Green Room Holloway — Restaurant in London

I used to visit the Green Room Cafe 4-5x per week, and my husband went most weekends to buy Bread By Bike bread, and then on 16 March 2022 I had a negative experience and left without buying my daily coffee or croissant.

When I arrived there was a small queue and a customer had requested freshly ground beans so we waited patiently. Everything seemed fine until that customer left and the employee working (who I later learned was the new manager) started ranting loudly about how awful all North Americans are because they're rude, nasty, selfish and inconsiderate. Also they never say hi how are you, and they buy fresh beans that need to be ground up early in the morning to make their own coffee at home. (side note: I don't think buying freshly ground beans is an unreasonable request in a coffee shop that advertises that service)

In he moment I spoke up because I am from North America (Boston area) and said that didn't sound fair. I said it's not the culture where I grew up to be openly rude, so maybe that one customer was rude but that's not the culture I experienced, and I've never seen a culture that encourages unnecessary rudeness. He told me I was wrong and I should be quiet because he lived in North America so he knew what he was talking about, and I didn't. Then he said he was saying these things to the other customer who was in the queue in front of me because he knows her and that I should mind my own business because that comment wasn't for me. I told him he said it very loudly and I could hear it and I didn't think it was fair to generalise an entire continent that way, and I was saying something because it sounded xenophobic to generalise an entire group of people. He told me if I didn't like it I should leave, so I did. Because I don't need to spend my money somewhere that I'll be yelled at, sweared at, or be on the receiving end of xenophobic comments.

I thought his behaviour was unprofessional so I raised it with the office manager (Phyllida) on email, who passed me over to Chris (Hospitality & ESG). It took Chris almost 2 days to reply to my and when he did he requested a phone call. On the call he made excuses for the new manager and said that he would get training. I got the impression I was bothering him with a complaint and that he didn't care. I told Chris to please keep me updated, but after that phone call I never heard back on phone or email. I also didn't bother following up because why continue knocking at a closed door?

Needless to say, but I'll say it anyway: I stopped coming here on 16 March because there are plenty of other great, local coffee shops nearby that treat me with the basic politeness you'd expect when it's your turn to order and you say: "good morning, how's it going? Please could I get a long black and a croissant for...

Seems a privately own place, which I love supporting over any other coffee franchises. Their coffee: DELICIOUS! Has not got any bitterness to it and such sweet, gentle taste. Their pastries: Brownie and Almond Croissant SUPERB! Their staff: this where they could improve… I live round the corner and been a few times now. No matter whom Ive found at the counter they are never welcoming or nice or tell you a bit about their products and coffee when u ask. They just serve u… which, dont get me wrong, is great, but being a privately own place, u go there for a bit more of a personal treatment, for a gently welcoming that makes u want to go back and stay around the hood. But whatever the case,...

AMAZING & DESPERATELY NEEDED!

A hidden oasis, workspace, & community of young professionals in this huge warehouse, in an under-served area of Holloway. The front looks like like a tiny cafe with great coffee & sandwiches... but keep walking on through to discover a desperately needed workspace for North London creatives & professionals.

Courtyard is lush and green, and I hope they'll serve beers...