REVIEW: Jocalatte Coffee & Chocolate Shop

As reviewed in my column *Miss Sue Flay Recommends* in the Cambridgeshire Journal Magazine - September 2011. 


HOW have I passed so many times before, yet never tried out this lovely coffee shop before?

Jocalatte is a lovely independent coffee and chocolate shop on Burleigh Street in Cambridge, and they source all of their truffles and chocolate selections from suppliers around the UK including Scotland, as well as the home of truffles itself - Belgium - Just LOOKING at them will make you drool for the hard stuff!

The front window is so enticing with beautiful vintage teacups and treats in the window and lots of gifts and cards to browse inside the front of the shop, it's a lovely little place to spend half an hour or so to get away from the Grafton Centre crowds.

I took a visit with my lovely friend, Lingers, today to sample the tea and cake -naturally.
(The chocolate will have to wait for another treat, another day! And they certainly know their chocolate, with a whole page on their website dedicated to the history of the dark stuff... impressive to say the least).

The staff are so friendly from the outset, I couldn't fault them at all. They offered me freshly made sandwiches if nothing took my fancy in the cabinet, although I was taken by the stuffed brown Tuna and Cucumber box that caught my eye, and it was just delicious. The bread was seeded and the filling was...well.. very filling indeed... GREAT value for money and very refreshing on a warm and sticky day.

We also ordered a pot of tea for two which was just huge and came with the largest teacups and saucers I have ever seen, which was great! No fiddly portion sizes here, this is a REAL girls lunch location. I Love it.

We took a pew in the garden to catch some vitamin D before the sun disappears, which is huge at the very back of the building and very tastefully furnished. They also have a very cute rack of potted herbs to purchase and take home at around £3.50, it is very tempting to pick them all up and take them home in their cute little red gingham-wrapped pots to go on the kitchen window ledge : )

And, knowing me by now, we sampled a piece of their tempting double layer carrot cake which was so moist and there was a slightly runny element through the sponge, taking a guess, I think it was drizzled with honey. Whatever it was laced with, it was addictive and I suggest you get down there and give them a try. Their cake selection is huge, and as an indecisive cake orderer I can tell you, it is somewhere I will need to go back to and try another slice another day hehe.

They also serve hot chocolate, and on a cold day, I can imagine this lovely shop to be the perfect bolt hole to get out of the rain and warm up before heading back out to join the tourists on the street. It's not a touristy coffee shop, and that is a real plus for me when I want to chill out, so local tea and cake lovers MUST take a visit.

I had also asked the lovely ladies behind the counter if they minded me blogging about them and putting my photos up and they were so kind about it, and we even swapped cards which is a bonus for me, a smile goes a long way in my mind.
There is nothing worse than a fantastic find, yet miserable staff.

A real winner for me - I'll be back!

Miss Sue Flay

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