Top 5 Coffee Places in Bath

As a resident of Bath city centre, I've become rather well-acquainted with all the local coffee shops; giving me fuel on my lunch breaks, a place to relax on my days off and a place to chill with friends. Yes, I'm fueling a caffeine habit, but let's be honest, who isn't?

Whilst I was having my most recent coffee, I was thinking about why I enjoy it so much. The coffee is tasty and it sure as hell gives me a buzz, but a lot of the time it is a pure feel for a place and the inspiration it gives me to read, write and take a minute to myself. So that you can do the same, I've written a list of my top 5 coffee shops to enjoy, whether you're a local, a visitor to Bath or just looking for a little me-time.

Society Cafe: An ambient, trendy place with decent sized coffee. Being a consumer of oat milk, I feel it's worth noting that they charge 40p extra for alternative milk, like most places. Their £3.70 coffee is nice, but the vibe is what does it for me.

It is one of my favourite places to see friends or to sit and read on my days off - once you get used to the hustle and bustle of background noise. It can get crazy busy around midday, the desire for coffee and a sweet treat too much to avoid crowds, but they do offer outdoor seating on Kingsmead Square (they also have a smaller venue at the end

of the corridor but their outside tables are right by a main road). Inside, you can buy your own coffee grounds, filters, cups and water bottles. I tend not to sit on the sofas in the side room as that's where their speakers are and it can get quite distracting; the tables downstairs are mainly used for laptop work/ studying, so a little table by the door is my go-to. They also have various magazines, papers and cultured books scattered around for you to peruse. The casual, hipster vibe is a great place to lose yourself (even if coffee and cake costs about £7 a go, that's Bath for you!)

Colombian Coffee: Super friendly staff and gorgeously smooth coffee. A blossoming independent spread from the Abbey Courtyard to Widcombe, they do big toasted sandwiches and offer a meal deal including crisps and coffee.

They have at least 2 vegan cake options but are generous in their portions. Situated in rather small venues, they provide a cosy ambiance which is really nicely kitted out with dark, trendy decor. The selling point for me is their alternative milk ethos; they don't charge extra!

Veros: An extention of Colombian, run as their 'sister cafe' in Milsom Place. A lighter, brighter cafe which is the perfect little lunch spot for me as it's really close to my work.

Offering the same menu as Colombian, but with a different atmosphere combining blues and yellows to keep the place light.

The staff are super friendly and provide coffee stamp cards, which I fly through. Offering smoothies, cakes, teas and coffees, as well as a collection of Spanish snacks and wine that you can take home and enjoy. At lunch-times, they offer that same, money-saving meal-deal in which you can get a toastie, coffee and flavoured plantain crisps.

Colonna and Smalls: A fantastic place if you really know your coffee. A beautiful airy venue off of Queen's Square with staff who really know their beans. For those coffee fanatics who can taste the difference in their blends and don't mind being charged close to £4 a go for an oat milk latte - which I thought was a lot, but seems to be pretty consistent nowadays.

Considerably pretentious, on approaching the counter you get asked 'which blend you would like', which people invariably aren't sure about so go with the staff's recommendation. They offer a small range of cakes and pastries to enjoy in a minimalist atmosphere playing indie music like Bon Iver. Initially, it can come across as a little pompous (they even suggest not adding sugar to your coffee because that's just not how it should be done), but the proof is in the coffee - it is delicious. Smaller than most places, but really strong and delicious.

Cascara:

My personal favourite. A beautiful independent with two sun-trap tables outside, where I like to get a big iced coffee on a nice day (with a reusable straw!). An all vegan cafe that supports local businesses by selling bespoke candles and jewelry, as well as providing chunky freshly made cakes and vegan pastries - quite hard to come by! They also serve a mid-morning to early afternoon food menu, offering things like vegan salmon sandwiches and chickpea melts, breakfast bowls and smoothies if you fancy something healthy. The venue is quite small so it can easily fill up, so I like to go nice and early - they're one of the fewer places in town that open before 9am.

It is definitely worth noting that they are also particularly supportive of the homeless community, offering a 'pay with a post it' system. There are regular rough sleepers who come in for coffees and to use the loo, which for me, is reassuring to see. If you don't mind waiting a hot-minute for your drinks, as they're behind the counter kitchen is quite small, in Cascara you will find a quirky, individual and tasty coffee experience that ticks all the boxes.