The trouble with Woodes is that it is just too popular for its own good. At heart an independent, small, French-style coffee house with not much room, its prime location at the bottom of Park Street forces it to play the role of heaving lunchtime hotspot both for students from up the hill and professionals from down the hill in Broadmead.
It's so packed, loud and bustling that it becomes almost impossible to make a calm order at the tills during the peak hour (1-2pm). There are more people popping in quickly to buy a takeaway lunch than there are trying to find a table and settle in for a while; you have to decide very quickly what you want, pay and duck out of the way. All of that's a shame, but not serious enough to spoil it - and you don't have to be there in the lunchtime rush, of course, and maybe you like crowds more than I do.
If you do battle the rush hour, you won't be disappointed by the lunch offerings: homemade sandwiches with all sorts of great classic fillings, at reasonable prices (no more than £3 for any sandwich), an array of hot, nourishing soups such as tomato, chicken, or vegetable, at the student-friendly price of £1.65, served with fresh crusty rolls and butter, and delicious cakes and fruit for afters.
It's always bothered me that the sandwiches here are not cut in half, and there are no sharp knives on offer, so it can be tricky and messy to cut them yourself once at your table. Leaving the sarnies uncut is probably a time-saving strategy, but it seems a little unfair to leave customers wrestling with blunt butter knives and sending bits of bread and lettuce flying across the table.
The furniture downstairs comprises small cafe tables and chairs, while upstairs you find booths of dark, heavy wood benches and tables, great for group gatherings (but you won't be able to sit comfortably in groups larger than four). Getting upstairs with a tray laden with food and coffee can be a bit tricky; the staircase is narrow and winding, and there are many people going up and down threatening to trip you up.
So, the initial Woodes experience - getting in, ordering food, finding a table - can all be a bit flustering, but once at a table, it's possible to relax and really enjoy the classic cafe atmosphere and tuck in to some very tasty, wholesome, good value food. read more