By Louise Collins and Cassie Lester3 stars. The News Café is not the ideal place for recuperation after a heavy night’s bopping. Devoid of comfy sofas and lazy armchairs, the bright, airy interior is better experienced when one is feeling more resilient. News Café is however definitely suited to a quick break from shopping with friends or a quiet solo coffee to remind yourself there is a world outside Oxford. The wall-mounted televisions continually flash news headlines and the wall racks contain everything from magazines to foreign language newspapers; good for a study break if you’re still feeling up to learning about the outside world after collections. Free from the hysteria of Cornmarket’s coffee-chains, and unpretentious in its style and approach, the News Café is however a place in which a good caffeine hit is to be had and offers a broad selection of meals, from cooked breakfasts to heavy lunches. We had a late breakfast of toast and a smoked salmon bagel; both were tasty and prompt, although the toast came with miniature plastic packets of Marmite, jam etc that weren’t quite sufficient. Prices are comfortably mid-range – £2.10 for toast with marmite or marmalade, £4.75 for a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel. More importantly the cafe charges £1.60 for a decent coffee and £4.90 for a full breakfast with a vegetarian option, and the standard of both food and drink is both good and generous. Service too was efficient, with friendly and attentive staff. Give up on the New Year’s resolutions early this year and embrace the full English fry-up and obligatory newspaper with open arms.
Lifestyle: review of News Café
