Roller Menu

Greenhorn Espresso Bar, Vancouver has all its menu on brown paper rolls suspended on the wall.

Stylish Baguettes

Finch's Tea House, Vancouver is a shabby chic joint known for their elaborate sandwiches and baguettes.

Wine Bars → Cafes

Sign of the times - Gordons Wine Bar next generation open an all day dining room and cafe close by the original Villiers Street premises.

Salad Selection

Simple, excellent salad selection at Pinewood Studios run by Genuine Dining

Half Price Half Hour

Great way of proving you sell fresh food and keep wastage to a minimum.  See also http://greatcafes.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/ring-that-sale.html

It's Not Just Coffee

Range of Caffe Nero cold drinks - Mango & Passion Fruit, Raspberry Orange & Green Tea, Iced Italian Lemonade

Coffee & Caramel, Coconut & Chocolate, Strawberry & Vanilla, Banana & Caramel.

Breastfeed in Bristol

Appeal to all the potential cafe customers.  See previous post http://greatcafes.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/warm-welcome-good-business.html

Boutique Breakfast

Freshly squeezed orange juice and the offer of bucks fizz or bellini at the Villa Magdala Boutique B&B in Bath.

Range of jams, spreads and marmalades - simple inexpensive touches that make a good breakfast Great.

Thoughtful in Bath

See the flour, smell the bread, feast on Beetroot Bread, Bath Buns and Sourdough.

Thoughtful Bakery, Bath - http://www.thethoughtfulbreadcompany.com/

Funky Feel

 Thornham Deli and Cafe in Norfolk get the distressed, funky, inexpensive, corrugated iron wall covering idea.

Melbourne Moggy

Aussie now has its Cat Cafe - see http://catcafemelbourne.com/

London's ahead - see our blog post re Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium http://greatcafes.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/85-million-moggies.html

Weird Unique Voodoo

Voodoo doughnuts in Portland, Oregon courtesy of retail guru John Stanley.  See his blog post  http://www.johnstanley.com.au/johns-blog/voodoo-effect/ where he says:

This is a one-store operator, not in the best retail location, that only accepts cash, will not give cents change, and you have to line up to be served for at least 30 minutes!

This is not what I would call a strategy for a destination retailer. Yet, I lined up for my Bacon Doughnut…AND I do not eat doughnuts. 

This shows what being “weird” can do. Establish something unique and the consumer loves to experience the unique. 95% of what we do in retailing is the same as the next retailer who does what we do. 

The really successful retailers do the 5% that is unique. My challenge is what is your Voodoo factor?

 

Baking Bill

Great simple idea from Fitzbillies Cafe, Cambridge - bills are presented in a baking tin to reinforce their reputation for baking.

Good Simple Buffet

Great simple conference buffet menu spotted at Georgian Court hotel, Vancouver.

Healthy, colourful and really well commented upon.

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