2nd View Cafe - Cambridge

The cafe has been renovated since our last visit, and the menu has been simplified. It is always our go-to spot when we are in Cambridge, and we have always been impressed with the quality of the drinks and service. In fact, the coffee seems to have gotten even better. While sometimes the cafe can be crowded with students studying on their laptops, yesterday (Friday, 14th) was not one of those days.

First time I've been here since the revamp. Nice decor, but not impressed by metal trays and plates. Very tasty guiness and chocolate cake. Gluten free glitches though. Signs all over the place noting that they offer gluten free items and asking you to tell them of any allergies etc good. However their (massive) gluten free brownies were on display open next to the other cakes and therefore prone to cross contamination. Just behind them, and raised up slightly, were some brioche style buns nicely shielded inside a plastic cover!!?? This arrangement might be OK for gluten free faddists who could actually eat any of the items. Not OK at all for coeliacs, whose mouth would water at the appearance of the brownies but not be able to touch them for fear of crumbs getting onto them from the other cakes as they are served. I couldn't see if they had dedicated cake slices, but that's beside the point if they are open to contamination. Come on it only takes a little effort and thought to make many more customers happy. There were other gluten free options next to the till, but who would want a tiny little thing wrapped in its own plastic bag when you could have had a decent sized brownie and not stick out like a sore thumb? I would go again if by myself, but not with my coeliac son unless I see that this has changed.

I was disappointed that I couldn't find a seat on a Saturday because most of the tables were occupied by students studying. I ended up having to share a table, which made me hesitant to come back. The cakes looked delicious and the coffee was good. The cafe offers free WiFi. It was fairly quiet, aside from one noisy family, because of all the studying. It really depends on what kind of atmosphere you prefer at a cafe - I personally prefer a bit more liveliness. The prices were average for Cambridge.

The cafe was shut for a few weeks for them to renovate. They seem to have done a fair bit to the loos, although they are still small, but the rest hasn't changed a great deal. It seems to be more crowded these days. Not noticeably expensive. Average tea and coffee at pretty average prices. Nice outlook if you can get to the far windows. Good free Wifi. Pleasant staff. Preferablt to John Lewis.

I stumbled upon this restaurant when I started my PhD in 2013. I used to visit almost every weekend or every other weekend to work on my laptop, enjoy a delicious coffee, and indulge in one of their fantastic toasted bagels. I was disappointed when they stopped offering their deli bagels and replaced them with overpriced, pre-packaged sandwiches reminiscent of a gas station. However, despite this change, the atmosphere for working and relaxing remains fantastic. Just bring back the good bagels and paninis!