Chester has dozens of coffee shops, but finding the truly exceptional ones can be difficult when you’re exploring Bridge Street, Watergate Street, or the historic Rows.
This guide covers 20 top coffee destinations across Chester, from Bean & Cole’s Australian-style service to Obscure Coffee’s Ethiopian single-origins and Kookaburra Bakehouse’s award-worthy cruffins. You’ll find exact locations, signature drinks, atmosphere details, and what makes each spot worth visiting – helping you discover Chester’s best independent coffee experiences.
Short Answer:
The best cafes in Chester are Bean & Cole, Jaunty Goat, Chalk Coffee, Obscure Coffee, Little Yellow Pig, and Kookaburra Bakehouse. Most are located around Bridge Street, Watergate Street, and the Victorian Rows, with great options in Hoole and Boughton.
20 Best Cafes in Chester
Bean & Cole
At 41 Frodsham Street, less than a minute from Chester’s City Walls, Bean & Cole occupies a lovely old building where owners Ian and Nicole transformed their year-long Australia trip inspiration into reality in June 2018.
The Setup
The fairly small ground floor shop stretches three times longer than wide, housing twin Mythos One grinders and a two-group Victoria Arduino White Eagle espresso machine alongside an EK43 for pour-over.
Has Bean’s Jailbreak Blend anchors the espresso menu with rotating guests like naturally processed Finca Licho from Costa Rica or Belfast’s Bailies Coffee. The Chester Market location opened November 2022, featuring a La Marzocco KB90 serving Assembly espresso and Square Mile filter via batch brew or pour-over, with proper cups delivered to extensive seating areas.
What Makes It Special
Both venues prioritize locally sourced suppliers, offering vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options including homemade hummus toast on generous granary slices. This dog-friendly, family-run business delivers passionate staff providing Aussie-style service focused on connecting people through truly quality coffee. The very creamy rich chocolatey hot chocolate and delicious filling food all day with fast service make this a locals favorite that never disappoints.
Hours: Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 5pm
Location: 41 Frodsham Street Chester CH1 3JJ & Chester Market, Exchange Square
Jaunty Goat
Founded by twins Patrick and Ed in 2015 at 57 Bridge Street, Jaunty Goat occupies a basement-like interior extending far back under the Rows with stone staircase remnants possibly dating to the middle ages.
The Coffee
The speciality coffee stalwart features Scandinavian design complemented by exposed Roman brickwork and locally handmade wooden furniture, powered by Sanremo Opera machines. This pour-over pioneer serves seasonal single origins like Costa Rica house espresso and Guatemala Huehuetenango guest, plus Democratic Republic Congo filter via AeroPress, V60, or Chemex, beautifully presented in carafes on wooden trays.
The Food
The entirely vegetarian, vegan-friendly brunch menu runs until 4pm featuring brunch classics and seasonal dishes with locally sourced produce created in-house.
Multiple Locations
The January 2019 Northgate Street location offers completely vegan options with Victoria Arduino Eagle One and three Mythos grinders in minimalistic soft-lit surroundings selling Origin Coffee beans.
July’s Jaunty Goat Bakery, almost directly opposite on Bridge Street’s west side, uses a single-group Victoria Arduino Prima serving naturally processed Brazilian Eldorado and Swiss Water Process El Eden Colombian decaf, baking all bread, cakes, and pastries for all three locations.
This dog-friendly, cashless operation earned outstanding coffee quality recognition at the heart of the burgeoning coffee scene.
Hours: Monday to Saturday 8am to 5pm, Sunday 9am to 5pm (all Bank Holidays except Christmas Day)
Location: 57 Bridge Street CH1 1NG (plus Northgate Street & Bakery locations)
Chalk Coffee
Founded in August 2018 by Ed (twin brother of Jaunty Goat’s Patrick), Chalk Coffee at 24 Watergate Street stretches far back under the Rows with a basement-like feel, especially toward the rear.
The Space
The standard street-level unit features long, low windows with round two-person tables on the cobblestoned pavement, catching sun from its south-facing aspect. Inside the quietly cool space with a wide recessed door leading down steps, a Victoria Arduino Black Eagle pulls Colonna Coffee house espresso alongside Origin decaf and regularly changing guest roasters for both espresso and filter.
What to Order
The small, perfectly formed menu specializes in coffee, brunch, and bakes with handpicked specialty beans from around the world, loose leaf teas, locally sourced cakes, and sandwiches made fresh daily including wild mushrooms on toast with hash browns and several vegan options with alt-milks.
This dog-friendly spot with free Wi-Fi, outdoor seating, baby change facilities, and reusable cup friendliness provides genuine customer service in a warm, comfortable environment where customers praise outstanding coffee quality worth the visit alone, with super helpful staff offering recommendations from window seats for people-watching or longer back tables offering more space.
Hours: Monday to Saturday 8am to 6pm, Sunday 10am to 6pm
Location: 24 Watergate Street Chester CH1 2LA
The Flower Cup
Opening in 2016 at 61 Watergate Row South, owner Milli Ball and husband Kris created an independent botanical coffee shop that predates most of Chester’s specialty coffee veterans.
The Space
Unlike typical basement Row spaces, this upper floor spot offers a simple rectangular interior with a counter at the back left and makeshift seating using crates for tables with cushions on an elevated balcony above street level. Italy trip inspiration two years prior shaped their not-pretentious, simple approach serving Neighbourhood Coffee from Liverpool (ethically sourced, beautifully roasted) alongside Stokes Coffee working nationwide, plus Tea From The Manor and filter options.
The Menu
The all-day brunch menu features eggs benedict, smoked salmon avocado, Holy Guacamole with fried egg, Biscoff French toast, American Breakfast stack with homemade hash browns, Shakshuka with vegan alternative, wild mushrooms on toast, Hip Breakfast with halloumi-avocado, and Welsh rarebit, all beautifully presented with generous portions using bread from Wallis Bakers in Saltney and fresh-made morning sandwiches.
The Atmosphere
This dog-friendly (water bowls, treats), walk-ins-only venue festooned with hanging plants creating a jungle-like ambiance provides friendly service in a cozy botanical gem where guests wile away hours surrounded by a rich tapestry of greenery.
Hours: Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm, Friday to Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 9am to 4pm
Location: 61 Watergate Street Row South Chester CH1 2LE
The Barista’s
Set in Gods Providence House, a famous 17th-century building at 9 Watergate Street, The Barista’s occupies the bottom of this historic structure with bare stone and brick walls creating a lovely, relaxing atmosphere worth experiencing just for the old building appreciation.
The Coffee
This old-fashioned coffee shop with a couple of pavement tables on pedestrianised Watergate Street serves Has Bean coffee, achieving the unique distinction of being more than run-of-the-mill with their award-winning house blend (50% Sumatra, 25% Ethiopia, 25% El Salvador) alongside guest single origins like Kenya Karani with peaches-fighting-lemon tasting notes.
Food & Drinks
The fairly unadventurous espresso-based menu includes dirty chai lattes (chai with espresso shot), plus a wonderful breakfast, brunch, and lunch menu featuring pancakes, bacon baps with really good value, cakes that taste homemade not pre-packaged with fruit, nuts, seeds, and excellent icing, plus milk in tiny bottles.
This independent co-op-run business uses local suppliers for a wide range of products, offering plenty of comfortable seating inside with free WiFi and a sunny-day patio full of guests. The super friendly, attentive staff at both locations create a warm, family-friendly welcome where The Barista’s stays packed while Costa across the road remains dead in comparison.
Hours: Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm, Sunday 10am to 5pm (Watergate Street), plus Gorse Stacks Bus Interchange location
Location: 9 Watergate Street Chester CH1 2LB
Bridge St Coffee
Opening in 2018 at 23 Bridge Street, a few doors up from veteran Jaunty Goat, Bridge St Coffee occupies a long, thin basement-like space underneath Chester’s famous Rows with an all-glass front split into thirds featuring a central recessed door.
The Space
The shallow ramp descends a metre to flooring open to wooden beams supporting the Rows above, with L-shaped seating arrangements and plenty of outdoor pavement seating on the pedestrianised street. A Probat roaster prominently displayed in the window awaits use while Heart & Graft from Manchester provides a nicely balanced Colombian blend with hints of acidity, plus nine teas, nine juices/shakes, and hot chocolate.
The Food
With 15 years’ experience, they roast weekly for the finest, freshest coffee and source locally from Ernest W Edge & Son Butchers in Handbridge and Cheshire Farm Ice Cream, making all cakes and specialty sandwiches in-house while chefs produce beautiful handmade pizzas every morning.
The comprehensive all-day breakfast menu (available 8am to 4pm) features full English (£9.45, veggie option), porridge, breakfast baps with eggs-your-choice plus bacon-sausage-avocado-mushrooms, Eggs Benedict, Florentine, Royale (starting £6.75), various eggs-on-sourdough with mushrooms and Cappuccino under £10, panini, sandwiches, and soup of the day.
Why Visit
This tucked-away alleyway gem near Chester Town Hall delivers exceptional, thoughtfully designed, spotless, cosy charm with warm, welcoming, attentive staff serving one of the best full Englishes ever had with coffee so rich, smooth, and brewed to absolute perfection it easily wipes the floor with Costa and Starbucks.
The dog-friendly, al fresco favorite opens a second location at Northgate Coachworks featuring signature calming Scandi-Nordic interior vibe, specialty coffees, all-day Danish bakery range, and premium Neuhaus Belgium chocolates.
Hours: All-day breakfast 8am to 4pm
Location: 23 Bridge Street Chester CH1 1NG
Marmalade
Opening in August 2012 at 67 Northgate Street in the heart of Chester’s independent scene, Marmalade has spent over 10 years perfecting its intimate, licensed café concept with newly expanded, spacious, comfortable dining where guests enjoy bottles of beer, cheeky glasses of prosecco or delicious ale while listening to fabulous music and whiling away afternoons.
Gluten-Free Specialists
Known as specialists in gluten-free options (priding themselves on the most extensive in the area), the full breakfast and lunch service features salmon muffins, full English, BBQ pulled-pork panini, crayfish salad, fantastic homemade soups fresh daily (tomato-chilli, tomato-pepper), chicken-chorizo-cheese panini, scones, raspberry cheesecake (absolutely gorgeous), baked cheesecakes, chocolate muffins, lemon drizzle cakes (most available gluten-free), plus delicious homemade cakes.
The Menu
The consistently wonderful food includes stunning desserts, Scottish poached salmon with lemon mayonnaise, pole-and-line caught tuna with olives-green-beans-hard-boiled-egg, free-range roast chicken with crispy bacon and mixed peppers, Italian meat with creamy mozzarella and pesto dressing, and great chai latte, hot chocolate, or ice tea alongside coffee that stays hot.
This lovely, warm, small café with dog-friendly policy and additional upstairs seating provides accommodating staff delivering remarkable, prompt service in a homely atmosphere with cute décor where guests relax after hard working days with fair prices, fast service, and great value-for-money.
Hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm
Location: 67 Northgate Street Chester CH1 2HQ
The Bluebell Cafe at Barrowmore
Nestled at Barnhouse Lane, Great Barrow in the heart of leafy, bluebell-ringed Barrowmore Estate on the fringe of sleepy Cheshire village, this small, friendly cafe became a firm favourite with locals and visitors alike.
Supporting a Good Cause
All profits go directly to Barrowmore Ltd Charity supporting vulnerable people, with the cafe mainly staffed by volunteers from the community gaining important work and life skills. Leonie and her willing team serve splendidly well-blended coffee, homemade cakes, tray bakes, and freshly cooked food sourcing local produce in lovely, cosy surroundings-a modern, welcoming development offering special occasion hire surrounded by natural beauty.
What to Eat
The affordable menu features the finest £5 breakfast anywhere (all-day breakfast with high-quality ingredients), superb eggs benedict, soup, Welsh rarebit, wraps, huge baguettes with good-quality ham-cheddar-side-salad-crisps, baked potatoes with the nicest salad accompaniment ever had, chicken wrap, daily-changing specials board, and gorgeous afternoon tea for celebrations.
The Setting
This truly delightful cafe serves the freshest, tastiest food anywhere in Chester with friendly, efficient service in an idyllic spot amidst beautiful countryside featuring a conservatory view for enjoying greenery and identifying birds, plus a play area outside where little ones run off steam, tables for eating outside on warm days, good tarmac parking, wheelchair access, well-behaved dogs allowed, and safe walks with King Charles Spaniels along choice footpaths.
Service is slightly slow (freshly prepared, sign reads “we don’t do fast food, we do good food as fast as we can”), so advisable to book tables. Try it in bluebell season for a big surprise.
Hours: Monday to Friday 9.30am to 3pm, Saturday 10am to 3pm, Sunday 9am to 11am breakfast reservations
Location: Barnhouse Lane Great Barrow Chester CH3 7JA
Urbano 32
Located at 32 Bridge Street in Chester’s vibrant city center, Urbano 32 brings a fresh take on traditional pizza with a contemporary twist inside a rustic-industrial interior design featuring exposed brick walls, chunky woods, exposed beams, pipes, pillars, and a mix of fixed seating and booths.
The Pizza
The major feature-an open kitchen showcasing the handmade clay pizza oven at centre stage-produces sourdough Neapolitan pizzas that are works of art using the freshest quality ingredients from local suppliers committed to sourcing seasonal produce.
The progressive approach yields exciting, unique toppings (Urbano Marg £11, New Porker, Capri, Rustique, King Gabagool, Smoke on Water, Some Like It Hot, Something Blue, What’s the Catch, Goat, Yes Like Pasta, Truffled £14 to £15) alongside delicious small plates, pastas, salads, and weekly specials.
Drinks & Coffee
Complemented by a carefully curated wine list, refined cocktail selection (cherry Bakewell cocktail praised), craft beers, and popular Birra Moretti on draught. This pizza restaurant, bar, and social meeting place opens at 8am serving tea, coffee (partnered with outstanding Jaunty Goat-espresso, double espresso, macchiato, flat white, cappuccino, latte, americano, iced latte, hot chocolate £2.30 to £3.20), teas from Tea from the Manor (£2.50: English breakfast, decaf, peppermint, red berries, camomile, earl grey, green, non-dairy alternative 50p), and brunch, creating a relaxed morning ambience appealing to shoppers and early business meetings with free WiFi.
Events & Atmosphere
Food service starts 11.30am daily with the thriving bar scene before and after dining encouraging continental/stateside style eating at the counter. The ever-popular 241 Pizza Thursdays, varied events throughout the year, seasonal specials, vegan menu options, outdoor patio dining, and welcoming staff providing great service make this a fantastic addition to Chester’s dining scene with amazing food, outstanding service, excellent sourdough pizzas, great portion sizes, seasonal bruschetta, decent wine by glass, good individual music, cheerful professional staff, and a relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere ideal for families, friends, and couples.
Hours: Open 8am to 12am
Location: 32 Bridge Street Chester CH1 1NQ
Moss Coffee
Opening in December 2017 at 65 Brook Street, owner Daniel created this conveniently located spot under five minutes’ walk from Chester Bus Interchange and not much more than five minutes from the railway station-a handy calling point between bus and railway stations close enough to pop there and back in 20 minutes.
The Space
The small spot features a traditional shop front with a large picture window on the left and recessed door on the right with an A-board, plus a beautiful counter built of reclaimed wood at the back left and gorgeous exposed light bulbs creating a lovely relaxing atmosphere with relaxing music playing.
The Coffee
The espresso-based menu serves Dark Woods’ Arboretum blend (coffee always first-rate, best coffee ever had, light and delicious) alongside a small selection of locally baked cakes, with food offerings limited but memorable including spicy tuna mayonnaise rolls never forgotten. Reopened June 2020 for takeaway-only service with batch brew added to the menu using Sage Precision automated brewer.
The great little place delivers really relaxed, light, airy atmosphere-a great place for meet-ups with hot chocolate and drinks nicely presented in modern way with lovely friendly staff worth visiting and a place so friendly, warm, and inviting.
Hours: Monday to Saturday 8am to 3pm, Sunday closed
Location: 65 Brook Street Chester CH1 3DZ
Obscure Coffee
Opening in November 2018 by Nick (with strong pedigree having worked at Artisan Roast and Brew Lab in Edinburgh) and partner Maz, Obscure Coffee-named after Nick wanted “Obscura” (Spanish for dark) but someone misheard as “obscure” and the name stuck-occupies a small shop front on the right as Lower Bridge slopes down toward the river, just a few minutes’ walk from Chester’s heart near the bottom of Lower Bridge close to city walls and River Dee.
The Space
The inset door on the right and large two-paned floor-to-ceiling window on the left are lined with four low stools outside on the pavement, while inside offers space for a handful of tables plus a really cosy back room with four more tables and a pair of armchairs.
The Coffee
All coffee comes from Climpson and Sons’ signature Estate espresso with regularly changing single origins on batch brew through Moccamaster plus pour-over V60: washed single origin Sidamo Sasaba from Guji region Ethiopia (lovely, complex, sweet), Kilenso Mokonisa from Sidamo (washed Ethiopian with classic chocolate-toffee notes in flat white), and Uraga batch brew (washed Ethiopian from Guji, beautiful, smooth, floral, definitely worth coming back for).
The Food
The excellent variety of specialty coffees and teas accompanies indulgent artisan cakes, pastries, sausage rolls, and freshly made sandwich baguettes (goat cheese-beetroot roll with rocket-walnuts-balsamic £6.50, citrus chicken roll with lemon mayonnaise-parsley-shredded chicken-balsamic-rockets £6.50, bacon egg bun £6.50, BLT £6.50).
This stylish specialty coffee shop with tasteful, cosy, modern décor, great background music, and expertly served outstanding Ethiopian coffee in china cups earned recognition as a very civilised, calm, small, welcoming establishment worth a little detour away from main tourist areas, extremely accommodating for dairy-gluten-egg allergies, friendly and kind with great hospitality from regular guests on weekend walks around beautiful Chester.
Update: January 2022: Nick and Maz moved to Edinburgh; customer Cem with wife Burcu bought the shop continuing Nick’s legacy-now Obscure has a lovely dog too!
Hours: Monday to Saturday 8:30am to 5pm, Sunday 8:30am to 4pm
Location: 66 Lower Bridge Street Chester CH1 1RU
Fika+
An evolution of micro-bakery Gnome’s Kitchen (founded 2020 in Hoole by owner Naomi), Fika+ opened in December 2021 at 2 City Walls-the only 100% vegan cafe in Chester-occupying a wonderful location in the middle of a short row of buildings atop Chester’s historic city walls, right next to The Northgate (part of original Roman walls nearly 2,000 years old), overlooking the canal opened in 1774.
The Concept
The charming, cosy, understated cafe with a small inside seating area plus lovely conservatory or pop-outside-and-find-a-table setup specializes in slow fermentation and viennoiserie artisan plant-based baking, producing delicious plant-powered treats in a kind, sustainable way using stone-ground flour from Walk Mill (water-powered mill 10km east of Chester) with locally sourced ingredients.
Coffee & Drinks
Heartland Coffee Roasters’ ubiquitous Landmark blend on a brand-new Sanremo F18 espresso machine with Oato non-dairy alternative joins single-origin options on batch brew and pour-over via V60 or AeroPress (lovely, fruity Ethiopian that sweetens as it cools), plus tea and hot chocolate.
The Menu
The concise all-day brunch menu features:
- Organic Cinnamon Swirls (sweet sticky cinnamon fermented 24 hours with fresh mint tea)
- Chocolate Hazelnut Cruffins (flaky pastry baked like muffin, filled like doughnut-cruffins amazing, cross between croissant and muffin)
- Pistachio cruffins, croissants plain, pain au chocolat, mocha, cinnamon buns, scones
- Next-level vegan poached egg
- Soup of the day (curried vegetable with own crusty sourdough)
- Avocado-feta on toasted sourdough
- Egg-cress sandwich, hot dogs, coronation chickpea sandwich
- Organic handcrafted Seeded Spelt Sourdough Loaf (36 hours to make, tastes delicious)
Values & Atmosphere
This favorite vegan bakery (FIKA+ stands For Planet, Inclusive, Kind to Animals, Artisan, plus + for events/blogs) is ethical-labour-certified, actively promotes diversity-inclusion, sources fair-trade, supports fair-labour-practices suppliers, uses sustainable production certifications-everyone welcome, people tolerated, Dogs most welcome.
The friendly, welcoming, efficient staff create a need-a-cuddle feel experience where people chat and relax with lovely cuppa and bake, not the cheapest but worth the quality with lovely range of vegan baked goods.
Hours: Wednesday to Saturday 10am to 3.30pm, Sunday 9.30am to 3.30pm
Location: 2 City Walls Chester CH1 2JG
Garden Social Coffee House
The brainchild of Ewan (ex-teacher) and Holly (one-time occupational therapist) who poured their combined hearts and souls into transforming a corner shop that stood empty for several years, Garden Social Coffee House opened in March 2021 at 40 Catherine Street on the corner with Charlotte Street.
The Location
Tucked away in a dense network of residential streets lined with tightly packed terrace houses between the River Dee and canal, northwest of centre heading toward Blacon/Sealand, this occupies what was an old-fashioned corner shop-but there’s nothing old-fashioned about Garden Social, sporting a brand-new Eagle One espresso machine with twin Mythos One grinders plus ubiquitous EK43 for filter.
Coffee & Food
Serving Has Bean’s Jailbreak house blend and regularly changing single origin espresso, filter options via AeroPress, Kalita Wave, or Chemex-for-two, plus tea, hot chocolate, and various iced drinks. The bright, airy interior with well-spaced seating features two large multi-paned windows (centre panes fold open in warm weather).
The concise toast-based breakfast menu, handful of toasties and sandwiches, selection of cakes, plus outside seating area at back make this “really good coffee shop, beer & wine too” venue a new addition to Chester’s speciality coffee scene expanding beyond the historic compact city centre.
Now hosts events including Caffe Laffe comedy and Luna Keller & Adam Kirkup performances.
Hours: Wednesday to Thursday 8am to 5pm, Friday 8am to 10pm, Saturday 9am to 10pm, Sunday 10am to 5pm
Location: 40 Catherine Street Chester CH1 4JY
Panna Chester
Owners Ivana and Peter, a friendly, welcoming Slovak couple, relocated from Liverpool’s Silkhouse Court (where they operated since end 2015) to Chester, opening 15 August 2019 on Watergate Street-literally moving up in the world by swapping a basement for ground floor space on Chester’s famous Rows.
The Location
Located between The Barista’s and The Flower Cup on the south side of Watergate Street with Chalk Coffee a few doors away on the north side, Panna occupies a fairly deep, wide space with low ceilings, the floor three steps down from street level creating a basement-like feel, though windows front and back prevent gloominess, particularly on sunny days.
The Setup
After COVID-19 restrictions relaxed and Watergate Street pedestrianization, Panna moved into expanded outdoor seating with four well-spaced two-person tables in a clearly delineated area. Inside, the counter set back on right-hand side uses spare tables and benches to pad front, with full range of coffee (Has Bean two blends on espresso from Liverpool days, plus Neighbourhood Coffee, multiple guests on filter via variety of brew methods-Chemex, V60, Aeropress) and innovative all-day brunch menu backed by range of cakes and pastries.
The same warm, friendly atmosphere where visitors are greeted like long-lost friends continues, serving house blend as a lovely, well balanced shot with plenty of classic notes and pleasing touch of acidity in same white cups from Liverpool days (larger drinks in HuskeeCup, neat touch).
Location: Watergate Street Chester (ground floor Rows location)
Short + Stout
Opening in June 2018 on a narrow corner at the end of Ermine Road and South Avenue in Hoole’s relatively quiet residential area, owners Sarah and Will brought Melbourne-roots inspiration to this interestingly shaped building.
The Space
Though not a huge space, Short + Stout acts like a much larger coffee shop with full table service-a clear sign of Melbourne roots-serving Ancoats Coffee Co.’s ubiquitous Warehouse City blend (rich, creamy flat white in tulip cup, coffee combining with milk for sweet finish) and seasonal decaf.
The really bright interior with windows on two sides, aided by clean white-painted walls and ceiling, features an L-shaped set of tables plus a pair of benches under the window on South Avenue and (following three-month basement renovation less than a year after opening) additional downstairs dining area accommodating 16 covers.
The Menu
Full breakfast, brunch, and lunch menus feature:
- Build-your-own breakfast roll with vegan sausages-vegan haggis-smashed avocado
- Corn and cauliflower fritters stack interleaved with tomato chutney and pickled red onion topped with grilled halloumi and mashed avocado drizzled with mint-lime yoghurt sauce (delicious, unexpected)
- Love-it Sobrasada Benedict
- Avo toast with bacon
- Granola bowl (very filling, £15)
- Smashed peas and pancakes (amazing, faultless, perfect)
- Best porridge in Chester with lots of different toppings (reasonably priced)
- Deep-filled apple pie, goats cheese salad
- Homemade cakes and pancakes (everything wow, sell the lemon curd it’s amazing)
- Kombucha, soup, sandwiches, loose leaf teas with huge pots of tea representing great value
Greeted at door with bottle of water and glasses brought to table plus menus if eating, the gorgeous independent café with calm, pleasant, bright, modern atmosphere delivers value-for-money terrific with quantity and quality.
Location: Ermine Road & South Avenue corner, Hoole Chester
Ginger Monkey Number 31
A relatively new addition to Chester’s rapidly expanding speciality coffee scene beyond the compact historic city center, Ginger Monkey Number 31 relocated from its original home in Saltney to 31 Christleton Road in Boughton in December 2020-a 20-minute stroll from the city center, close to River Dee with most direct route via busy A51 or scenic alternative via Shropshire Union Canal.
The Space
This compact spot on the north side of the road catches sun most of the day, occupying ground floor near eastern end of row of buildings with classic old-fashioned shop front featuring picture windows flanking central recessed door.
Coffee & Atmosphere
The charming, family-owned coffee shop, roaster, and wholesale provider serves Crosby Coffee Roasters’ Trio blend on espresso with rotating guest roaster on batch brew. The delightful café captures the spirit of community and relaxation with inviting atmosphere perfect for brunches, lunches, and indulgent cakes, cozy seating arrangements with dedicated children’s corner making it ideal destination for families with little ones or furry companions.
What to Eat
Exquisite coffee (best mocha ever had, chai latte best ever tasted, skilled baristas dedicated to serving quality brews), fantastic cakes, superb selection of desserts, fabulous tea options, hot chocolate, refreshing latte with drink quality top-notch, plus affordable menu (1 to 10 GBP) featuring classic breakfast with bacon and sausage, toasted brioche bun, avocado toast with bacon and eggs in cozy environment with unique decor, Christmas sub (amazing, dipping gravy little over-salty), sausages, bagels, popara, brioches, sandwiches, salads, with good range of vegetarian options.
Family Friendly
The highly recommended, family-friendly café features big play area with toy kitchen and loads of toys catering to kids, kids menu, high chairs, dog-friendly policy, buffet, gift shop adding extra charm, reasonably priced nearby car park.
Hours: Monday to Sunday 9am to 4pm
Location: 31 Christleton Road Boughton Chester CH3 5UF
Little Yellow Pig
Pioneering Chester’s specialty coffee expansion beyond the city center since 2014, Little Yellow Pig began subletting a single-storey space from a vintage shop on the corner of Charles Street and Westminster Road in Hoole.
When the vintage shop closed in 2016, owners Richard and Lucy took the full lease, expanding from humble origins into the adjacent ground floor of the two-storey building to the left-transforming from a Little Yellow Piglet into a rather large yellow pig.
The Setup
The location features three front doors (two in use) with small outdoor seating area featuring a solitary table in good weather. Inside, sit in the original part with more traditional coffee-shop setting (complete with counter and some tables) or next door in the larger lounge-like area annexed two years ago.
Coffee & Food
Serving Lost Highway from Dark Arts Coffee on espresso with plans for pour-over in near future, the large coffee shop and brunch venue offers excellent breakfast and lunch menus featuring:
- Variations on Full English and Eggs Benedict
- Avocado on toast (best eggs-bacon-avocado-on-toast ever had, absolutely delicious)
- Extremely tasty well-cooked cheese-mushroom-spinach omelette with side salad
- Vegetarian breakfast (favourite)
- Bacon-avocado-hash-brown butty on ciabatta bread (wow)
- Lunch menu with sandwiches, panini, salads, soup, cheese on toast
- Great selection of cakes all cooked on site
Why Visit
Praised as best coffee in Hoole with fabulous food always, staff super polite and helpful always making you feel welcome. Breakfast excellent with great bacon and sausage washed down with really great coffee, greeted with smile and polite hello, asking “Dine in or takeaway sir?” “Coffee while you browse menu?”
The perfect spot you’ll definitely make one of your favourites after first visit, with THE Ainsley Harriott seen here a few times. Expanded March 2025 opening city center coffee shop on Godstall Lane (prettiest in Chester, brand fits perfectly, center of town but still bit out of way).
Hours: Breakfast and lunch until 2pm to 3pm, open until 4pm
Locations: 31 Westminster Road Hoole Chester CH2 3AX & Godstall Lane (city centre)
Kookaburra Bakehouse
The latest venture from the Bean & Cole team in partnership with Aussie baker Jess, Kookaburra Bakehouse launched in July 2021 at 2 Goss Street as a little community bakery in the heart of Chester city center.
The Space
The tiny place with small shop front featuring central double doors and tall picture windows principally caters to the takeaway trade, offering a couple of bars with limited inside seating where you sit and chat with whoever’s behind the counter, while upstairs is the retail bakery where Jess works her magic.
The Menu
Specializing in Aussie and Kiwi bakes, cruffins, and sourdough loaves, the simple menu features:
Coffee: Excellent espresso-based coffee from Ozone (banging flattie ready to roll, simply best almond croissant and flat white ever eaten)
Baked Goods:
- Cruffins (Rolo Cruffins delicious, Nutella cruffin 9/10 stunning cruffin, pastries to die for)
- Monkey bun and carrot cake croissant as absolute show-stoppers worth a trip to Chester just for this bakery
- Pistachio croissant, scrumptious cruffins
- Pain suisse, tasty almond croissants, nicely cooked biscuits
- Anzac Swirl delicious
- Seedy 100% rye loaf and sourdough loaf (really nice, perfect kind of bread with simple ingredients, lovely texture, superb taste-sourdough loaves fermented old-fashioned way with flour and water, no yeast or weird preservatives)
Savory Options:
- Good sandwiches freshly made from freshly baked bread made upstairs
- Sausage rolls (decadent with addition of black pudding)
Drinks:
- Homemade tea (lovely comforting blend paired perfectly with croissant)
- Whole load of Aussie and Kiwi drinks in fridge including Iced Milo
The Experience
The absolutely fantastic little coffee shop/sandwich bar with delightful staff (Jess herself absolute delight, passion for craft infectious, friendly and attentive making sure every customer leaves with smile) creates a cozy, welcoming atmosphere with rustic wooden counter and charming décor-a hidden gem with top-notch baked goods, warm community vibe, and incredible creations.
Conveniently located next to market with outstanding cheese selection making perfect breakfast stop in Chester. Best baked goods in Chester by a mile.
Hours: Thursday-Friday-Saturday 8am to nominal 2pm (or when all cakes sold), Wednesday-Saturday 8am-3pm, Sunday 8am-1pm, Monday-Tuesday closed
Address: 2 Goss Street Chester CH1 2BG
