Cafés
Cafés are now a lot more than roadside experiences. They are an urban culture which has spread out from the American coffee houses and English tea rooms of long ago. This change has brought a liveliness and a new variety of food and drink to the high streets of the South East of England. The décor in which these options are presented, also provides a feast of choices, from old fashioned coffees in new buildings to contemporary food in centuries old buildings.
Most people have, or have chosen, to go to an area or town, so the choice is how to enjoy a break in "Anytown". This can be quite difficult, but some basic decisions help point the way. What drink is favoured; alcohol, coffee, tea?
If alcohol is desired, then look at our pub and dine pages for ideas. There is another solution ... wine bars. Subtly different to pubs, they offer a similar but more lounge-like sophisticated style, and wine is a speciality rather than beer. There are many excellent ones in the region often in towns and cities in which to relax and unwind.
Most places will serve a cup or pot of steaming tea, if you desire a more adventurous blend of tea and a scone or homemade cake rather than a Danish or Croissant, seek out one of our many Traditional Tea Rooms for a truly quintessentially English experience.
If you need an expresso, a latte, a mocha or a cappuccino, options are widespread and, many coffee cafés are branded, so if you find one you like, you will find more of the same elsewhere.
The South East is well provided with cyber cafes; what better way to keep in contact with friends and family and surf the net, whilst relaxing with a bite to eat and cup of coffee.
If you are visiting one of the old cities or towns, such as Windsor, Oxford and Canterbury, you will find some wonderful, old sites housing cafés perfect for for a spot of lunch. The shopping malls provide a concentration of options, some in surprisingly lovely surroundings, like café's and restaurants in the Oracle, Reading that over-look the Kennet and Avon Canal.
Whatever ideas you seek, the South East has it all.
