The Oriel Cafe is a pretty old-school deli/cafe that offers affordable lunches and caters for larger occasions. It's not a place I go to on a regular basis, but if I'm in the area and need a caffeine hit before I do a big shop at the supermarket nextdoor, it's a quite little place to enjoy a quick lunch and a coffee.
The interior is casual, yet sophisticated, reminiscent of some sort of aristocratic lounge room. It's got a very relaxed atmosphere about it - a lot of people flipping through newspapers and magazines and quiet murmuring sets it apart from the hustle and bustle of other cafes. I've had a few coffees here before, and they were reasonably good. They also make fresh fruit smoothies, but the mango smoothie I tried was quite tart, so I'd exercise caution with regard to the fruits you choose. The staff is very friendly and chatty, and they can't be faulted for the excellent service.
The shame about this cafe is that it has virtually no outdoor seating with the exception of one table. It's squeezed against the wall on the narrow footpath lining the store fronts, and only a few feet away from the car park. Whilst the interior is relatively nice, there is no chance of properly enjoying a coffee on a sunny day outdoors, as the number of people brushing by you and the endless cars coming in and out of the car park will really piss you off.
I feel that if this cafe was located elsewhere, perhaps even on the other side of the street, it would garner a larger customer base, better ambience and an overall better experience for the patron. read more