It’s nearly December in St Andrews— a month filled equally for students with the dread of exam week and the exciting prospect of the holiday season. A month of shopping, studying, and for many…. copious amounts of caffeine!
This month, residents of St Andrews have an unprecedented holiday treat to look forward to. Sources reported earlier this month that Caffé Nero, the notable chain coffee shop, has its eye on a vacant St Andrews store, and plans for opening a Caffé Nero location in our small Fife town are in the works. Tucked between Rocca Deli and British Heart Foundation on Bell Street, the former St Andrews Jack Wills location could soon become home to St Andrews’ newest café.
While the opening of a Café Nero is not set in stone, proposals have indeed been submitted to the Fife Council regarding this potential new shop. With over 700 shops in the UK and Ireland, Caffé Nero is certainly well regarded in the realm of cafes. But what exactly does Caffé Nero have to offer, some may wonder?
Credit: Unsplash.
When it comes to coffee, the selections at this café do not disappoint. From classic espressos to pistachio iced lattes, Caffé Nero’s beverage selection ensures that all patrons can find something they will enjoy. The company takes pride in their use of traditional Italian coffee roasting methods and high-quality equipment and claim to have perfected the art of roasting a perfect blend. Caffé Nero believes in the importance of sustainably sourcing coffee beans; therefore, they continuously honour their partnership with the Rainforest Alliance to use the most sustainably sourced coffee beans possible.
As enticing as their coffee sounds, the delicacies available at Caffé Nero do not stop at beverages. In addition to their drink menu, the company also boasts a wide range of food options. As noted on their website, Caffé Nero’s menu can be broken down into six categories: all day breakfast, deli, panini/tostati/sandwiches, soups/salads/meal pots, cakes/muffins, and snacks.
The Caffè Nero food menu has something for everyone, whether you are craving a mid-day sweet treat or a savoury mouth-watering panini. The menu is equipped with dietary alternatives with several plant-based options available to patrons, such as the plant-based sausage roll and the plant-based chicken arrabiata panini. The all-encompassing food menu available at Caffé Nero ensures patrons can enjoy a tasty snack, no matter the time of day.
Credit: Creative Commons.
With its cosy atmosphere, tasty menu and delicious coffee, it may seem like a Caffè Nero is a perfect addition to our seaside town. However, one might find themselves wondering: how necessary is another café in St Andrews? From Pret a Manger, Starbucks, and Costa on Market Street… to Taste and Zest on North and South Street, St Andrews is certainly not short on cafes. Just last year, St Andrews saw the addition of Black Sheep Coffee in the heart of Market Street and Palompo’s Espresso Bar on South Street, two new tempting options for a daily coffee right in our town. With plenty of viable options for a visit to a café, whether locally owned or a popular chain, what is the appeal of a new Caffè Nero?
The addition of this café to St Andrews is certainly presented as a double-edged sword. On one hand, it is a perfectly reasonable concern to wonder if this small town is already over-saturated with coffee shops. It may raise the question: how many is too many? On the other hand, for many students, cafes are at the core of St Andrews culture. No matter the time of day, it is essentially a guarantee that there will be a queue at any one you choose to pay a visit to. The cafes of St Andrews serve as a sort of community hub— for studying, socialising, and everything in between. The addition of a Caffé Nero to St Andrews has the potential to serve yet another place for gathering and studying, a thought which is warm welcomed given the constant flow of patrons in and out of the various cafes in town.
While it is not yet officially time to bring out the welcome wagon for Caffé Nero in St Andrews just yet, the prospect of a new café in town is certainly an intriguing thought. It is no fallacy that the population of St Andrews loves a good coffee shop that can double as a study spot. Given the success of the various outstanding cafes in town, there is certainly an inclination to greet the potential Caffé Nero with a mindset of: ‘the more, the merrier.’
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