There’s nothing quite like finding your very own favourite little nook to curl up with a cup of coffee, and a close pal for a chat filled with life updates and the odd bit of gossip. It’s also a wonderful feeling taking an old friend to show them a place you love going to, and sharing a bit of your world with them.
Everyone has something slightly different they value in a coffee spot – but hopefully this list covers the bases in terms of the essential factors for your next caffeinated rendezvous.
1. The People Make The Place
Let’s be honest, few of us become regulars at a place solely due to its location or products. So much of the atmosphere stems from the way the people who work there treat you, and each other. Nothing beats a positive vibe, and service with a smile should never be underrated. You’re way more likely to frequent a cafe once your favourite waiter knows your name and order, or if you feel welcomed once you get there.
The next time you’re checking out a new joint, look further than the menu to observe this, and you just might have found your new regular spot!
2. That #Insta-Worthy Look
Should we be basing our life decisions on adding glam to our Instagram profile? Probably not. But let’s not deny, it’s a pretty great feeling to capture an aesthetically pleasing moment, and share it with your followers.
Nowadays, no catch up is ever quite complete without capturing the moment – brunch turns into a photo shoot opportunity and a coffee date can be much the same. Without going crazy, the point of the matter is that a well set up spot is so important – it doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but organised, well laid out or an interesting atmosphere will always go down well with customers.
3. Just A Little Something Different
In a world full of massive food chains and retail stores, it can be easy to get sick of seeing the same things over and over again. What better way to fill this gap in your life than by picking a café that screams authenticity and originality? The best places are often one-shop-only or small family owned businesses that put oodles of care into their products, and the way they make their customers feel.
So search through cafes in your area and mix things up by going somewhere a little different – you might be pleasantly surprised!
4. What Else Is Around?
No catch-up with a bestie is going to end at a coffee shop is it?
The mark of a great friend is one you can chat with for hours, and the mark of a great café is that there’s great stuff to do nearby. For some that might mean some lazy weekend browsing at a food market, heading off to catch a movie, or hitting the surrounding shopping centers for some much needed retail therapy.
The more things located in the same area the better, so that no matter your style, you’ve got a fun place to hit-up now that you’ve both had your coffee and are feeling ready to go!
5. Last But Not Least…. The Coffee Itself!
It may not be the only factor, but coffee is still an important part of your café experience.
Whether you’re a coffee snob, a millennial who will only drink almond or soy milk, or just want something that tastes nice – the best place will have something for everyone. In an ideal scenario, they might even have a menu of delectable snacks for you to nibble on throughout your chat, or if not have restaurants and food places nearby that you can check out when the hunger pangs kick in.
Of course there will always be the odd time where all you need is a shot of caffeine – and quickly! Who has time for a line when you’re half-asleep and need to get a coffee in your system? One solution to this is Skip – an app which allows you to place your order and pay ahead of time. So for all you busy bees who can’t bear to wait that extra few minutes, you have your answer.
However, for your more long-term cafe browsing occasions, you now have the five factors that help make up the perfect coffee venue. ‘Perfect’ means something different to everyone, but tick these boxes and you should be well on your way to assessing whether your latest find gets added to your fave-list.
Happy hunting!
