Coffee#1 Woodley — Restaurant in England

We absolutely love the drinks here! Everything from coffees to smoothies are fantastic, I'd pick them over Costa any day of the week. They even have two options of filter coffee, which my husband actually prefers to espresso. I'm lactose intolerant and there are lots of options for me, too.

Unfortunately the food isn't quite as good. There are many options in terms of gluten free/dairy free/vegan. They're just not great! Maybe it's personal preference, I just don't find they're particularly appealing. I've not found a cake I enjoy, even the millionaires shortbread tastes funny. I know some people who love the dark chocolate triangle but it's just too bitter for me!

The reason for my low score is really down to the slow service. We've had countless poor experiences when it comes to friendliness, reliability, speed... I went with work colleagues once and they got every single order wrong and took over half an hour to bring everything. When we said they'd put the wrong sides on the wrong plates they just told us to scrape it over! They were not willing to accept any responsibility and did they whole job with a scowl on their face. I do wonder what sort of place it is to work, the staff never seen particularly happy...

All that said, we still happily go there for drinks! And sometimes brave food if we 'have' to. If you visit a lot I'd recommend getting a loyalty card, they're quick to pay back.

There's lots of comfy seating with eclectic decoration. In the summer there's air con at the back and big open window-doors at the front. There's also easy to use wi-fi and lots of books to read in a library at the back. There's also free water out to pour for yourself and...

First off, the positives.

Friendly, welcoming, and professional staff. Great coffee. Clean, tidy premises. All food items are well-presented. Everywhere is a good place to sit. There is plenty of space. I love the fact dogs are allowed to come in and make themselves at home. The toilet facilities are spacious, well-appointed, and clean. There is a noticeboard towards the back of the shop for local events, which is a nice touch.

The negative.

The cake is terrible, and for the price (nearly £4) it should be better. I don't know whether they freeze it and let it defrost, but it had an unpleasant taste. Almost an 'off' taste. The topping (on both slices) however, tasted good. They were left almost completely uneaten. It's a shame because they looked delicious. That's not the first time this has happened, either.

I will return to Coffee#1 in Woodley because the place had a good vibe, and the coffee was excellent. However, I shall stick to other food items...

Coffee is great, food is great.

Looked online to see if there is WiFi, yes! Made the dedicated trip into town and paid for parking (a reasonable amount as I was expecting to work for several hours). Then went into the shop and asked the staff: “Do you have free WiFi?” To which they answered “Yes!” And I promptly ordered plenty of food and drink to keep me going over the next couple of hours.

Sat down and found out the WiFi was run by “Sky” and you actually had to have a Sky account to use the WiFi. The staff tried to help but ultimately I left after being there only 5 minutes because the WiFi issue couldn’t be resolved. I was suggested that it normally worked in a different way and would be directed to Coffee#1 WiFi page to enter my email but each time we tried I got directed to Sky’s own website. Poor show, and not looking to make a...