The Exeter Flying Post goes on its annual search of the best independent cafes in the city. Forget the anytown chain cafes -- stay local with our illustrated guide to the best places for coffee, tea, buns and atmosphere.
The Angel
Queen Street, Exeter. Open 11am - midnight. medium coffee: £2.00
Whether it’s a quiet coffee break by day or a pint in the bar by night, The Angel is a rare haven that bristles with energy at whatever time you decide to visit.This watering hole attracts students to professionals and labourers to lecturers who wish to escape the streets in search of a warm fire and a cold drink. The Angel is a wonderful spot that boasts an assortment of drinks and also a variety of fresh food, sourced from the local area. The prices range from £1.50 for a large cup of tea, to £4.50 for a single shot of Absinthe for the more adventurous customer. The interior suggests an old world charm that is hard to find these days. It oozes fun and vibrancy that offers a décor reminiscent of an Amsterdam coffee shop. By the time dusk has fallen expect to find the giant projector screen outside in the decking area come alive with cartoons to typhoons – giving the smokers some entertainment.
New Horizons
Longbrook Street, Exeter. Open 9am to 9pm Mon - Sun. Coffee from £1.25
There can be few better places to escape the top-gear speed of modern life than the original New Horizons cafe, just around the corner from the main High Street. As you come off the hyper-consumerism freeway that is the new Princesshay, the more down-to-earth tones of Longbrook Street lead you to a sunny cafe where you can truly unwind. New Horizons has maintained a quiet corner of Exeter’s cafe life that is a little slower, a little warmer and whole lot more tasty. But be prepared to be woken up by the freshness and quality of the home-prepared food, bursting with flavours and colour. A plate of its authentic middle eastern salads is a memorable experience, packed with varied flavours, crisp and fresh, and backed up with warmed pitta bread. Unlike many city cafes, there’s no hurry to deposit you on the street once you finish -- it’s your table and you soon get into the slowed down groove. You can’t miss the real world Turkish coffee -- an acquired taste but it certainly prepares you for the return to daily life outside. Thick with cardamom and caffeine, it is a fair coffee hit but not too much for local tastes. Prepared sandwiches and baguettes are all made in-house. The Fool Moudammas is a great lunchtime option, with fava bean, olive oil and crcushed garlic. Or try the more sociable Baba Ghanouj, with roast vegetables served with tahini.But it’s the New Horizon Mixed Platters that rule the roost -- the Regular Mix at £4.50 is a full and hearty lunch or you can go andc reate your own platter from the mouth-watering selection for just £6.50.
Boston Tea Party
Queen Street, Exeter. Open Mon - Sat 7am - 6pm. Sun 8am - 6pm. Medium coffee: from £1.80
Upstairs in Boston Tea Party there is a great hall where you can recline in a leather armchair, sink into a good book or simply enjoy the art work plastering the walls. If you don’t fancy loud chattering of a few dozen students pouring over assignments or the echoing sound of plates and coffee cups clattering in the cavernous room upstairs, then perhaps the café downstairs area is more your cup of tea. Here you can indulge in hot or cold baguettes, soup or a slice of one of the many delectable cakes that are on offer. I would also advise taking advantage of the free student magazines and local publications displayed around the place, including the Flying Post. The first thing that hits you as you walk in from the cold wintry air is the warm smell of roasted coffee and cooking food. The staff are smiling and willing to help, and even though you can’t really expect to spend anything less than a fiver on lunch, it is well worth the extra couple of pounds.
Phoenix Bar
Gandy Street, Exeter. Open Mon - Sat 10am - 11pm (food served 11.30am - 5pm). Sun 11.30 - 5pm (food served 12 - 4). Regular coffee: £1.95
The arts centre atmosphere suits: plenty of art on the walls as you sip organic, fair-trade beverages. Stained glass windows let in a bright spectrum of colours as varied as the house menus. I highly recommend the Chicken, Chorizo and Roasted Vegetable at £7.95. The tea is £1.40 and worth paying just for the funky decor. Popular for business metings, Exeter creatives congregate from the nearby galleries and university, networking and keeping in the loop with upcoming events. By day the bar is has excellent lunches (try the tacos for a great fill-up) but later the bar is transformed into the perfect meet-up for pre- and post- gig/event drinks. Elsewhere, members of the Phoenix’s huge range of classes each week come here to recover.
74qs
Queen Street, Exeter. Medium coffee: from 90p.
Having had a new lease of life, the old cafe on Queen Street is back open for business, as cafe ‘74qs’. The modern but warming café is great value for money providing buffets at lunchtimes for £2.95 and tea for just £1.20. Often musicians can be found jamming and customers seem to relish the impromptu experience while enjoying a dish from 74qs’s daily Chinese buffet or warming baguettes. The modern refurbishment has really worked, providing a versatile venue that is great to relax in, both stylish and comfortable. Being close to Exeter College and the University no doubt 74qs will become the venue of choice for students and staff alike saving a long walk into the city centre. But it is also attracting city workers on lunchbreaks, and others seeking a great cuppa.
Dinosaur Cafe
Queen Street, Exeter. Open Mon - Sat 10 - 5. medium coffee: £1.30
Definitely one of the city’s best kept culinary secrets. One of the first and best of the new wave of indie cafes that have made the city more palatable, the Dinosaur serves the very best of Turkish food. It’s hearty, healthy, utterly delicious and in one of the most calming interiors. Coffee is always a treat with none of the sweetness served up in chain cafes, nor the bitterness of cheap American. Sweets and snacks border on the addictive, with owner Abdullah’s characteristic traditional Turkish turns -- all in generous portions. Excellent for business lunches but remarkably they also pass the toddler test -- can you take your pre-school kids in there without feeling like you’ve brought a plague with you? Unlike the shiny chain cafes, the Dinosaur always has a smile for kids, and plenty of room to make parents feel at home.
Juice Moose
Queen Street, Exeter. Open Mon - Sat 8am - 5.30. Sun 11 - 4. medium coffee: from £1.
Right next to the Central Station Juice Moose has carved a niche all of its own as the city’s premier juice cafe. Providing just about the most relaxed and recupertive place this side of a Norwegian spa town, Juice Moose presses all its own juices. The range of pick-me-ups and slow-me-downs include ingredients from the proverbial four corners, a cure for all ills. Tested by this reviewer their claims stood up to a punishing schedule -- you really do feel better after one of their juices.
Cleverly beating the recession, the cafe has introduced a delicious fairtrade coffee for £1, any size, and has succeeded in drawing in a new crowd. Check out the delicious paninis and the generously-proportioned choc-chip cookies -- everything made on the premises.
Shaker Maker
122 Fore Street, Exeter. Open Mon - Sat 9.30 - 5.30. Sun 10 - 4. Shakes from £2.45
OK, we have to admit, Shaker Maker is not strictly a cafe. But just as Glastonbury is not just a bit of music and a campsite, so Exeter’s only and original shake bar is more than just a shake bar. Lorna Parsons’s extraordinary confections have gripped its growing fan base -- from Walnut Whip shake to Bounty Bar -- and she just keeps adding more ideas. Prepare to be consumed with joy by this Wonka-esque concept. And all with friendly staff and extras to go.
The Plant cafe
1, Cathedral Yard, Exeter. Open Mon - Thurs 8.30 - 5, Fri, Sat 8.30 - 6, sun 11 - 5. Medium coffee: from £1.40
The Plant has a great local reputation as the definitive choice for vegan and vegetarian food. The setting -- overlooking the magnificent Cathedral -- adds to this relaxed and fresh cafe. Many prefer the terrace sun-trap, away from the bustle of the High Street, to while away lunch or a quick coffee break. Food is tremendous -- crisp, cold salads, warmed pitta bread and a huge plated selection, washed down with fresh juices and some excellent coffee. It has a loyal clientele who know it to be a real foodie destination, with warm, helpful staff -- and an unmissable vegan chocolate cake.