Paper and Cup - Cafe review

If you happen to be poking around Shoreditch and fancy a quiet hideaway then Paper and Cup is the perfect answer. I came across it after visiting Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium on the weekend. Already full of tea and scones from Lady Dinah's, I still couldn’t resist the call of coffee.

It’s a cute little place just off Shoreditch High Street. Its fronted by large windows, bright blue and white signage and a couple of tables and chairs out front (best for the warmer months I think!). Inside is a small but cosy space filled with the smell of Union coffee. There is a  large coffee bar with all sorts of tempting treats, a bookshelf lining the wall on the left with a couple of tables in front of it, bar seating at the windows, and, tucked away towards the back is a small room suited for a larger group. Naturally I made straight for the coffee then perched on a bar stool at the large windows for a bit of a read.

Being off the high street, the cafe is quiet and overlooks church grounds which is a nice change from the usual bricks and mortar. The vibe is chilled, the staff don’t rush you and there are water bottles and glasses on the tables which I think is a really nice touch. Even better, if you forget to bring a book, you can buy one for a pound from their bookshelf! Why other coffee shops don’t do that, I'll never know!

Actually, the best bit, as I found out later, is that Paper and Cup is a not-for-profit café created by the Spitalfields Crypt Trust, which means all proceeds go to a good cause. The café helps...

"Provide a supportive training ground for those in the later stages of recovery and rehabilitation… trainees learn how to become baristas, serve customers, work in a team and manage a small cafe." 

So you can have your coffee and a treat and feel good that your money is going to help people get back on their feet. Brilliant!

The only drawback as far as I could see is that if there are more than two of you, you might not easily find a spot to sit. But that wasn’t really an issue for me.

So, if you do find yourself in the area, definitely stop by and check it out.

Have you stumbled across a cool not-for-profit store?