fivespice in Waterville-spunkane

30/03/2024: There are so many things to say about this place that are good and so few that are bad that one struggles to even begin laying them down. The interior walls are sparsely decorated with all sorts of oddities, the kind of stuff you can usually find at your local car boot sale. The tables and chairs might've actually been bought there because even trying to balance a plate of food on them is risky business. Nevertheless, this seems to be favoured by most regulars, and personally I find the rickety furniture quite charming. Another notable feature is the coffee shop's layout. It reminds one of the railway apartments in New York, where each room leads directly into another. Any daring customer might want to consider venturing past the bar to marvel at the outdoor seating area, a closet not unlike your typical London bedroom. Luckily for everyone else, the area is primarily reserved for smokers. These, of course, are the coffee shop's regulars; the tribe of people formally known as students; the indie crowd who like to use laptops even though there are signs outlawing computers. Thankfully for the rest of us, their incestuous tippy tapping gets drowned out by the coffee machine blowing out steam and by the constant, happy chattering of some of the staff. The real selling point of this place, however, is the food and drinks. The cheese and onion sandwich is simply outrageous, and the cheese board – only available some days of the week – is very well curated indeed and extremely affordable. What's the catch, you ask? The staff and the indie crowd are one and the same people. Go figure.

18/03/2024: £2.90 for a latte,very reasonable!