On a wee jaunt to Bangor today I thought I would grab a quick café lunch with my mother dearest and…read morethe first place that popped in to my head was Café Brazilia - although when I walked up to the door there was a frightening queue of ladies with prams patiently waiting for a table - So I didn't even bother to go in. Instead I went to The Red Berry - Although it was second choice on this occasion I think next time I'm in Bangor it will be my first port of call, here's why; The Red Berry is extremely spacious - we got a seta at the window and although it was busy we could comfortably chat without getting distracted or overhearing other tables. You have to order at the counter, so go in, grab a table, look at the menu (on big boards behind the counter) then go and order. The food selection was great - a nice healthy menu. I opted for the Goats cheese and Chicken and it was excellent - loads of chicken! It was cheap too - for three meals plus 3 huge (and I mean HUGE) hot drinks it came to £23. Added bonus - service was rapid. I noticed that they also sold Suki Tea and had a rather large and tempting selection of cakes - perfect for a quick snack as well as a hearty lunch. All in all I'm glad we choose Red Berry - the food was great and the bill was even better!

The smell emanating from the toilets totally spoiled what had the potential to be a great…read morebreakfast. unfortunately the staff appear to be nose blind but myself and my wife barely got through breakfast. In the end my wife had to put on a facemask as the smell was making her feel ill. Very disappointed as in the past while seated on the ground floor out of the path of the toilets everything is great. Once we came back downstairs the smell of the coffee masked the toilets. I don't think I would return.

Went in here today with my friend and ordered a California sandwich which is chicken, avocado,…read morespinach and garlic aioli in garlic focaccia bread. Was a really nice sandwich came toasted and with a side salad, the avocado went will with the chicken and garlic aioli , I never tasted avocado and chicken before in a sandwich together but it works. The interior of 5a is quite cosy but has a small seating area inside, a small seating area outside too. 5a sell sandwiches, wraps, sodas, traybakes, breakfast bagels, croissants , tea and coffee. I then got a chocolate brownie and a small coffee to take out. The brownie was moist in the middle and had a salted caramel glaze on top, was one of the nicest brownies I have tasted and was quite big. Good wee cafe, I didnt know was there until my friend introduced me too the cafe, I will be back again.

Fantastic little coffee shop, its too easy to miss it. I think it belongs in a better location…read more There's a good feel about it and its a relaxing shop to sit in or sit outside. The coffee tasted really good and the selection of buns was good. Definitely a good coffee shop.

I've not been in here in a good while but decided to give it a whack…read more Stood waiting to catch the attention of the staff, 5 of which were standing right in front of my engaged in a mixture of conversations, drinking their own coffee and well... not much else. Was eventually served, but the coffee wasn't cleverly hot, quite a bit over extracted and the scone was pretty dry. Used to get so much better from here.

Had a quick coffee meeting at Sinnamon today and although I was impressed with the decor, outside…read moreseating area and general ambiance I wasn't impressed with the coffee. I ordered a flat white which was beautifully presented but it just lacked any real coffee taste. It tasted more like hot milk. Usually a flat white hits you with a big bitter wake up slap across the face but this one had no pick-me-up qualities at all. I'm not sure if this one flat white represents the coffee offering at Sinnamon but with Belfast going through a recent coffee boom Sinnamon seems to be beans behind! There's no doubt that it is a nice destination for a quick snack and a brew but coffee bean experts beware! Love the outside seating area and the funky furniture in the interior - to sum up, it's a nice wee coffee shop, nothing to scream and shout about, in a decent location but coffee wise it's miles behind.

As mentioned before there's plenty of choice in the Botanic area and to be honest Clements is a bit…read moreof a boring choice. It's primarily a coffee shop with small amounts of food on offer. I went in here to get a quick bite and whip my laptop out. The decor is comfortable and there's plenty of space, so it's good for working. Yesterday I went fro their sandwich special which was The New Yorker. Although it was obviously pre made it still filled a whole and only cost £3.50. You'll struggle to get a cheaper lunch in Botanic. The staff were great - really attentive and polite - In terms of service it was excellent. They serve you at your table so there's no need to go to the counter. All in all if you're familiar with the Clements brand then you'll know what to expect. Nothing special but nothing disastrous either. A solid 3 stars.

Clements Botanic would always be my go-to for a cuppa if I ever find myself up that way…read more Yes, it hasn't changed in years and perhaps is now looking a little dark and dreary despite the colourful branding all of their places have. Yes the leather seats may have you sitting at a weird angle due to wear, but it is still popular despite the local competition. While waiting for a meeting I enjoyed a little coffee there today. One of the highlights of this place for me is the people-watching. Students and business types, parents and first-daters are all here and the buzz is enough to distract from the serving of a latte in a tall thin glass. This is a pet peeve, mainly because I can be a spilly lady, but to kill time and watch the world go by, I'll overlook it.

After many (failed) attempts at overcoming excruciatingly painful personal issues, I finally did…read moreit... I went to a coffee shop on my own, purchased a 'freshly blended' iced drink on my own, and sat at a table on my own. Just me, on my lonesome, all by myself. Even a year ago, I wouldn't have been seen dead in a coffee house on my ownio. I was far too aware that everyone would be looking at me and laughing at the girl in the corner...deserted, desolate and detached. Of course, I now know that's not how people act, but in my head, and at that time, it most definitely was. Caffe Nero was the coffee shop of choice, having only fairly recently taken over Paul Rankin's cafe on the corner of Fountain Street. As I am not a tea or coffee drinker, the only other options are hot chocolate or a cold beverage, so a 'freshly blended' iced drink it was. I like the way you select the drink in the fridge (I went for orange, lemon and lime) and then take it to the counter for a bit of whizzing action. Weeeeee. Whilst watching the female barista give my drink a good blend, I must have had the expression of a decidedly unfamiliar Caffe Nero novice, for the male barista asked me if I had a loyalty card. When I replied no, he gave me not one, but two stamps on a new one and handed me it. Must've liked the look of me. The drink was incredibly thirst-quenching, and also seemingly bottomless. Despite a good 40 minute sit-down in Caffe Nero, I still could not finish it, and by the end of that time, I was absolutely bursting for the loo as I'd drunk so much. Great value for money methinks. The next time I'm feeling particularly daring and gutsy, I'll be stepping back into Caffe Nero, armed with my twice-stamped loyalty card. Looking forward to it already.

Bring me caffeine!…read more Call in here most mornings to get my AM fix of caffeine. The service here is great and the sizeable queue most mornings is primarily due to the place just being popular. Don't be put off. The baristas have normally served half the queue already. Food here is pre packed so you should expect the only thing to be prepared fresh is the coffee. The prices are reasonable but there are other places near buy that can serve you up fresh coffee, for a cheaper price. On the plus side there is an abundance of space with downstairs and upstairs seating. It's Perfect place to chill out and get lost in the latest Novel or hold an impromptu business meeting (I have done both)

If you ask me, cafes shouldn't be part of big chains. Forget massive franchises like Starbucks and…read morePret a Manger, coffee shops should be intimate, welcoming and unique. Belfast Coffee Company is just that. Situated on Royal Avenue, just across from Belfast Central Library, it is nicely placed close to both the city centre shops and the painfully trendy Cathedral Quarter. I called in for a cup of tea on my way into work in the morning and have to say that I received a genuinely warm welcome. I'm quite fussy when it comes to my tea, so for me, the fact that the staff member serving me listened to what I wanted and delivered it perfectly is a big plus. If I had to pick a hole, it would be that first thing in the morning, they didn't really have enough of a selection for breakfast. The cakes in the display cases looked amazing, but I didn't have the stomach for cream cake first thing in the morning and the only other option was a scone (not my favourite). All in all though, I loved the atmosphere, the attentive staff, the location and most importantly, the free chocolate I got with my drink!

I'm totally in agreement with the previous reviews. Small independently owned coffee shops are much…read morebetter than the big name franchise chains. I have to add you should try their Baileys milkshake! I ordered it on recommendation from one of the staff. I wish I knew his name because he was the nicest man (I'll go back and find out and update) but he was our waiter for the duration of our stay and I have to say the service was excellent. He knew everything about the items on the menu and could offer his opinion on nearly everything. It was great to be able to trust his opinion on the choices. Added bonus (which I love) were the complimentary Irish chocolate treats. We got a few of these and took some home to enjoy with our after dinner coffee. I did notice that the younger staff weren't quite as knowledgeable as their colleague who served us but I'm sure they'll learn. I haven't had the pleasure yet of sampling their food on offer though it dodes look delightful. So in conclusion, try the milkshake it was definitely my favourite choice.

Wanted a good cup of coffee and I wass just visiting Belfast as I walked by this quaint little…read moreplace my friend and I decided to give it a try and it was very good and the people were really nice.

I've been slowly but surely conquering all of Belfast's coffee shops but today after a morning…read moremeeting I walked past one I had never visited, I then convinced myself I needed another coffee despite the fact that I had already racked up 4 coffees in the first 3 hours of the day. You can never have enough coffee though! Metz is much more than just a coffee shop with specials boards behind the counter jam packed with lunchtime options and tempting sweet treats protected by a glass screen behind the counter. Metz is somewhere in between old-fashioned tea room/coffee shop and hipster hangout. Exposed brick work on the walls lean it towards hipster but the stack of condiments adorning each table bring it right back down to earth. To be honest I don't think it matters what genre Metz belongs to as judging by how busy it was they are doing something right. The staff are second to none - my laptop was barely out of my bag and the apron clad barista offered me the WiFi code. A few of the other serving staff were greeting customers by their first names and if they didn't know them they kept it formal by referring to them as Sir or Madam. The food looks amazing and the coffee is decent but not world beating. Metz has now been bookmarked to try for lunch.

This was the first branch of Urabn Retreat to open (why they need two on the same street remains a…read moremystery), and it's the only one I've been into. Basically, it was where I'd go for my tea and bun breaks when I worked nearby, and it was really good. They also did this chicken and mushroom melt thing that even now is making me salivate at the thought of it! The tea, coffee and buns are all fairly priced. The hot food is maybe a tad on the expensive side, but you get loads and it's really yummy, so you can't really begrudge paying for it.

Two urban retreats on the one street is madness as the customer most definately compares the two…read more Apparently this store was the first to be established before the next was built up only a few yards down the street. I repeat, madness. This eatery is quite disappointing when you have already made a visit to it's sister. The food is just not as good, the presentation is half hazard and the atmosphere is a little stuffy. As well as this, the prices are somewhat more expensive for less on your plate. Their range of food is moderate with packed sandwiches, hot panini's and soup. All you need for a non-fussy quick lunch, but the menu does not compare to the other urban retreat which offers goodies such as turkey and cranberry or bacon and brie. The staff are pleasant and the eatery is clean, but the crushed tables leave little elbow room for manoeuvring between tables to the till or fridge. However, a positive comes in the outdoor seating where you can enjoy a snack in the sunshine. Though check your table before you sit down as the last time I was there my foot was dead after propping the table so our drinks didn't devastate our outfits!