Spotlight on: The Cafe

The Café@ES&M is a welcoming and friendly place to come, either just yourself or to meet with friends for a chat and catch-up over a barista-made coffee or other hot or cold drink and a piece of home-baked cake. Equally, you might be tempted by the light bites on our café menu all of which are served until 3.30pm.

All food is freshly prepared and cooked to order and cakes are made by local volunteers, all of whom hold Food Hygiene certificates and some who have also passed local council inspections of their kitchens with the maximum 5 stars. ES&M also holds a 5* certificate. The menu is refreshed regularly and reflects the changing seasons in order to offer locally sourced and produced foods and you can find the latest menu here We strive to keep our prices as reasonable as possible: a real challenge in these testing times.

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As important as good food is, the real benefit of the café lies in its role as a place where people can meet, socialise and catch up on news (and, yes, the gossip too..). Since the pandemic, which highlighted like never before the importance of social and human contact and the deleterious effects when these are restricted, the role of the café as a meeting place is recognised as even more important than ever thought. Many of us in the community now live alone, and this is not confined to the elderly or widowed. You can walk into the café and plonk yourself down at a table and, assuming you get that far without someone greeting you, (which in itself is unlikely), it won’t be long before you are chatting to someone. Café users are, by and large, sensitive souls though, and if you prefer to sit quietly with a coffee and a good book or work to do, you can be assured that this is also possible.

Speaking of books, don’t miss the large and well-filled bookshelves at the far end of the café. We operate a book exchange where you can bring and/or take any book you fancy without charge and return (or keep) it. It’s also impossible to ignore the wide range of gorgeous crafts on the shelves and walls. All locally made and available for sale.

Whether you come for the food, the company, or simply a quiet moment to yourself, the Café@ES&M offers a warm welcome and a genuine sense of community. It’s a place where good coffee, home-baked cakes, and friendly faces come together — a true reflection of Ermington’s spirit. So next time you’re passing, pop in, take a seat, and make yourself at home — we’ll have the kettle on.

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