Well, there’s nothing more hipster than serving coffee in a skull shaped glass on a wooden branded board….
And do you know what?
There was nothing that enticed me more on a chilly, but sunny day wandering around Norwich City!
After spotting these guys on Instagram a few weeks back, the temptation of a skull shaped coffee was all too much and I marched right over the moment I felt the need for a hot trendy coffee.
I must admit, on arrival, this little coffee place felt a lot more spacious than expected and the staff were so friendly and knowledgable from the start that I felt at ease from the second I ordered and took a comfy window seat.
Admittedly, I told the girl serving me that I had spotted a skull-shaped coffee cup on their Insta-feed and I knew that I wanted one, regardless of what was actually in it – she thought it was funny and told me exactly what it would have been and helped me sculpt my own mini coffee potion on this chilly February morning – she was brilliant and helped me to decide.
I went for a speciality “Black Toade” coffee (£2.80) which was equal parts espresso and hot milk with added chocolatey goodness, opting out of copious amounts of whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles, I wasn’t really in the mood for this fluff – I just wanted the caffeine hit today. It was a cool looking coffee, but it’s very much a shot, not a full cup, so go for a cup of something if you want a longer drink would be my advice.
There’s plenty on offer at Alchemista, including iced coffees and rich hot chocolates as well as delicious filled sandwiches, fresh buttery pastries and moist-looking cake slices…. The chocolate fudge cake looked far too enticing for somebody on a bit of a diet… Next time I need a treat, I know where I’m headed!
There’s even a cocktail menu, so you can combine your favourite coffee drink with some booze with more to choose from than just a standard espresso martini – there are five or six variations of a coffee cocktail to kick start a night out on the town should you fancy.
The beauty of this place (apart from the obvious “skull eye candy” which kept catching people’s eyes passing by!) is the location of the coffee shop.
Alchemista is based in the medieval part of the “Norwich Lanes” and the period building nestled within Gregory’s Alley is restored to offer its’ patrons a steam punk feel to the place. There’s even a ‘steam punk’ machine to greet you on walking through the front door, it’s a trendy little place with a lot of intriguing details to nosey at as you sip your coffee, I really enjoyed it here.
This is a great place to meet with a friend or two, or pop in alone for some ‘me time’, but I would say not great for larger groups due to the small nature of the coffee shop – you may have to wait for a table if you arrive in mass.
The playlist is always important to me when trying to chill out in a coffee shop and their taste in music didn’t disappoint. There was a relaxed indie mood to their playlist with some MGMT to help me power-blog, perfect.
Alchemista is just across the green from the iconic Grosvenor Fish Bar and The Birdcage pub (both of which I have a soft spot for in this fine city) so it’s a fantastic location if you can grab a window seat to watch the fast-paced world go by.
You could tie in a visit to St Gregory’s Antiques & Collectables literally next door – an old church filled with fantastic treasures, I adore this part of town.
If you find yourself in Norwich looking for something a little on the “quirky” side, you’ll find a quality coffee stop here at Alchemista Coffee Co.
Civil disobedience is authorised in this area.
PS – If you are headed to Norfolk, why not check out my Ultimate Guide to Norwich here!
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Please note – I Paid for my own visit here and I am in no means obliged to blog or write about this venue or their offerings, but I simply choose to share with my readers, should I wish to do so.
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Thank you so very much