Caffé Veneto
I consider myself something of a coffee connoisseur. Wherever I go I am always on the lookout for a coffee house, or café which looks likely to offer a decent cuppa. I find coffee is easier to mess up than tea, which in essence is the art of pouring hot or boiling water on some leaves. A good tea house needs only variety and flexibility. Let me choose the flavour and length of time brewing and all will be good.
Coffee on the other hand can be too bitter, too weak, and too bland, and that is all down to the skill of the barista and the quality of the ingredients. Add in the various common options, including iced, and there's more ways to mess it up. Unlike tea it is also less common to be offered single origin beans. More often than not you will be getting a generic blend, of which the quality can vary greatly.
Which brings me to Caffé Veneto, an Italian café hidden in plain view on the High Street in Banbury. For so long I frequented other eating establishments in Banbury, sticking to a well-worn routine. That is until one day I walked in and just found the hustle and bustle too distracting for the cosy, relaxing sit-down I had been looking forward to, and I rebelled against the norm. Just at the start of the pedestrianized section of the High Street, facing Church Lane, is Caffé Veneto, standing out due to the large orange canopy that offers shade to the selection of tables outside. The day I rebelled led me straight into the calmer interior where I immediately felt more at ease.
The decor has dark wood panelling mingling with coarse coffee sacks on the counter and ceiling. Two feature walls dominate the eye, the first being a large venetian scene, doing a great job of fooling the mind into thinking you are on a veranda of an Italian eatery. The second is a map of the world, with coffee bean markers highlighting the top bean manufacturers. The eyes have yet more to soak in, with bunches of dried chillies, bunches of garlic, and even a tea pot hanging from the ceiling. Lights hang low over the wooden tables, the bulbs offering a warm light, the glowing filaments dim enough to look at.
The kitchen staff work behind the counter, so you know what you are served is freshly prepared. It's all surprisingly cosy, and thus far all staff have proved to be exceedingly friendly and accommodating.
But.. what of the coffee? Surely this was the whole point of this? Well, I can honestly hold my hands up and say it is by far my favourite coffee in Banbury. They offer single origin options, and the flavour shines through. In addition, their options are all top notch, particular favourites being the Venetian (with cream), the caffé freddo (with ice cream), and the very best iced latte.
The very best iced latte. Not just in Banbury, but personally my favourite full stop. Some may think it is smaller than expected, but this to me is an advantage. Mainstream lattes in particular are guilty of tasting solely of steamed milk, being served in tall glasses. Veneto offers you a wonderful 50/50 serving in a small glass where the fresh coffee sits upon a layer of milk. It is down to you to mix as you wish. The quantity of milk does not overwhelm the flavour from the coffee.
I've yet to find anywhere that serves in this manner, and it has become my default option when I visit. My perfect iced latte and it's right on my doorstep. Besides which I haven't quite worked out how they keep the milk and coffee separate! I must ask one day.
As a real bonus, they also offer two fabulous coffee cocktails, the tiramisu and the espresso martini, both of which are divine as a real treat!
But Caffé Veneto is not just a coffee house, they offer a wide selection of food, from light bites to filling dinner style meals. It's actually a shame they don't open evenings, because I would happily frequent the place for the occasional dinner. I have not tried everything on the menu, but what I have has always been delightful.
Current favourites are the Veneto bruschetta, and the antipasti sharing platter. My wife has also tried the lasagne and said it was delicious. Today I have written this very blog whilst enjoying the relaxed atmosphere, and the lunch I chose was simply superb. A basic seeming platter of hummus and tzatziki was a delightful appetizer, with two tasty breads to soak up the flavoursome dips. This was accompanied by the soup of the day, which was spinach, something I had never tried before. I was blown away, it was bursting with so much rich flavour, more so than I truly expected. A bargain, in my eyes, for only £4.10!
There's an unpretentiously appealing vibe about Veneto. They're not breaking any new ground, and I don't think they're trying to launch a new chain. They are proudly independent, taking on challengers on what I presume is a costly High Street premises, and I think they are doing themselves proud. Chances are it is here I will visit to sit quietly and write, or arrange a lunch meet-up with a friend.
The staff are so friendly I was even able to rope in one of the lovely waitresses to help me with a photoshoot for my friend Rachael Willson, who needed a 'client' with whom to coach in the photo, when the actual client failed to arrive! She kindly took a seat and had a friendly chat with Rachael, providing the perfect scenario for some lovely pictures.
I hope they do well enough to survive in this tough climate, because the very quietness that first attracted me is clearly not beneficial to the business. It has been spiriting to see, on this sunny Saturday, a good deal of customers come and go during the two visits I have made here today.
After all, what would life be like without access to my favourite iced latte? So come on folks, if only for my sake, give the place a try, you may just find it does something the best for you too!
