Britain’s Best Coffee shop – on our doorstep!

19th November 2009

Waterloo Gardens Teahouse have won the title of best National coffee shop, in the 2009 Bev-E awards. Run by the Beverage Service Association they are the Oscars of the cafe industry. Three judges visited the teahouse unannounced, over a 6 month period. On their arrival they ordered an espresso, a cappuccino and a 3rd drink of their choosing. Marks were given for the quality of the drinks, customer service and the ambience. The teahouse achieved the highest ever score since the competition began 6 years ago during one of the visits, and over the three visits was adjudged to be not just regional winners, but national winners too.

Waterloo Gardens Teahouse was opened by Kasim and his wife Aisha, just one year ago. ‘We were so lucky to be surrounded by good people, people who were excellent in their own fields – from the builders, carpenters, furniture suppliers, baristas and also good friends’ says Aisha. ‘As we live locally, we wanted to open something that we could be proud of, the kind of place that we would like to spend time in too’

The teahouse, as well as being nationally recognised for its coffees, also has over 50 different types of tea that you can choose from. The quality and freshness of the teas is something to behold. The Assam, for example, was voted the best Assam in the world, at the 2009 World Tea Championships. Seven other teas on the list are also first place winners. Kasim, who attended the Championships in Las Vegas (with his 2 year old son, Zac) feels that it is important to ensure that the products being supplied at the teahouse are the best that are available. ‘Neither of us are good at sales, me being a pharmacist by trade and Aisha an urban designer, hence it’s important for us to have confidence in the things that we stock, so we can confidently recommend them to customers. Our teas are truly the best you can get in the world, the coffee hits your cups within a week of being roasted, the cakes are fresh and baked locally, the teaware is imported by us and unique’

As well as drinks, lunches ad afternoon teas there is also a successful gallery within the premises. The exhibitions change once monthly and the launches associated with each changeover are becoming the ‘not-to-be-missed’ event in Penylan. Artists who have exhibited to date are Tom Piper, Jerry Hoare, Mary Traynor, Richard Cox and Peter Finch.

Kasim and Aisha have got their work cut out more so at the moment, with the birth of their daughter, Zainah, in October. ‘Keep the espressos coming!’ jokes Kasim.

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