How has a place this cool been hiding under my nose all this time?

I walk down Ely High Street frequently and had no idea that Tony’s even existed. Then, when I finally noticed it, I thought it was just an ordinary café. Little did I know that upstairs contained a mini arcade filled with thousands of retro arcade games!

It also feels too fun for Ely, a city better known for tea rooms and historic buildings. I know I had to visit and see it for myself.

Upon entering, Tony’s has a distinctive character with lots of colours and personality. It is very much the opposite of Tom’s Cakes down the street. It has a quirky 90’s style with tons of retro artwork on the walls and signed photos of celebrities.

The Menu

The menu is simple but with some interesting options, including a whole board dedicated to fully customisable cheese toasties. A coffee menu sourced from Milton based Coffee World was available, along with a selection of cakes and sweet treats.

Hot Mug Cake

I couldn’t resist the pull of the Hot Mug Cake which is essentially a cake in a mug. Each one is made fresh to order and comes with a ton of cream. You get three types, biscotti, oreo, and chocolate chip and made a refreshing novel change. I would have liked the cake to be filled higher up for £4.50 as it didn’t last long but otherwise I thought it was a cute idea that suited the theme of the venue.

Toastie Time

I took full advantage of their fully customisable cheese toastie, which starts with a choice of white or seeded bread, comes with cheese, and then you make it your own by adding whatever you fancy! I ordered pepperoni and ham for mine and it hit the spot.

Back to the old school

It isn’t just the classic games that are a blast from the past but the toastie too. Nowadays, you cannot go anywhere other than fit a Tesco Meal Deal to fill a gap cheap and easy. Everything now has to be sourced from the local butcher or bakery, but whatever happened to the humble, quick and practical snack to fill a gap? Not every dish needs to be fancy or locally sourced, sometimes you just want a practical and easy bite without breaking the bank – and that’s what Tony gets. The toastie was practical while gaming, absolutely packed, and tasted great, and didn’t cost me an arm and a leg.

Another dimension

Going upstairs to play the retro games you are met with a large room filled with old school arcades loaded with literally thousands of your favourite computer games from the 80’s and 90’s.

Tony has hand-painted the walls himself in vivid, trippy UV paint, packed with psychedelic patterns straight out of a 90s rave. Throw in vinyl-covered walls and model animals (including bird legs sticking out of the ceiling) adds a touch of surrealism…it essentially looks like my bedroom as a teenager, and it took me right back to my favourite decade.

It is spacious, peaceful, and comfortable, with sofas available, designed for people to relax and take their time rather than eat up and get out. It feels like home rather than a place to empty your money and consume.  A refreshing change of pace from a time that retail forgot and a great place to bring teenagers or children.

What a find!

Tony’s is a truly special and unique café in Ely, with only a few places like it in the entire county. Yes, it has niche appeal but even people who aren’t fans of computer games will appreciate the quirky, relaxed atmosphere with tons of character run by a friendly man who is always up for a conversation.

Having such a fun place in Ely is just another example of how the city is changing into a proper food and drink destination with a ton of character.

Thanks for reading!