Achieve More

 This little book was on sale at the Timberyard Cafe which makes much of its meeting friendly space.  Out of Office by Chris Ward is all about how your creativity and productivity increases if you move from an office to your local cafe.  Great Cafes agrees and perhaps a New Year Resolution that all cafe operators would endorse.

A happy and prosperous 2014 to all our readers.

Timberyard

We like lots about Timberyard and their tag line:
Tea, coffee, work and play.  Re-imagined.
See tomorrow's post about the book Out of Office to make more sense.
 
 Located on Old Street along from Look Mum No Hands.  Popcorn in pots.

Pitta Chip crisps and great hot drinks.

Artful Cakes

 Company of Cook's Atelier at the Royal Academy's Burlington Gardens with superb cakes

 Chocolate Cashew & Salted Caramel, Florentines and Rumbles

 Apple & Two Seed Almond Cake, Sticky Buns and Lamingtons

Rhubarb & Ginger and Red Velvet

Costa in Cookham

If you think that the national chains are just opening in big towns with high footfall, think again.  Cookham near Maidenhead, Berkshire has a total population of 5,500 and the site had been a pub and then a succession of failed Indian restaurants. It has just opened and is already busy. The coffee and cafe revolution continues and smaller operators will have to up their game to compete.

Raw & Cured

Impressive health club menu, drinks and design at Lime Wood hotel in the New Forest.  The spa where you can do yoga on the roof in a herb garden. More details of their Raw & Cured food bar at http://www.limewoodhotel.co.uk/pamper/raw-and-cured/

Artful Cafe

 The Cafe at the Palais des Beaux Arts de Lille - the easels set the scene.

 Striking food-related posters

The English Are Coming

Lille, France boasts almost no cafes such as we have in the UK and the first are just opening up.  Coffee Makers import Has Bean coffee from Staffordshire - a real export success.

 Ambient display of pastries and sandwiches

 The one small chain that does exist is called Notting Hill Coffee.

Free & Sexy

Free (Guardian) newspapers for all of their sexy customers at #Guardiancoffee pop-up cafe in Shoreditch.

Benugo's Latest

Wooden block signage at Benugo's Garden Cafe off Oxford Street

 plus good sandwiches

Fashion & Food

 Cafes come in all shapes and guises.  Pollyanna in Barnsley is the shop for world class labels in Yorkshire - Issey Miyake and Comme des Garcons to name two - and has a great cafe within.

 

This Has Legs

 A vision of things to come - Giraffe Stop at King's Cross Station.  Fast takeaway service as well as some sit down space.

 Giraffe (sorry, Tesco) is on to a winner with this concept in high footfall locations.

We've Got to Start Somewhere!

Norwich furniture shop Warings has a cafe and the owners clearly were involved from the start.  "Apparently we've got to start somewhere?!" say the general sweepers/clearers and washer-uppers Harriet & Jemima Waring.

Great building, good coffee, tasty cakes and stylish furniture.

Your Front Room

 Designing a cafe as if your front room just works.  The Front Room in N4.

N4 Find

 Boulangerie Bon Martin in Finsbury Park N4

Cafe Split Shifts

A local roadside cafe now opens for evening pasta and pizza with an afternoon gap.  How many cafes maximise the opportunity?

Bring Your Own wine will appeal - the £1.75 'Nescafe' is honest but may not quite match the Italian idyll of espresso coffee.

Self Help Cafe

Architectural Plants are a Sussex nursery specialising in interesting, unusual, quirky and bizarre plants - they reckon they are an antidote to garden centres!  They want the best and their self-help cafe is beautifully kitted out.

The horticulturists are trained baristas, the cordials are on dispense and the coffee is free if you are a good enough customer.

 Custom made tea selection box

Laser-etched signage on wood and marble sideboard.

"If you'ld like a cup of tea or coffee and don't mind making it yourself, please help yourself"  message and in several languages.