So I've heard many things about this place .. and my favourite bar is down the road so I pass it…read moreall the time. With trying to find a place for breakfast/brunch the other day, this place was at the top of the list. It was very nice inside .. very relaxing, calm, people working, people chatting .. it felt cozy and comfy. We picked a table and ordered our stuff at the serving bar .. I went for poached eggs on sourdough toast, and a latte .. but turns out they had a coffee and pastry offer so I also got a blueberry croissant. All the food was so good .. the pastry felt and tasted freshly and home made as I think it was whole meal flour which was nice and a change .. the blueberry jam inside was epic .. the coffee was brilliant and the eggs perfectly cooked and sourdough not overly toasted (which I can't seem to master at home) .. the only thing I would say bad was, with getting poached eggs, it felt like not a lot .. 2 eggs on a large slice of.. looked and felt like something was missing. Would absolutely return tho ... will deffo get a takeout coffee when passing in future

One of those unusual stylish places that I'm not sure if I like or not. It's all very hipster, the…read morebench sharing seats and old school desks still with school days graffiti. This doesn't create the most comfortable seating to be honest, but the coffee is exceptional with a perfect balanced blend that isn't one for ass kicking strength... This coffee is about taste rather than kick. Like most independent coffee houses, the prices are pretty high. The reason to be here is to enjoy a great coffee and hang out with friends, it's got a decent vibe and the staff are helpful. Good place to pick up some coffee for your home machine to boot :)

I wanted to grab food here but came too late as the kitchen just closed. I ended up just trying…read moretheir coffee. I asked for a cold Vietnamese coffee (not sure if they didn't hear) but got a hot one instead. I didn't mind it as the weather was being indecisive that day anyway and would be too cold to be holding my cold drink outside. The coffee itself was pretty good considering I haven't had decent coffee in awhile. It wasn't overly sweet either which was what I was worried about at first. I'll try to come back and try their food next time.

This is a pretty cool coffee shop in the Northern Quarter. It's quite large too with ample seating…read more We surprisingly found a big table in its own little cubicle with space for our newborn's stroller and 4 adults. The ambiance here is great. I like the decor. It's perfect to catch up with friends or coworkers, and it would be also be an enjoyable co-working space. We saw plenty of people toiling away on their laptops. Unfortunately, one little gripe though, all of the booths only had one person, camped out with their laptop, so those people should be more mindful to take a smaller table if they're going to work for several hours. I like the various seating options including big tables, small tables, comfy sofa chairs, and counter seating. The menu offers lots of options too including chai lattes which seem less common in the UK, so that was a nice surprise. Overall, it's a cool spot. I'd come again.

I popped into this cozy cafe/bistro/tea bar late Sunday afternoon to find some caffeine and fight…read moretrans-Atlantic jet lag. I took up residence in the dimly lit back area, where the cheerful waitstaff promptly took my order of a blood orange hot chocolate made with almond milk (!) The drink came out frothy and light, with a cloud of chocolate-dusted milk foam atop subtle, smooth chocolate. No bitter or artificial aftertaste. While bopping along to the background music and working on my laptop, I was informed that Leaf would close early at 19h instead of 20h, so I seized the opportunity to order dinner as well: the jerk lamb rump, and an order of jasmine pearl tea. The waiter helped me verify that the lamb was free of dairy, and soon I was chowing down on succulent roast lamb and garlicky roast beans. The mango jam was a perfect accompaniment to the meat, but I found the coconut/coriander rice too mushy to my taste. It helped me to imagine them as mashed potatoes instead, haha. The tea was sensuously fragrant, and I welcomed the scented fog clouding my glasses. I wish I could have stayed there longer, but I might return for brunch or tea - Leaf is truly a serene, wonderful establishment.

J love thus place, mostly because I live tea, and I'm really not a coffee drinker, where so many…read morecoffee shops tea is an afterthought, leaf is clearly dedicated to my fave, with a vast list of choices. Id also like to give props to the brownies. So many are disappointing and dry, but these are lovely and a generous square

Tucked a bit away, it's a small coffee shop with lovely character. We decided to have food here…read more I ordered the grilled cheese and there was a mixture of vegetables cooked in. It was a surprisingly filling sandwich. I couldn't finish it from feeling so full. My skinny mocha was good. I don't know that I can judge much other than to say it was a good coffee drink. Staff is friendly. Plenty of seating including open tables. I wish I had tried a baked good cuz they looked amazing, but just didn't have the room.

I've been here a handful of times, with others, and on my own. I like a fancy tea shop with poncey…read morecakes and dainty china, but this is the Northern quarter. I'd rather be in here than a behemoth chain, as it's quite a good place for little design business meetings. Brunch is quite nice, plus I'm a fan of almost anywhere where I can get pastrami. I'm a tea drinker, not coffee, but they do a good range of both. Banana flapjack is a simple but tasty favourite. And I had the wine poached chicken once too, which was rather good, also.

This is a great place for breakfast. The food tastes incredible and is most definitely value for…read moremoney. Staff were friendly and attentive. Highly recommend!

I called into this cafe this morning as I was staying in the stay city next door and it has been…read morerecommended to me by the staff. I had my 2 year old and my 10 year old with me as we were over from Ireland as a family to watch the man utd game and the lady behind the desk told me sorry they were full and it was bookings only this was at around 9.30 a.m. I could clearly see empty tables and I explained we were just trying to grab some breakfast before our flight but she said no they were fully booked, I then left the cafe and went online and checked the booking and could see multiple spaces so I booked a table for 5 online, my wife and daughter joined me, when I walked back in and said "Hi I now have a booking " the lady looked at me and said I'll have to check does this booking stand cause sometimes you can make a booking then later it can get cancelled. I was very confused so she walked off for a couple of minutes and then came back and said "OK I've managed to get you a table" as if she was after doing me a favor, when I went upstairs there was 5 free tables and 2 downstairs. I was fuming but my wife begged me not to say anything so I didn't. 1. Why could they not just give me the table the first time. 2.Why did she have to check could I come in after me making a confirmation booking online 3. I had 3 young kids with me and I had to stand outside for no reason in the freezing cold to make an account to book a table as I knew there was space but she would not let me have a free table 4. I spent nearly 65 pounds on breakfast but still left with a bad taste in my mouth I would not recommend this Cafe to any family because it was either not family friendly or she didn't like us cause we were Irish but she purposely went out of her way not to let us on

Lovely welcoming staff. The wifi can be temperamental though…read more Great coffee and food though. Awesome venue with plenty if quiet space upstairs.

I did an O2 Priority Moment at cafe Nero last Tuesday, where you get any hot drink free. I went to…read morethe one on the Picadilly approach and had a simple latte. Inside looks small but there is additional seating upstairs.The coffee was very nice to be honest The staff were friendly so that's a good thing especially in a busy city centre location. Also the cakes look very nice but did not have one this time.

Great spot for breakfast and hot drinks…read more The classic breakfast comes with most components that a full English would. The scrambled eggs were cooked to perfection, unlike most places that tend to overcook them. Hash browns were nor too greasy, with a perfect crisp. I especially liked the sourdough bread and the flavourful mushroom cap. The hot chocolate was also very filling and rich. Prices are decent for this part of town.

As an American visiting the U.K., this place was exactly the kind of comfort food I didn't know I…read morewas craving. My buddy and I stumbled in the morning after a night of enthusiastic "hydration," and let me tell you--this spot absolutely hit the spot. There was a bit of a wait, but nothing too wild--just 15-20 minutes, which gave us time to pull ourselves together. The vibe inside is chill, relaxed, and the perfect setting to recover with some seriously satisfying food. I'm already craving a return visit.

I was looking for an American style brunch place (wanted fried chicken and waffles) and came across…read moreHome Sweet (although they didn't have C&W). I got their chicken tenders dish that came with fries, gravy, and slaw. It also came with a barbecue (I think it was barbecue) sauce. I was genuinely surprised as most brunch places I've been to never really serve any of their meals with sides (it's usually extra) so to have slaw and fries with this meal reminded me of how the food is back in America. The service was quick and after ordering, my food came soon after. I enjoyed the gravy more than the barbecue sauce. It had a bit of a sweet taste to it which works well with the chicken (I did find it a bit salty). The portion size was good for the price. I'm not too much of a fan of sweet things but I saw that they had pancakes and would try that next time I check this place out!

Soo good coffee with amazing taste. Happy with service with amazing place. highly recommended place.read more

*BEWARE* Didn't seem at all clean when I visited, turns out it has a recent 1-star rating from…read morehygiene standards agency (https://ratings.food.gov.uk/business/756069/java-bar-espresso-manchester), coffee isn't great and some staff seem disinterested. There are plenty of choices for great coffee around Oxford Road station, this isn't one!

I'm quite surprised I've never reviewed this place as I really love it, it's a great spot just by…read moreOxford Road train station and is much more than the sum of its parts! Some of the reasons it kicks ass: 1. Great coffee and decent prices, plus a good range of soft drinks and teas. 2. Great to take a load of in or outside with plenty of room for people watching. 3. With it being so close to the train station and my trains being delayed quite often it means you can shelter from the cold just that bit longer before having to make your way up to the windy platforms. 4. Friendly staff and chilled out clientele 5. It beats other train station options hands down for quality produce, the food always looks pretty good too.

5 years have passed since I was last here.. Unfortunately time has not served this place well…read more Deciding to meet up before an event for some breccy I was not quite prepared for the upcoming events. The decor is still quite homely however the seating is still very close, to a point where my friend could not even sit opposite me due to the narrow gap between the chair and table. Embarrassment set aside I went to grab some menus to find there was none. I was informed by a waitress that I had to read off the wall..so for ease I took several pictures of the menu to enable my friend to browse with ease. The menu was limited, I mean when I think of breccy I imagine eggs to be present at the very least. But no this was eggless, baconless with just options of toast, avocado, and nothing inspiring really..also there were NO PRICES. Walking up to the till I was acknowledged by a grumpy guy. Perhaps he needed a Smile latte. Anyway I ordered a cold brew along with the avocado on toast, paying extra for some additional smoked salmon. After choosing what fresh bread I wanted, he slapped me with a £12 bill.. I was gobsmacked.. Returning to my seat I reassured myself " This is going to be the best avocado on toast ever". So the cold brew arrived with a fresh piece of orange floating in it. It was pleasing to note that the brew making is still top notch. Now the food itself.. this arrived on two pieces of toast, half a pear sliced on each piece with a sliver of smoked salmon. This was dressed with a light mixture of chili and lemon. My friends beans and toast was deconstructed, she had to make it up herself...this was I think £6-8 ...for beans on toast.. I found my victuals tasty enough but could not justify the price, £5.99 would have been more realistic at best. Anyway overall the service was poor, the lack of important details such as no physical menus, napkins, prices, inquiries if the food was okay and lack of logical seating. I might pop in for a coffee to take away but this I doubt.

Was happy to find this place after rather miserably trudging round the Northern Quarter in the rain…read morelooking for somewhere to sit down and have a hot drink. It has a comforting well maintained ambience (even the basement loo!) and the staff are extremely friendly. I really like the broad wooden table in the middle of the coffee area, feels calming and comfortable to sit at! I tried the Marrakesh loose leaf mint tea which was very nice although not as good a fresh mint tea - when I return next I'll try the peppermint instead. They have some lunch in a jar meals which is a fun concept although I'm not sure the actual contents would be that exciting. But it's a nice touch, also like the jugs of water with orange slices and sugar syrup. Shops like this which contain loads of really overpriced unnecessary home items I normally just dismiss as selling tat but for some reason the stuff here entranced me, especially cushions featuring a dog saying "Bonjour" /holding a French flag in its mouth (srsly I don't know why I found this so cute) and a wire basket for £18 which I for some reason felt I really need in my life. My friend felt the same about a set of colourful plastic spoons...I don't what this place does to you but I enjoyed it!