Making Much of Halloween?

Cafes in Tokyo really feature Halloween. Have you?

Our Great Cafes Blog readership travel far and wide to get those cafe stories - many thanks to Claire Martinsen of Breckland Orchard drinks.

Walk with the Ghosts

Clever, simple idea from the cafe at Stubbings Nursery  - fiendish meal in the cafe plus guided spooky saunter round the ghostly grounds at £10 child/£12 adult.

Itsu Autumn Dishes

Itsu and some of their 16 Autumn dishes including Garden Shed on a Bed.

Melon Juice

Raw watermelon juice.

Long Life Muffin

Perhaps we can forgive the long life chemicals in Alaska.

Smelling the Bacon at Heathrow T3

Always best to underpromise and overdeliver.

Pork Pulls

Pork & Co in Canterbury takes full advantage of the popularity of pulled pork.

Warmed brioche buns

Excellent condiments - four sauces and nine toppings

Tom's Kitchen Deli

French toast, Blueberry pancakes and homemade waffles at new Tom's Kitchen Deli in St Katharine Docks in the City.

Almond & Orange gluten free cake

Chocolate fudge cake and Deep cocoa & walnut Brownies

Blackberry Doughnuts, Raspberry & Poppy Seed Muffins, Fig Tarts

Banana, Pecan & Chocolate cake and Palmiers

Keep It Clean

 The cruise ships know how to minimise the dreaded spread of novovirus - How to Wash Your Hands instructions, hand cleaning machines and sanitizer by the help yourself buffets

 plus messages to exit the toilets by using a paper towel to open the door.

Costa Competition?

Will Lavazza challenge the UK market leader?

Five Guys Sourcing

Potato sourcing details plus fun noticeboard and this is a chain.  What are you the independent cafe doing to proclaim your sourcing credentials (and have some fun).  All the research shows that storytelling and communication of feelings (and not just experiences) is what customers appreciate.

19 Grammes at 93 Degrees

Artigiano in London with detail of their perfect shot.

Matcha Tea

Matcha (also spelt macca) green tea is becoming the new super drink.  Matcha is finely milled green tea powder as used in the Japanese tea ceremony.

Watch Out Bars: Cafes Are Coming

 Caffe Brixton cafe bar, Vancouver and a trend we are already seeing over here - great coffee, good alcoholic drinks and a trade that carries on through the evening.

 Unpretentious drinks storage/display

 All day cafe bar menu

Heston at Heathrow

 Perfectionists' Cafe at Heathrow Terminal 2

see the menu at http://www.theperfectionistscafe.com/menu.php

Till Rental

£40 a month gets you rental of a simple, easily-programmable till system with its own battery that event caterers and cafes are using for pop up carts and more. From a company that knows a fair bit about contactless card payment systems www.consolispayments.com

How Artisan is Artisan?

 The Exeter Street Bakery has passionate bakers.

 Not so sure about this unit inside an exhibition centre

Lucky's Doughnuts

 Gourmet fresh doughnuts at Lucky's, Vanvouver

Meet Shony, Dulse & Kombu

Shony, Dulse and Kombu are types of seaweed and coming to a product near you. Bread, cheese biscuits, shortbread - seaweed is getting into a whole range of bakery items.

Juice It

 Boost Juice Bar at High St Kensington has array of blenders on the front counter - eye catching and obvious what they are about.