Lunch at Crazy Appetite.
Always check the specials.
Spinach and ricotta ravioli with tomato ragu. Excellent.
Archive for November, 2025
Crazy Appetite spinach and ricotta ravioli
November 24, 2025Oatz & Stokes
November 22, 2025Grand opening today. Lunchtime but not busy, though apparently busy in the morning when they opened.
Saturday, freebies, what of next week?
Where once was Stokes to Go, before that a pasty shop, before that a tie shop, now Oatz & Stokes on High Bridge, an ancient Norman Bridge crossing the River Witham in the city centre.
After Lincoln Cathedral and Lincoln Castle, Stokes on High Bridge, a timber-framed building on High Bridge, a listed building, the third most important historic building in Lincoln.
Now trading as Oatz & Stokes, garish colours, not in keeping with the building, showing little empathy for the building.
Due credit to Stokes, they have always shown empathy and respect for the building. What has gone wrong? It looks like a junk food takeaway. More fitting for a tacky market stall.
Not so long ago, Dough Loco was forced to paint over graffiti on a listed wall. Clean yes, but to paint over not only made no sense, it was perverse. If the listed wall at Dough Loco was not ok, then garish colours on a listed timber-framed building at Stokes on High Bridge is far from OK.
What is depressing, apart from out of character with the building, is that it is a lost opportunity for Stokes to showcase their best coffee, to have guest coffee from other roasteries. Where once Stokes was an industry leader, an innovator, they are being left behind. Why not install a roaster as used by Vibe in Nottingham? Though ventilation may be a problem in a listed building.
Coffee is on sale. Best by meaningless, Requires roast date. And information about the beans, origin etc. Choice of beans or ground. Grind size is critical. Least worst option, take beans next door, tell them what you want the beans for, and ask that the beans be ground. Best option, grind beans fresh for each brew. Check out Timemore C3 and C5 series grinders in Black Friday sale. Or visit Cosmos in Hockley in Nottingham,where will find Timemore grinders on sale.
Oatz & Stokes coffee and cakes to go, small outside seating and cosy seating area upstairs. Tote bags and clothing on sale.
Coffee in Nottingham is in another league to Lincoln, with two coffee shops two of the best in the country.
Sadly what we are seeing is symptomatic of Lincoln, a food swamp, crap corporate chain eateries, disgusting junk food takeaways and binge drinking bars. On the corner where until recently Anne Summers sex shop, to reopen as a disgusting American junk food outlet.
Cambridge Street Collective
November 19, 2025Can it get worse? Sadly yes.
I Looked in Cambridge Street Collective Thursday las after a visit to Leah’s Yard.
Korean kitchen, kimchi pancake? No. A box of poor quality chips waiting for a customer. Symptomatic of how far Cambridge Street Collective has gone downhill.
Steam Yard
November 19, 2025Sheffield, Thursday of last week, I managed to make Steam Yard before it closed at four.
It has been a while since I last visited Steam Yard. I think the last time may have been late May Day Bank Holiday last year when I visited the Sheffield Junk Food Festival (best avoided) and I asked were there any new coffee shops worth paying a visit. They recommended try Locale in Cambridge Street Collective say hi from Steam Yard.
Cambridge Street Collective, I had passed by earlier en route to Steam Yard. I had no idea what it was, it had opened on the Bank Holiday weekend. I thought it was maybe an art collective. Impressive, around twenty different kitchens, multi level, in one building. It was impressive, at least it was then, sadly it has gone rapidly downhill since
I needed coffee from Caravan, The Daily makes an excellent affogato. Steam Yard closes at four, usually I am too late.
I made it for four, surprisingly busy. I was told now it was winter, they were busy. I was surprised. I thought would be busy in the summer when can sit outside in the courtyard.
I used to pick up Now Then, an excellent local magazine, but I don’t think it has been published since lockdown.
I usually pick up Bullion chocolate, but was heading to Bullion in Leah’s Yard on leaving Steam Yard.
I settled down with a cappuccino.
If I had returned via the Town Hall I would have passed through the Christmas market. It looked dead. I headed to Leah’s Yard and Bullion.
Mow’s Coffee
November 17, 2025Excellent espresso at Mow’s, adjacent to Tamper Sellers Wheel in Arundel Street.
A wide choice of guest coffee. Several roasteries I’m not familiar with. Stunning ceramic pour over from Copenhagen I’ve never seen before. The design looks Japanese. Together with matching carafe expensive, over £100.
Also eclectic selection of books and journals on display.
And chocolate from Land.
La Biblioteka
November 17, 2025Occasionally I stumble across a bookshop worth visiting.
Ideas on Paper was one such bookshop. It was located in Cobden Chambers in Hockley in Nottingham. I learnt of its existence from an excellent coffee shop in the street opposite (sadly no more . I inquired from where they had obtained Standart or maybe it was Drift. I had seen Ideas on Paper, but from the name, thought they stocked writing material or a print studio. A quirky bookshops up a narrow flight of stairs. Drift, Standart, and other excellent magazines and journals, plus of course books.
Brighton Magazine, located down a side street in North Laine in Brighton, another excellent bookshop. At first I thought it was an outlet for Brighton Magazine. It was very much like Ideas on Paper. No surprise, as one influenced the other, though I cannot remember which way around. I was recommended try Coffee at 33, an excellent recommendation. Sadly, Brighton Magazine is no more, another casualty of lockdown.
Another excellent bookshop, located in the backstreets of Winchester, behind Winchester Cathedral. The books on display in the window, would entice into the bookshop. I got to know the owner and would often recommend books. A very old bookshop. Used by Jane Austen when she visited Winchester.
Leah’s Yard opened in Sheffield August last year. Restored Victorian buildings, once housed Little Mesters, skilled craftsmen. now quality independent businesses. A deli, craft beer shop, art gallery, chocolate shop, a book shop.
I think I first visited Leah’s Yard, January of this year. I was visiting Cambridge Street Collective ad was shocked to find how far it had hone down hill from when I had last visited May Bank Holiday last year when it had opened (sadly it has gone a long way downhill since). I asked where was Leah’s Yards? It was pointed out to me across the street opposite
I was impressed. I was looking for Bullion Chocolate. One of the best bean-to-bar chocolate makers in the country. I’d visited a few years ago, Bullion Chocolate at the Cutlery Works at Kelham Island. Now had opened a chocolate shop, Chocolate Bar cf coffee bar. It was busy , I was told it was busy from the day they opened, busy from morning until they close at nine in the evening.
And that was how I stumbled across La Biblioteka. Very similar to Ideas on Paper and Brighton Books, an eclectic mix of books and magazines. La Biblioteka, an independent bookshop, founded and run by Alex, an enthusiastic and friendly owner.
I visited the weeks before the Sheffield Coffee Festival, to be told I was a week early. I was recommended two excellent coffee shops. 23 23 adjacent to Marmadukes and Mow’s adjacent to Tamper Sellers Wheel.
My most recent visit was Thursday of last week. I thanked Alex for his recommendation of coffee shops on my last visit.
What is it with bookshops and coffeeshops? Vist Mow’s, not only excellent coffee, and a wide choice of guest coffee to buy, also an eclectic collection of magazines and books to to browse, including Standart and Before the Coffee Gets Cold.
I came away from La Biblioteka with a copy of Solo, a coffee magazine.
I looked in the deli and picked up a loaf of sourdough bread.
PHOTOS What is it with bookshops and coffeeshops? Vist Mow’s, not only excellent coffee, and a wide choice of guest coffee to buy, also an eclectic collection of magazines and books to to browse, including Standart and Before the Coffee Gets Cold.
I came away from La Biblioteka with a copy of Solo, a coffee magazine.
I looked in the deli and picked up a loaf of sourdough bread.
PHOTOS What is it with bookshops and coffeeshops? Vist Mow’s, not only excellent coffee, and a wide choice of guest coffee to buy, also an eclectic collection of magazines and books to to browse, including Standart and Before the Coffee Gets Cold.
I came away from La Biblioteka with a copy of Solo, a coffee magazine.
South Street Kitchen lunch coffee and croissant
November 14, 2025Out the back of Sheffield Railway Station across the tram lines, I headed up to South Street Kitchen, changed my mind, then carried on.
It’s some time since I’ve visited South Street Kitchen. I’ve eaten at Marmadukes, Cambridge Street Collective and pop up street food where I used to have excellent Taiwanese food.
I decided to stay and have lunch, a mixed salad, not on the menu. Excellent.
But, three women, shouting, ruined my lunch with their bad behaviour.
A cappuccino was not good. Served with chocolate. I took it back. Told I should have said. No. They should have asked. And no, cappuccino is not served with chocolate. Begrudgingly, I was served a second cappuccino. It was not good.
Darkwoods has been ditched. To be replaced with Cuppers Choice. They also have guest coffee.
An almond croissant, did not look good, but taste wise was good.
At the weekend, in the evening, Palestinian menu. South Street Kitchen will donate £5 to Medical Aid for Palestinians.
I then headed back into Sheffield to Mow’s, Arundel Street adjacent to Tamper Sellers Wheel. An excellent coffee shop.
Sheffield mild mid-November 2025
November 13, 2025Seasonal weather, warmer than average, maybe the new norm.
Northern Trains not too crowded. Topped up power banks, though did not need to use later.
Walked up to South Street Kitchen. Lunch excellent. Coffee was not good.
Excellent espresso at Mow’s. Wide choice of guest coffee. Several roasteries I’m not familiar with. Stunning ceramic pour over from Copenhagen I’ve never seen before. The design looks Japanese. Together with matching carafe expensive, over £100. Also good selection of books and journals on display.
Made Steam Yard before it closed at four.
Retraced my steps to Leah’s Yard. Overwhelmed by kerosene fumes. Picked up Solo, a coffee journal, from the bookshop. Sourdough loaf from the deli. Chocolate from Bullion Chocolate Bar. Busy. People on laptops. Maybe only place to go when coffee shops are closed.
Looked in Cambridge Street Collective. Korean kitchen, kimchi pancake? No. A box of poor quality chips waiting for a customer. Symptomatic of how far Cambridge Street Collective has gone downhill.
Train from Sheffield crowded. Not too crowded. Empty after Workshop.
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