Caffè Nero — Restaurant in London

The lukewarm cafe is dimly lit, with much of its space unoccupied by tables and chairs. The tables were few, but the customers were even fewer. Across the spacious room sat six people, myself included. If this weren’t little for the shop of its age,which you might argue, it is the same size as a few ants in a football pitch. On the wall hung a blackboard scribbled in the different types of drinks offered and their ridiculously expensive prices. In front of the wall situated a long counter, with an exhausted barista serving the drinks. Irritated by the slow pace of the barista, I waited impatiently amongst the relaxed crowd. Next to the counter was a food display lit by disharmonious, harsh light, with huge chunks of unappealing cake and dessert exhibited. Even people on the edge of starvation would be fulfilled with a single glance at the pile of pastry. No smells of coffee, nor the intense sweetness of the cinnamon rolls and freshly baked cake, could be found at any corner of the cafe. The dingy and drab cafe was devoid of any smell but the aroma of musky wood. The sense of familiarity and warmth exhibited from traditional cafes had long been eroded away. Free from the chaos, the hostile shop isolates itself from the ever-changing world. A minute feels like a century here. The dim light shone on monotonous customers who have been sitting for an eternity and had their eyes locked upon today’s headlines. As if frozen in time, everyone was in a standstill. Unmoving figures look no more than a fancy display, detached from the world...

Caffè Nero is always a lovely, roomy, comfortable place to work, rest and refresh, with a relaxed atmosphere. Their summer drinks selection is great, but the quality of their coffee leaves a lot to be desired. I marvel at the fact that so many coffee shops, both chain and independent, serve mediocre, sometime awful coffee. The food selection is limited but sufficient, but they are the only chain that show consideration to offer jugs of tap water for customers to serve themselves. This branch has a special feature: RSPB has a collection tin accompanying the provision of their unique collectible wildlife pins. It is so beloved and I visit regularly to see which new pins have appeared, as they are always changing.

The staff vary: most are polite and professional, one is especially so, but one - a fair girl who seems to be a main employee - more discriminating and disrespectful of rights of those with disabilities. One of the trainees called Dasha can't make drinks right at all, which again makes it difficult for those with disabilities to claim what they have paid for, and allows for discrimination.

Overall, however, a comfortable atmosphere for a...

Great place to study and generally pass time, im here a lot as I have 3 hour breaks from college and usually come to just get some work done, eat breakfast and get some quiet time. Selection of food is limited but all is delicious, go to sandwich is either the ultimate brunch or the chicken salad sandwich, baked goods and pastries are great too and the coffee is, as expected delicious. Ports near most seating areas for laptops, phones etc. Environment is always extremely clean and well kept, toilet is always clean and usuable which is a massive positive for somewhere where you drink a lot of liquid and are more than likely to spent a considerable amount of time there. Music is great, usually some smooth jazz which fits the atmosphere of the caffe perfectly, much better than a Starbucks or a Costa coffee even though its a massive chain, great...