2nd View Cafe - Cambridge

On a Saturday lunch time every place in Cambridge has queues out the door Costa coffee! This unassuming cafe on the 2nd floor of waterstones books was able to serve us hot quiche, a toasted sandwich and pots of tea with no wait at all. The service is polite and efficient and while the food is really only average, it gets the extra star for being inside a wonderful bookstore.

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.

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.

Until recently, I just used to nip up to use their toilets, but have started having the odd tea or coffee. Reasonable value, comfortable, not usually very crowded, free wi-fi. Why would anyone use a chain coffee bar. Of course, I mourn the passing of all the really decent independent bookshops of Cambridge, but that's just another of the pains of getting older.

The 2nd View is Waterstone's café and it is really a joy to be able to sit here with your book and a well-made cup of java. The ideal place for a spot of escapism. And with free wifi, ample seating and good access to plug sockets, you can't go wrong. Love it.