Brits love a proper café, from the ambience to the buzz of cheerful conversation and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. However, if there's anything WalesOnline Audience Editor Tyler Mears loves more than a café, is a bargain.
She enjoys going to an independent café but has discovered there's one rather surprising establishment that's absolutely excelling lately... Tesco. Typically, supermarket cafés simply don't measure up for Tyler. Far too often the grub tastes like budget microwave meals, the coffee falls short, and they lack that welcoming, intimate feel.
Last year, the retail giant introduced a fresh aesthetic to numerous cafés. It invested millions in the makeover, and it's evident.
Banished are the questionable plastic seating, institutional-style tables and unforgiving fluorescent lights. Tesco's revamped cafés boast comfortable leather armchairs, greenery, warm lighting and chic décor.
It feels more akin to being in an upmarket coffee house rather than a supermarket. Tyler reveals exactly why she is now a fan of the supermarket cafe...
Having recently welcomed a baby, I've frequented cafés extensively over recent months. Primarily, because new motherhood can feel isolating. Therefore, settling into a pleasant bustling café and enjoying warm exchanges with fellow patrons has provided solace. Additionally, it's an affordable and tolerable method of amusing the little one that doesn't require enduring soft play areas!
However, being on maternity leave also means I've been absolutely broke. Therefore, I'd say I've become somewhat of an expert at finding deals. And let me tell you - there are some genuine steals to be discovered in the Tesco cafe.
During a recent visit to our local branch in west Wales, myself, my partner and our one year old daughter settled down for some breakfast.
For our little one, there was abundant choice - pancakes, yoghurt, fruit and toast. We opted for the complete children's breakfast, which was priced at merely £3.50. That's cheaper than a pack of nappies!
There were also numerous lunch alternatives, and if it had been later in the day she could have enjoyed pasta, fish fingers and pizza with two accompaniments and a beverage for just four pounds.
During particular periods of the year, the children's meals will also cost you absolutely nothing with the 'Kids Eat Free' promotion (which applies when you purchase an adult dish).
Then came my opportunity. There were the standard selections - a complete breakfast for £6.25, eggs on toast for £3.95 and a sausage roll for the identical price.
However, Tesco has also elevated its breakfast offerings. It now provides (what I would describe as) 'upmarket breakfast choices'.
You can obtain Turkish-style eggs, bacon and chilli brioche, granola bowls and toasted banana bread.
I selected the sourdough toast with avocado, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, eggs, and drizzled with balsamic vinegar - accompanied by a standard cappuccino.
My partner chose the Turkish Eggs, which arrives with lemon yoghurt, fried eggs, spices, crispy onions and toasted sourdough. In total, our entire breakfast - for three people, with two coffees and two bottles of water - came to just over £25.
Admittedly, our meal did take a fair while to be served, but we simply relished spending that time together as a family. I'm also a self-confessed 'people-watcher' and adore nothing more than sitting and observing the world go by - and Tesco is a 'people watchers' paradise!
There aren't many cafés with a vista like the one at my local store. Directly in front of the armchairs there is a big long, glass balustrade overlooking the entire store.
You can literally sit in a comfortable chair with a coffee and simply watch the world buzz by beneath you... Perhaps the lengthy wait for food isn't such a terrible thing after all.
When it turned up, the food was excellent. I wouldn't go as far as describing it as 'amazing' but it was good.
Realistically, you can't expect Michelin Star food for that price... But, as supermarket food goes, it was genuinely good.
The poached eggs were runny, the avocado tasted fresh and the balsamic vinegar provided a pleasant twist. My daughter's breakfast was also a reasonable size for just over £3 - and she devoured it.
The Turkish Eggs were rather unusual. Whoever thought of combining eggs with yogurt!? But it strangely worked. The coffee was flavourful and strong, but more importantly it was hot!
It was served in a nice, blue ceramic mug. I don't know why, but coffee always tastes superior in a proper mug, rather than a white, bog-standard cup with brown stains on the rim.
We polished off our meal and concluded our trip with a brief browse through the bargains section to see what other deals we could discover. All in all, it proved a delightful way to pass a few hours - and (not) spend too much money!
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