First, I hope everyone had a good weekend and second, happy International Coffee Day! I hoped everyone spent had at least some part of the day with a cup of their favourite coffee, looking at the rain outside. Now you can catch up on my new post which is, what else but a review for the newest coffee shop on Bermondsey Street, the Watch House.
While walking through Bermondsey Street during the Bermondsey Street Festival last weekend, I noticed a new coffee shop opened right at the corner where Bermondsey Street meets Abbey Street called the Watch House. It was too crowded to go in on the day of the festival but it looked really welcoming and cosy and I knew I would be coming back to check it out later.
And that’s what I did this weekend. The Watch House is a small, cosy, one-room building which I believe was the watch house to prevent grave robbers operating in the nearby church yard. Do not be spooked by this fact – once you see the place you will not be able to resist going in.
View of the building
Welcoming signs
The café is, of course, very small with five small tables but the exposed brick and wood combination in the décor looked perfect. There are small windows high up near the ceiling but there was no dearth of light. The display looked lovely and inviting.
Cafe seating
The small high windows
The adorable bread display and the chalk board menu
The food display – very difficult to skip the food once you see it laid out like this
The bread display against the lamps, which I loved
There are paintings for sale all around the wall of the cafe – I loved this bright painting. Sadly, way out of my price range.
The ceiling reminded me of old houses in my hometown of Calcutta
I sat down for coffee and a doughnut. The coffee is on the expensive side compared to a Pret or a Starbucks but that is the price you pay for Bermondsey Street! And when its good coffee, you don’t really mind too much (atleast I don’t). I also wanted a box of the ground coffee to make at home and was promised a call once it is available since the cafe was expecting their grinding machine to be delivered shortly. My doughnut was an apple jam doughnut, which wasn’t a great idea for a non-jam person like me since I mostly wasted the jam filling. It was otherwise perfect and not too sweet which I find difficult to find in most places.
Cappuccinos
Apple jam doughnut
My husband had some toast with raspberry jam and reported the jam was very good. He is a jam lover and in case you are wondering, insisted on getting me the doughnut.
Toast with raspberry jam and butter
The staff is great – cheerful, encouraging you in. I have already decided that I am going to try the hummus and falafel sandwich on my next visit which looked great but was way too big a portion for me or the ham and cheese croissant which was sold out.
If you live around here, definitely drop in and check it out. But due to the limited seating available it would definitely be a wait for the table during the weekends. I am pretty sure this isn’t my only and last visit.
Happy International Coffee day!
Let me know what you thought of it?
– Anisha
Photos edited by Bidisha
This advertisement is really very good and the picture display is also quite interesting.