Groundswell Cafe + Bakery — Restaurant in Tiverton

The Cafe is a cute environment, nothing too special in the wake of all the new cafes popping up in this Third Coffee Wave. But I definitely would recommend it as a nice little trip to at least add to your passbook.

Unfortunately I didn't get to fully enjoy it all as I was going there with the intent of having a nice space to draw and do homework. I drove 25 minutes to get there, and only after ordering a cold brew (which seems overpriced considering it tasted burnt), I sat down only to then be informed that it's a "tablet & laptop" free environment. Mind you, there's no information about this on their site - a warning that would've been nice to know. Nor was there any signs at the register or the table we sat at. The closest sign was a mini sign (in the most ineligible cursive I've ever seen) on a table away from us. Ironically, it seems that phones are well received here as both staff and the clientele were using them. Which you would think that a phone is much more distracting than a tablet/laptop.

So while I would recommend it as a nice trip just be prepared to spend $$$ on small-servings. And don't make the mistake of going out there to do any work because of their inability to properly communicate the "vibe" they're trying to create. While I respect it, I would highly recommend reconsidering such a stance. At the very least during the winter months when it is uncomfortable to sit outside.

Considering I cannot respond to the Owner - I think it's important to note that the only thing listed below is as pasted: "Located in the heart of Tiverton Four Corners in a landmark building known as the A.P. White General Store (c. 1876), Groundswell Cafe + Bakery offers seasonal menus and coffee shop staples including house-made pastries and locally-roasted coffee"

Unless I should be looking elsewhere there is nowhere on the homepage that mentions no...

*EDIT: Groundswell eventually reached out, apologized for mistaking us and gave us a $75 giftcard. I appreciate their willingness to apologize and correct their mistake, however I hope they relax their 1 hour policy so folks don’t feel rushed and can enjoy their time there for as long as they need.

I go here pretty often, spend a lot of money on coffee and food (it is not cheap to say the least) and have always enjoyed spending time there especially as a remote worker looking for new small businesses to support. Today, my friend and I were kicked out of an almost empty cafe for something along the lines of “ruining the experience for others” while quietly working on our laptops, unless we wanted to buy more in order to stay. She also mentioned how we were outside beforehand as if we were an ongoing issue for them, and referenced it was part of the cafe’s “policy”. Sad to see Groundswell enforcing such an off-putting and quite frankly exclusionary policy. Seems like it only caters to a specific group of people. I’d understand if it was super busy with no seating left, but this was far from the case, and I am a regular customer. Very disappointed as I recommend this coffee shop to almost everyone, really like the baristas, coffee, and aesthetic of the shop, but absolutely will not be returning after this experience. This experience was not welcoming in the least and I will be sure others...

Groundswell Cafe is the kind of place that requires the accent on the "e" in cafe. When you walk into the restaurant, you will see why it deserves the term "café."

Besides the fine detail to the looks of the establishment, there are little nooks where curated foods are displayed. French potato chips, the first I've seen in the area, are for sale. A reasonable selection of ready-to-go meals are available in a chiller.

The menu has adequate selection. Their chicken salad with a GF wrap, along with two gluten-free chocolate chips cookies, totaled to about $23. While this may be on the pricier side, take into mind that the entire presentation, from entry to leaving with product, is well thought out. This is not just a place to get coffee, it is an experience and a place to be politely noticed, if not seen.

Take some time to realize the finer points of the South Coast, both urban, and in the case of Groundswell, rural.

5 out of 5 stars for sustainability. Their packaging was all compostable. And their side salad dressing should be bought in large quantities and brought home. The only thing that Groundswell is missing is a post-medieval era Danish windmill that also serves as their source for...