A few weeks ago I wrote about the creeping invasion of Costa Coffee, the chain that seems to be popping up all over Walthamstow. This week I’m writing about the antidote to that kind of coffee shop, the anti-costa, one of my favourite independent coffee shops, Wood Street Coffee. I’ve written about Wood Street Coffee before, but as they have just moved in to a new brand new home, I thought it was about time that I reminded myself, and anyone reading this blog, how great this local cafe and business is.
I’ve been following the fortunes of Wood Street Coffee for a while now. They first popped up as a pop up at Wood Street Market, occupying a space in the now demolished Marlow Road end of the indoor emporium. I visited them a fair few times when they were based on Wood Street, and spent many a Sunday afternoon sitting on a table outside the market enjoying one of their cuppas and a slice of cake. They moved from their home in Wood Street to the incredible Blackhorse Workshop a while back, which is when I first blogged about them. The cafe has now moved again, but this time it hasn’t moved very far. Wood Street Coffee is still based at Blackhorse Workshop, but has moved in to a shiny new purpose-built cafe space.
The new, new, Wood Street Coffee premises has been built on the front of the Workshop on Sutherland Path, just off Backhorse Lane. It has a high industrial ceiling, and gleaming white pin board walls. The space is simple, bright and welcoming. A clutch of macrame hanging baskets complete with trailing plants and cacti hang from the ceiling, colourful angular lamp shades dangle from the supporting girders, and the space is filled with simple but elegant furniture. There is non of the identikit interior that you find in chain stores where you could be anywhere in the UK. This cafe could only be Wood Street Coffee, there is no mistaking it.
The tea, coffee and food on offer is as good as it ever was. The breakfasts stack, beans on toast, and the bacon and fried egg sandwich are all lovely. When we visited on Sunday there were also custard tarts on the counter, which went perfectly with my cuppa. The really special thing about Wood Street Coffee is that they have grown from, and grown in to Walthamstow. First starting as a pop up in the indoor market, then occupying a space in the workshop, and now having their very own purpose-built cafe attached to the workshop. This is a good news story about a local business that has grown from humble beginnings in to a thriving cafe. If you want to eat good food, drink great coffee, and you want to support a local business, Wood Street Coffee is the place to go.
For more about Wood Street Coffee, click here.
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