I slammed the anchors on as quickly as I noticed the signal for The Two Mugs cafe on Haslucks Green Road in Shirley. I had been crusing alongside within the sunshine and I knew it was going to be my form of place as quickly as I swung into an area within the automobile park proper outdoors the door.
For a begin, somebody has illustrated the window with little photos of espresso cups, pancake stacks, espresso beans, mushrooms, love hearts, boba teacups and a happy-faced solar, in yellow, pink, white and blue. It’s the form of consideration to element that exhibits that whoever is liable for establishing the place should care concerning the little issues, an thrilling signal.
Talking of indicators, the principle banner itself revealed a welcoming element that made me really feel comfy about heading in alone to seize a desk. ‘COFFEE FOOD FRIENDS’ it says, the primary two par for the course in a restaurant however the latter giving me a bit of pep in my step.
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The little candy particulars continued contained in the double-wide cafe. It’s, fairly frankly, completely attractive in there. The partitions are embellished in a signature pink, yellow, inexperienced and blue geometric sample that additionally options on the menus and the packaging of the ‘signature’ baggage of tea and occasional you should buy to remove.
They’re sitting on a counter stuffed with muffins, doughnuts and treats. Everything feels further sparkly due to the quite a few lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling and the sensation, usually, is considered one of enjoyable.
The place was fairly packed once I arrived on a random Wednesday morning, teams of girls having espresso with buddies on pristine, deep teal cubicles embroidered with The Two Mugs’ brand, tradesmen of their work gear tucking into massive breakfasts and a few young professionals, one with a laptop computer. Outside, a child in a pushchair was having a bit of deal with and a toddler was sitting in a excessive chair, presumably having fun with these illustrations.
The menu is fairly busy too, a tri-fold sheet exhibiting breakfast and brunch choices, together with granola, bagels, pancakes, waffles and ‘hangover baps’ loaded with bacon, scrambled eggs, two varieties of cheese and spicy Bloody Mary ketchup. Prices vary from a £2.75 toasted bagel to the ‘Mugs Big Breakfast’, which options a few Lashford sausages, two rashers of bacon, black pudding, two fried eggs, mushroom, baked beans and a cooked tomato, served with a few slices of toast for £11.95.
Then there are lunch choices together with jacket potatoes, sandwiches and toasties. Most of these are about six quid. There’s a youngsters menu and even a menu to your canine, with no fewer than FIVE choices together with the Doggy Breakfast (bacon and sausage, £3.50).
Drinks supplied but extra alternative, with ‘babychino’ and ‘babychoc’ for teenagers (from £1.80), a ‘puppuccino’ whipped cream cup with little biscuit bone to your spoilt pet (90p) and, for us grown ups on two legs, coffees, teas, speciality lattes, scorching sweets, iced teas, fruit juices, milkshakes, ice blended frappes, smoothies, alcoholic drinks… I will not record the lot!
Service was swift, I’d barely settled in to my seat after ordering on the counter (the place I’d marvelled on the machine that squeezes all of the oranges of their juice) when my massive plate of pancakes (£5.20) arrived. I’d gone for Nutella and ‘berries’ and the toppings, melty hazelnut chocolate, the most important, boingiest blueberries and a few recent strawbs, have been beneficiant on the crepes.
The portion wasn’t big, and I used to be glad of it. The pancakes have been heat and dusted with icing sugar. I supped on a decadent iced mocha latte, £3.40, which was thick, wealthy and candy with out overpowering the recent, roasty kick of the espresso. I actually beloved it.
For some cause I really feel I must justify to you so I do not appear unhinged, I’d additionally ordered a few hash browns to the desk (£2.20) simply to see what they have been like. Bog commonplace triangular ones have been completely ruined for me by these recent, home made crispy salty specials at Early Bird Bakery and I search for them all over the place I am going now. No such luck on those at Two Mugs, which have been golden chunky triangles, however I salted and scoffed them anyway they usually have been simply high quality.
Before I left, I seen one more menu, this one exhibiting all of the pizzas they do on Fridays (between 5pm and 8pm) which look attractive. On the again, it promotes the cafe’s bubble teas. I ordered one to go, a fizzy dragonfruit and mango cooler, generously stuffed with strawberry boba. My plan was to drink it walking across the usually underrated however beautiful Shirley Park, however I’d slurped the lot earlier than I received there, which feels very typical of me. The park, although? Another completely underrated surprise – I’ll inform you about that in one other story.
I’d been getting suggestions for some time to strive The Two Mugs and truthfully, I’d been a mug myself to miss it for thus lengthy. A sunny, enjoyable household cafe, in and out. Colour me impressed!
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This overview was unbiased. The reporter visited unannounced and paid for all foods and drinks.
