“ad” – Why is this here?

After hearing about our fourth Costa Coffee opening in Ely, I was starting to lose hope. Ely has always been a great place for tea and coffee but sometimes it can feel like it is slowly turning into just another town filled with corporate chains. Then, out of the blue, a new independent spot opened up, replacing Tamarind Bay on Fore Hill: Cup of Coffee Bakery House.

The café itself has a quaint, living-room feel with great views of Fore Hill, complete with a window bar that is ideal for a bit of people watching. Everything from the bakery is baked fresh on-site or at home, the bread is made daily, and they serve proper coffee using carefully selected Italian beans. It is also completely dog-friendly, complete with treats at the door for any visiting four-legged friends. Needless to say, I saw a lot of waggy tails during my visit.

I was particularly excited about this opening, as it is run by Aleyna Guny. I first bumped into her during my recent review of Kings Dough (arguably one of the best sandwich spots in Cambridge), where she immediately stood out for her warm, high-energy personality. Her bubbly persona is matched only by her passion for this new venture in Ely.

Chocolate Pistachio Crumpet

I started with dessert because I am a complete radical, but I am so glad I did as it was absolutely amazing. I had the pistachio crumpet, which felt more like an extra-thick pancake. It was slathered in a thick, creamy chocolate and pistachio sauce comparable to peanut butter or Nutella in texture but way tastier. This was coupled with a lovely thick crumpet that had a real satisfying springiness that combined with the sauce for a proper mouthful. The presentation was beautiful and the portion size was great, making it a perfectly rounded sweet treat for all occasions.

Avocado, Bacon and Eggs on Toast

Their avocado on toast was recommended to me by Aleyna. I am not usually an avocado sorta guy, but I decided to put my trust in her, and I am so glad I did. The fresh bread had been toasted and loaded with a thick layer of creamy avocado. The icing on the cake was thick-cut rashers of bacon and two perfectly cooked eggs that simply exploded with a mild poke of my knife, oozing all over everything. This was utterly divine.

Drinks: Italian Coffee & Freshly Made Mango Juice

Freshly squeezed juices are available and the Italian coffee was lovely. The coffee had a rich, traditional roast to it that paired brilliantly with the sweet crumpet, while the freshly made juice was bright, thick, and bursting with proper fruit flavour rather than something poured out of a carton.

The Wider Menu & Vibe

Looking over the rest of the menu, they have managed to pull off a really interesting mix. Alongside café essentials like bacon buns, poached eggs, sourdough toasties, and waffles, they are serving up authentic Turkish breakfasts (think beef sucuk, white cheese, olives, and fried peppers) and Turkish eggs with spiced butter and dill yoghurt. It gives the menu a distinct edge over your standard run-of-the-mill coffee shop.

Final Thoughts

Cup of Coffee Bakery House is the sort of project we are all guilty of dreaming of when our job gets us down, but Aleyna has had the bravery to take a risk and go for it. There is something deeply wholesome and warm about it that I truly love, sitting in a great location right between the Market Square and the river. Whether you are stopping by for a quick Italian coffee, sitting at the window to people watch with your dog, or utterly ruining your diet with that pistachio crumpet, it is well worth a visit.

Get down, support a new local business, and let me know what you think!

Thanks for reading.