Stir — Restaurant in Cambridge

I have been coming to Stir for approximately 6 years. It was my absolute favourite place to have brunch, the occasional coffee. I also get my sourdough and banana bread loaf from the bakery next door. I used to get on so well with the former manager that always made me feel so welcome. I came to the shop about 2 weeks ago and was looking for a plug for my laptop while I was awaiting my breakfast order, the waiters were so kind as to direct me to a table of 4. At that moment, Olga came rushing telling me that as a Saturday morning they get busy and they need the space. I had intended to only stay about 30 mins as I needed to pick up my daughter. So she directs me to the bar. I explain I do not like sitting at the bar and it will be very difficult to eat and look at my laptop as the space is very small. I move regardless and sit at a table for 2. A minute later 2 men that seem to come often walk in. She directs them to the table I was kicked out of and asks them if she should get them the usual. I felt extremely unwelcome as you can imagine, so I therefore ask the waiter to cancel my order so I can leave. I had promised to never return. 2 weeks later, I decided to give them a second chance as it could have been a mistake and absolutely love their coffee. I walk I'm and direct myself to the only available space on a sofa. Olga appears and tells me that the process is to stand at the door to be seated. I hadn't seen the sign explaining this process so I ask if she would like me to go back to the door. She says that she needs to verify which table is available, which was very clear. She then directs me to the very and only table available, the one I had chosen. I then ask her for her name and her attitude seems to suddenly change. From that moment she became a lot friendlier and less dismissive, taking the time to explain what was available etc. I think Stir is an amazing place with huge potential, but this kind of treatment is not acceptable. I hope management will take this into account as I am sure now this is not an...

We had brunch here on a busy Sunday morning, there was a small queue out the door when we arrived which remained consistent throughout our meal. Our experience was mixed.

We ordered the eggs Benedict with bacon, an açai bowl and the big brunch board. It took approximately 30 mins for food to arrive which felt like a long time due to the level of noise in the cafe making conversation difficult. We found the mocha bitter which was disappointing given the reputation the cafe has for its coffee. The tea was quite small for the price (£3.20).

Once the food arrived we were pleased to see the eggs Benedict was bigger than expected. Not sure brioche is the best choice considering how nice the sourdough is, but that’s personal preference. The big brunch was well thought out with enough sourdough toast to balance out the board and didn’t feel heavy to finish. The açai bowl was something new to try which we enjoyed, and the cinnamon granola on top was unexpected but really special so we ended up picking up a bag from the bakery! From the bakery we also purchased a vegan pain au chocolate, which unfortunately was nothing special, a cinnamon knot which was very nice, as well as a red velvet cookie and scone that we haven’t yet tried. The bakery was mostly sold out by 11:30 which is a shame since they’re open until 2.

The service was mixed as everyone we encountered was nice, however they were few and far between and weren’t the most attentive and seemed in a rush to get to the next people which is understandable on a busy Sunday, however we had to regain their attention every time they had assumed we had ordered enough (eg we ordered 2 drinks and they ran off without giving us a chance to also ask about water). It took us about 15mins worth of attempts to get our bill but once someone noticed us they were quick to attend to us.

Overall the food was very good, the vibe inside was nice and the service was good where we could get it. Would try again at a...

Overcrowded, overpriced and overrated as a coffee shop. The food is of poor quality and the prices very high. Their breakfast brunch is £10..50 and comprises one egg, one streaky rashers of reheated bacon, terrible toast, slice of inedible tomato and a large fungi. The coffee is no better that a cup of instant coffee, the seating uncomfortable and they wont let you order unless you have a table! So single people that go there cant really consume their terrible foodstuffs as they are prevented from getting a table and standing in the very slow moving queue.

Apparently an ethical crusade in the restaurant trade, to me it's just an excuse to extract cash and rip people off. For a single breakfast and coffee, you could feed a family of four or more. The scale and arrogance of this business shocks me.

Talking of arrogance, the staff are unhelpful, metranomic in attitude and as uninspiring a crew as you'll ever see in a pseudo restaurant as this is. In my ten minutes today inside the coffee shop from hell there was no welcoming smiles from staff to customers, food was slapped down on tables in a condescending manner and custom was refused by the staff to at least one customer on a whim.

So please visit this establishment and discover how a business does not care for its customers and thinks that a few minuscule items thrown onto a plate should be considered restaurant quality and thus you the customer WILL pay th high price for minimal goods.

You may want to pay such prices for dismal service and poor value for money, but if you do just watch the staff and the way things operate to realise you are one of the lucky ones that they have not...