chairs scattered around and a whole open spaced feel to the place. The staff were friendly and efficient. The coffee was very reasonably priced around the £2-3 mark and it was nice to see my coffee in a mug instead of those tiny coffee glasses which i don't particular like! I had the latte and it was smooth and very tasty. I think this place will become very popular and i will be a regular. Maybe do a loyalty card though? read more
I popped in for a quick meeting the other day and I was impressed with what they do here. First off it's a little unique, which is what you need to be with so many coffee shops around NQ! The bar is very different and is made of old drain pipes and the decor in general is really abstract and cool! I had a Macchiato and a Flat White over the course of my stay and both were very good. I should have branched out and gone with one of the fancier coffees - they have loads of different types and styles - so that'll be my excuse to come back soon! My friend asked me to get her a Hot Chocolate, so I trotted off to the bar not realising there was 5 different types of Hot Chocolate! Wow! They all vary in percentage of Cocoa, milder options ranging right through to 80%+. I guessed at the Ecuadorian option - 70% and would you believe it, I got it right. Yes, I made a choice for her and I was RIGHT. Massive pat on the back for me. All said and done, Foundation is a very welcome addition to the coffee scene in NQ and Manchester. read more
As you look up from Lever St you think, wow, that's one big coffee shop - and it is. I don't know how the figures work having such a big space so sparsely populated, but that's not my concern - it's a huge bonus. Some coffee shops are Cosy and quaint, but some are just small and invasive, so what a refreshing change this makes. There's a minor error in giving me the wrong brownie, but if I hadn't been so British and told her I would have been fine. Coffee is superb and fruity, music on point and the place is a discernible atmosphere already. Only a few niggles; wifi is a bit troublesome, stools and tables a tad wobbly (where I'm sat anyway) but that's it really. £4.45 for an Americano and brownie slice, pretty standard for NQ. read more
11 years ago
A very hip yet modern coffee stop. They have a large interior so it's very spacious. Plenty of room to sit down and work for an afternoon. In addition, this place has amazing drinks: matcha latte, chai coolers, deeeelish hot chocolates, and many more. They also serve food for lunch but it's advised that for a scanty amount of salad and chicken, you could be paying upward of £8-9 pounds. So advice would be to stick to the coffee and sweet treats. Overall, one if my favourite places to work/study in city centre as they open and close at reasonable times. read more
10 years ago
In two words: sadly underwhelming. Following the gushing comments previous reviewers have put up, I was excited to give Foundation a try. I love coffee, I love an excuse to lounge around the NQ and people-watch, and there are SO MANY great coffee houses in Manchester that I assumed this would just be added to the growing list of favourites. I tried a simple filter coffee so I could really get a taste of their blend. The barista also suggested is as such, and said that's how he often drinks his. It ended up being what I would call almost definition "acidic," and had a weak mouthfeel to boot. My first thought was that maybe the extraction had been done wrong, but this is filter coffee...how does one go about that? Alright, so how about the espresso drinks? The cappuccino was next on the list. There was way too much foam (yes, I know they're meant to have foam, but not this much!), and it wasn't all that stiff. The taste itself was miles improved on the black coffee, but nothing to write home about. Accompanying everything was a chocolate brownie that further failed to impress. The saving grace of Foundation is the atmosphere with a cool wooden interior and spacious feel to it. While it may have just been an "off" day for them, I doubt I'll ever return to find out. read more
11 years ago
Foundation coffee was nice but not my cup of tea in the sense of the environment myself. I am more a cosy coffee venue with books and sofas lover than a rather chilly open space venue with a few tables and chairs place BUT... Their hot chocolate is AMAZING. They have 4 different types including a white chocolate option which I would go back for. This time however I chose the Ecuador which was delicious and definitely satisfied my need for chocolate craving. The staff were friendly and welcoming, especially the Irish gentleman who did some amazing artwork with the milk in my HC. Lastly I would like to comment on the bathroom. Now, I'm no designer but I LOVED THE BATHROOM - the tiles were so cool and it was ridiculously clean... Random I know but I point I felt necessary to make! read more
Been here before for a Yelp event and had a good time. I recently came here to meet someone for a meeting. Its a nice, big open place with lots of tables and room to work. When I was there, there were lots of other people on their laptops doing work. Its one of those many places typically in the Northern Quarter where you will find people with a laptop out, headphones on and busy working. I just ordered a simple tea which arrived on some nice "wood board". Tea tasted OK - but it was just a normal tea. The wifi was pretty fast - you have to login/register with either a social media login or register with email address etc - which is the way I used as it I couldn't remember my Facebook password! The person I was meeting had to try a couple times to join on to the wifi for some reason. read more
11 years ago
For one of the busiest coffee shops in Manchester, you can always find a seat. Serving a wide menu of style of brew, coffees, teas and matcha, you will satisfy any taste in this brilliant place. The food is great too, with a fantastic selection of brownies, savoury muffins and salads, as well as sandwiches and nibbles. But it's the coffee you want to come here for: serving every espresso- based style you can think of, plus almost every kind of drip/siphon, I haven't repeated an order yet. It's a very post-industrial refit so if echoing concrete shells aren't your thing, be warned! It has the perfect blend of conversation areas vs long communal bars so I've always been able to find a seat, even at lunch time. Worth the walk from the chains in Piccadilly Gardens and the Arndale, this place is a great landmark on the growing cultural scene on Lever Street ( also check out pizzas at Ply, books and coffee at Chapter One and the upcoming nearby Aumbry). read more
I was invited to Foundation when it opened to review (still one of the most visited posts on my blog!) but didn't get back for a visit off my own back until recently! Oops! It's a great space in the NQ and I love that it's not as claustrophobic as other coffee shops of a similar nature. There was a good selection of coffee on offer. The latte I had was perfect and came with a little arty finish. My partners English breakfast tea was good too. There was a good selection of chocolatey cakes on offer. I had a rocky road which was yummy and the caramel slice was good too (I nabbed a bit of my partners). My only gripe- staff on their phones not paying attention to the customers and a rather grumpy member served us. Other than that I enjoyed our post brunch pick me up! read more
10 years ago
Post-lunch and pre-football on a recent weekend, we found ourselves at a bit of a loose end. Not wanting to start on the alcohol just yet but not wanting to go home (by fear of sitting down and then losing the will of leaving the house again), we decided to visit The Foundation Coffee House for a quick hot drink and sweet treat. It was fairly busy but with some seating available, and we quickly nabbed a spot in one of the large windows - plenty of natural light and a whole lot of people watching. The interior is quite Scandinavian, with lots of light exposed wood, but I have to agree with Gayle P. on it feeling borderline like a canteen. Perhaps it's the tables. Our order was only simple, a cup of tea and coffee with a slice of lemon drizzle cake to share, and service was quick enough. There's not much to report on the tea but the lemon drizzle was very tasty, with plenty of crunchy sugar icing and a really dense bake. The latter point might not work for many but I think it suited the citrus flavour and held together well. A nice experience but nothing stood out enough for me to call it a favourite! read more
9 years ago
Really chill and relax place to be. Came here with a friend and the server was so helpful/ knowledgeable explaining types of coffee and the best way to serve it. I really love the passion of this. The server also provided samples to try too, due to my indecisive nature. read more
The thing that first struck me about Foundation was the vast amount of space. Originally planned as being half the size, its creator decided to double it for good reasons. To attract the day time crowd (the freelancers, students and business meeting crowd) they needed to have a space suitable for working across tables and for conversations to be private. they have definitely created this with fixed booths and hexagonal tables for 2 which can easily be moved together to create a line of circular meeting pod. But they didn't stop there, in the middle of the room you find a wooden walled meeting space with a screen that you can book (on short notice subject to availability) to have those last minute get together's when you need to 'escape the office'. Having worked on my laptop in foundation a few times now, i can tell you its a great place for a freelancer to head as a second office. No Chintz (one of Manchester's leading design companies and owners of Foundation) very much had this in mind. Their simple mix and match menu of small bites at low prices actively encourages you to spend time in there and their policy is certainly to make you feel welcome for as long as you wish to stay. Unlike a lot of coffee shops i feel no pressure to get out once i finish my drink and make room for other people wishing to sit down as the sheer scale of this coffee shop means there is still room for me to sit and work through the breakfast, lunch and mid afternoon rush. And how do i know all of this...because i have sat in there from 8.30am straight through to 4pm working on my laptop and having only ordered 2 drinks and a small salad for lunch....just to test this theory. read more
10 years ago
YAY! More good coffee in Manchester! It is such a relief to watch the flood of decent coffee arriving in this city. This exceptionally spacious cafe is somewhere I plan on returning to with my laptop so that I can pretend to be a cool hipster doing work on my mac book pro. The coffee is great and the range is huge. Plus their cake selection beats many of the other cafes in the NQ. Definitely a winner. read more
10 years ago
7 years ago
Lovely, deceptively huge coffee house in Manchesters northern quarter. The staff are highly knowledgable in all thinks hot drink related and lovely to boot! A huge, huge array of snacks from cake to sandwiches to milkshakes to protein bars! (Perhaps a nod to the owner - a gym founder!) Excellent little place :) read more
11 years ago
When I think of art or originality I usually think of a film, picture or even a good story. Something that can really wow or move me, make me picture it in my mind in perfect clarity. The foundation does not do this for me. Instead it actually plants that idea in my head, helps me to create that masterpiece that I like to see in movies or art. What I got from the Foundation was a sense of originality and creativity that was put into the place. This gave me so many ideas of my own. The decor, the lighting, tables, chairs, floor, walls, ceiling, everything has been planned and designed to be "out there", original and give you that wow factor of not having the same old Starbucks feeling, but something more. This is also translated in the coffee and food that they serve, down to the service they provide. The coffee truly has become something of a science at the Foundation, something that they have clearly researched and are passionate about. The different ways of brewing and the different combinations provided, you are bound to find the one that suits your mood and not just your taste. The staff are friendly and are always willing to have a conversation with you on anything, not just the same old small talk that you can get anywhere. This truly is a different experience. read more
11 years ago
11 years ago
10 years ago
Loved the fact it had almond milk! Loved the protein products as I'm a runner and always tempted by the sweet treats, but here I can choose wisely! Nice atmosphere and great coffee, choice of juices & waters. Good toilets too. The barista was weirded out by my excitement for the place, but be proud, great coffee house! read more
10 years ago
8 years ago
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