Cafe Desa

I recently organised a Sunday breakfast celebration for my friend's birthday at this café . We ordered a full breakfast, an Egyptian breakfast, waffles (with chocolate on the side), two mozzarella/chicken and sun-dried tomato sandwiches. 15 minutes after placing the order and paying at the till for our order, we were informed that they had run out of ingredients for the English and Egyptian breakfasts, despite it being only 9:30 AM and us being the only customers at that time. The chef apologised, and we were happy to select alternative dishes. When our food arrived, it did not all come at the same time. Although we were pleased with the taste, the waffles arrived without the chocolate, which we didn't mind too much. However, we noticed a dish on our table that we had not ordered, and we requested it be taken back or sent to the correct table. The mozzarella/chicken/sundried tomato sandwiches arrived without the sun-dried tomatoes ( as per Menu) . There was a plain sandwich with not even an ornamental salad, which made them quite bland. We asked the waitress ( the brunette girl) if we could have the sun-dried tomatoes, she did not respond but she turned around and headed towards the kitchen. After about ten minutes, she returned with a small dish containing a few slices of fresh tomatoes and some sun-dried tomatoes, covered in a green grease ( we assumed this was olive oil) . She explained that the chef was a novice and made an error. We appreciated the gesture and mentioned that we actually had two mozzarella sandwiches and required two sides of tomatoes. The waitresses rolled her eyes and went back to the kitchen. When she returned, she stated, “Just so you know, the tomatoes were for two people, but we are offering this to you as an extra.” This comment left us momentarily speechless, and we ended up laughing it off, sensing that the server was having a tough day. Later on, my friend ordered and omelette. When a sandwich with egg and prosciutto was left on the table, we weren’t sure if it was ours. We approached the barista at the bar to clarify. The waitress seemed visibly irritated and rolled her eyes again despite not being involved in the conversation that I had with the barista. When the omelette finally arrived, it was more like three fried eggs folded together and was served without cutlery or bread. My friend inquired about the bread. The waitress condescendingly explained that the menu did not mention bread, so there would be none. We understood and asked if it were possible to get some. The expected eye roll and a sigh accompanied her response. We ended up paying £3.25 for a slice of bread, in addition to the £12.00 for the omelette. As if this experience wasn’t enough, while my 13 years old daughter was in the restroom, another girl came on shift. The waitress decided to do a handover outside the kitchen, where my daughter could overhear her derogatory comments about us. While I typically avoid leaving negative reviews, I felt this situation warranted one. It’s unfortunate because the café has clearly put a lot of effort into its ambiance, and we admired the unique coffee mugs and little details throughout. The coffee was exceptional, and the food, while incomplete, was of good quality. The café does appear to cater to gluten-free and vegetarian/vegan diets, and the sourdough bread was delightful. The barista behind the bar was polite and helpful, the chef was friendly and apologetic about running out of food, which is understandable. However, the main issue was the attitude of the brunette waitress towards paying customers, which impacted our overall experience.

A very fancy cafe around the corner from the town hall. Everyone was friendly and helpful in there and the coffee... Wow! It's rich, bold and smooth, it really is an amazing flavour experience. However within my budget this will be an occasional treat rather than a regular. Speaking of treats they do a variety of cakes ( gluten free and vegan options available) I tried the chocolate peanut butter bite and it again was rich and delicious. I look forward to returning and looking at the food options available. The coffee has changed and is as delicious as the last, they change every few months to help with sustainability which I think it amazing and they said the other one will come back around in a few months too. It really is delightful in there. It's always light, bright, clean, fresh and welcoming. I look forward to returning.