The Acater – Major Draper St.

When a new coffee place pops up close to us I get quite excited and make sure we check it out at the earliest opportunity. I’d heard this was an Italian deli so I was expecting counters of meat and cheese, maybe some nice bread, jars of olives, etc. But it is not like that at all, it is a swanky cafe/restaurant/wine bar (depending on the time of day).

I had a decaffeinated cappuccino and a slice of vegan salted caramel cake, the latter took me far too long to choose but as shown in the pictures the food choice was extensive, and there was also a breakfast menu to check too. Luckily we were the only people there at that time of the day so could take time to decide without feeling rushed. Kerry had a flat white and perused the menu for something savoury and fell upon uova al purgatorio (eggs in purgatory) which we had to google.

Coffee was very nice, it tasted like a roast I’d had before but I am not yet deep enough into coffee to actually ask or look for what beans are used, maybe one day. The cake was okay, it was a little dry and I’m not sure if that was because it was vegan or maybe a slice left over from the previous day. The flavour was nice but I wouldn’t have it again, partly because of all the other things to try, the pastries looked excellent.

Kerry liked her coffee, being a flat white it was gone quite quickly, and her food took a while to arrive – not a complaint as indicates things are cooked as ordered not just sat waiting to be reheated. The food is an egg poached on top of a quite thick tomato broth which had something green inside – we couldn’t work out what exactly – with a fresh crusty bread, which she enjoyed, it wasn’t what she had in her mind when she read it but hard to imagine what an egg in purgatory would look like. The broth was a little too thick, either the green bits needed to be chopped a little finer or not in there are all, and she didn’t think she would have it again, but was happy to have tried it.

Staff were okay, just got on with their jobs. Place is cool, all polished wood, no comfy chairs. It has a nice area to sit outside in when the weather is more conducive and I think that will be used on our next visit. As it is a little hidden away in the nice part of Woolwich I hope it gets enough business to keep going, we will be doing our bit to help when in that area.

Molly Rose – Old Brompton Road

This was a special trip as it was for my birthday, although a few months late as we also went to a photography exhibition in the area. This coffee shop was not planned, we just hoped there would be somewhere suitable, i.e. not a chain, unlike me I’d not had a deep dive into the area to find somewhere suitably caffinated.

I had a cappuccino and a slice of chocolate ganache tart – choosing what to eat took a long time. other people came, were served, and left, before I had chosen as there was just so much, from the staple croissant variations to hand made chocolates. Kerry had a flat white and a plain croissant and followed that up with a slice of caramel baked cheesecake, her decision was quicker as she is a caramel fiend so honed in on that as soon as she saw it.

We both enjoyed the coffee, could have been bigger cups but then we could always have had a second should we have wanted to!

The chocolate tart was lovely, quite rich but balanced by the crumble base. Kerry really enjoyed her food, the croissant was just to lay down a base really and it was the cheesecake that stole the show.

The guy serving was friendly and the place was nice, could watch things being baked at the back too.

Madam Bakster – Ghent

We stumbled acoross this place after one of those on my list was found to be full (and is was not the weather to sit outside!) We were definitely ready for it, we knew that as it turned out to be vegan and we didn’t instantly leave, so Kerry had an oat milk flat white whilst I had an oat milk cappuccino. There wasn’t a lot of food on offer and nothing that tempted us.

We found a nice comfy sofa to plop down onto and when drinks arrived they came with a small bowl of popcorn, never had that with coffee before, and still haven’t as I have to be in the mood for it.

My cappucinno was nice, I’ve had oat milk before and don’t find it that bad really, coffee wasn’t bitter and a decent size. Kerry said hers was alright, she is not a non-cow milk fan generally so that was a bit of a success.

Not the cheapest though at €8 for two coffees which felt a tad on the high side compared to what we had been paying in the city centre. It was very close to being hipster which doesn’t feel like a thing in Ghent, but just a very relaxed atmosphere.

The best thing was that whilst sat there we were visited by a dog as the owner spotted us staring so came to let us fuss her, she was called Edie and was just a slightly stinky (it had rained so wet dog smell I guess) big ball of happiness, loving the attention and trying to eat the popcorn. I cannot say she will be there all the time so not a reason to visit but a definite bonus for us!

Julie’s House – Ghent

This is on many list as “the” place to go for coffee in Ghent and we couldn’t really disagree. We had a little walk before and then when we found it we relaised just how close it was to the main area – the walk was not wasted as it is always nice to see more of the places we are staying in.

There are a few seats outside (too damp/cold) and downstairs but upstairs is where the action really is. It was reasonably busy and we were seated next to the coffee preparation area, perfect for us to watch what was going on!

Kerry opted for a double shot Americano with whipped cream, a new favourite but to be saved for holidays to keep it special, and a slice of apple caramel cake whilst I had my usual of a decaf cappucinno and a slice of lemon poppyseed cake. Total came to €21 which given the type of place it was feels about right, and we always forget to take into account the exchange rate which makes the figure less when we get home and see banking app.

The coffees were nice, Kerry’s had the cream on top and it was starting to melt right away. Mine was good, Belguim doesn’t seem to struggle with decaf unlike some other places (France needs to up it’s coffee game in general then it can think about decaf).

The apple caramel cake was very nice and not too sweet. My lemon poppyseed cake was vegan, there were loads of choices but nothing really jumped out at me so I thought I’d give it a go as it looked nice when we were looking at all the options in the downstairs part of the shop/cafe. It was very nice, just the right size as I’ve found that vegan cakes cake be claggy if too big. Alongside the cakes we also got a small piece of oreo brownie to try and it was lovely, good job we tried that after we’d ordered or I’d have had to get one of those instead and I am still trying to limit my brownie intake.

The place was really good, a little fancy, which we are not, but we didn’t feel out of place. Staff were friendly and helpful, the lad doing the constant flow of drinks next to us was no older than 18 but doing a sterling job whilst also eating a slice of some kind of fruit tart!

Bidon Coffee & Bicycle – Ghent

After a long day of walking we needed coffee and happened across this rather cool place next to one of the many canals in the Reap area. Kerry had a white coffee whilst I had a decaf cappuccino and chocolate chunk cookie, again Kerry wasn’t hungry but I can always force down a sweet treat, came to €11.

The coffee was very nice, as Kerry could add her own milk she was in charge or making it the right strength for her so any complaints on that front would have all being self inflicted. My decaf was lovely, smooth and perfect temperature – we got there quite close to closing so did have our eyes on the clock but never felt rushed. Each coffee came with a biscoff biscuit which were carefully wrap[ped and enjoyed later on!

The cookie was lovely, soft and nice big chunks of chocolate.

The staff were very freindly and laid-back, going in the ummer would mean sitting outside but that was not an option in December. It was styled as a bike bar/cafe but it only felt vaguely bike themed – bikes on the walls and that was about it. Maybe it becomes more bike oriented when it’s light outside or a bit warmer.

Mokabon – Ghent

Hidden away slightly up a passageway close to the centre is a rather excellent coffee shop which was our first in this rather lovely city – we visited in December as we wanted to go to the Christmas market and it doesn’t disappoint. It dates back to 1937 and it had that atmosphere, like the air was full of the years of coffee and guests, not dated in any way just classical.

After carefully considering the menu, then asking for advice as there were a lot of options available, Kerry chose a lungo with cream whilst I went for my standard decaf cappuccino and a slice of fruit cake, Kerry wasn’t hungry so just had a little of the cake. Total came to just under €10 which felt a bargain really.

My coffee was nice, a good size and nice and smooth. Kerry’s was lovely, she’d never had cream on coffee but as on holiday was more than happy to try something new, and she added the cream rather than having it on top when it was delivered.

Staff were very friendly and spoke excellent English. It was quite busy both with those sitting to enjoy a drink and those buying freshly roasted beans, which smelled lovely and we were tempted to get some to bring home but have limited suitcase space at the best of times!

Aera – Fasanenstraße – Berlin

Tucked away just off one of the main shopping streets in Berlin is this little gem, in a courtyard and easily missed, but well worth hunting out. We stumbed across it after another place we wanted to try turned out to be far too posh for our humble need.

Kerry had a flat white and a slice of fruit tart whilst I had a cappuccino and fudge brownie, we’re not exaclty sure what type of fruit it was – pear, apple or plum at a guess.

We chose to sit outside as although not high summer it was still nice to sit in the fresh air. Good choice as there was some kind of art / photo shoot going on to watch, so not the usual people watching but something a bit different.

The coffees were lovely, smooth and strong, not in the least bitter. The fruit tart was lovely, whatever fruit it was. As was the brownie, the perfect chewy consistency just needed to be bigger – that is the pig in me as it was the usual size really. I didn;t realise until checking the address that everything is gluten free, probably helped that we have poor grasp of the German language or that may have put us off!

New Yorker Cookies – Dorotheenstraße – Berlin

After a long day of exploring and walking around such a great city we needed coffee, and this place happened to be about 10 minutes from our hotel. Kerry had a flat white and a cinnamon roll cookie whilst I had a cappuccino and a white chocolate macadamia cookie, not cheap but on holiday so doesn’t matter of course.

The coffee was really nice, so smooth and hipster sized. Cookies were just amazing, mine was very nice, never been to America but if these are their cookies maybe I should, thick and soft, balance of nuts and chocolate was nearly perfect – I could have done with less of both really and more cookie! Kerry loved hers, said it tasted exactly like a ‘real’ cinnamon roll, and then she got the cream on her leg.

It is very small with limited seating inside and just a bench outside which we managed to get and then enjoyed our treats whilst people watching. Friendly girl serving seemed rushed off her feet in the most calm way. Probably lucky we weren’t there much longer as I could have seen us working our way through the full menu, maybe next time…

Bäcker Wiedemann – Leibnizstr – Berlin

There are quite a few of these dotted about and they have a wide range of food so had to give them a try, but when it got to it Kerry only anted a coffee. We both had a simple white coffee and I had a mandelhörnchen – which between the friendly ladies faltering English and our pretty non-existent German we worked out to be marzipan and chocolate.

The coffee was rather strong and not decaf so I added sugar to make it more palatable but it was okay. The mandelhörnchen (it means almond horn I just found out, although hornchen is croissant it seems but almond horn sounds and look right) was amazing, I love marzipan and chocolate so nothing could go wrong. Apart from the size, I should maybe have saved half for later as it was incredibly sweet. With the strong coffee and sugar I’m surprised I didn’t take off.

We sat outside in a lovely square which was nearly empty so we just watched the city pass by. Until a rather angry lady came and shouted at us whilst gesticulating wildly, she made no attempt at English but we gathered than the table we were sat at was for her cafe/bar only and wanted us to move. There were maybe 30 tables with 1 being used by patrons of her cafe, 2 by others not shouted at and then us! Her place was called Kant Cafe which was 1 letter out from what we thought if her! Moving is fine but be a little polite maybe?

Cafe Bar Viktoria – Großer Stern – Berlin

In Berlin there is a large park called Tiergarten and in the centre is the Victory Column, and at the base of that column there is a cafe bar and on our way to the tower we needed a coffee to gird ourselves before going in and up!

It was quite early so we shared a chocolate muffin and just had a simple coffee with milk – I guess the young people would call it an Americano. The coffee was okay, nothing over special but did the job. Muffin was decent too, it did all feel a touch expensive though at €10.50 for 2 simple coffees and 1 cake. Staff were neither friendly or horrible just efficient, don’t recall seeing any inside seating but as it was an unseasonably warm September day sitting outside was preferable anyway.

View is good as it faces the column, which although in the centre of a roundabout, is pretty cool. Going up the column was ace too.