Leamington Spa is well known for the many cafes and restaurants within its smart Georgian town centre, but for one of the coolest, head out to Procaffeinate in the Old Town. It’s a place of passion where coffees are works of art for the palate, meals are eclectically delicious and surroundings are relaxed, comfy and surprising. And, most of the menu is also available to take out.
At street level there’s a cosy coffee shop and a leafy balcony terrace. There’s even a whole new level to be discovered when customers walk through a big fridge and emerge the other side in a cellar bar, Leamington’s cheerful answer to Narnia. By day, it’s part of the coffee shop. By night, it’s used for private parties and special events.
There’s a decidedly different air about this venue. For the last five years, owners Alex and Matt Crowther, their marketing manager Ash Maugham along with general manager Aime Stuart and assistant manager Shannon Duncan have been on a mission to produce the best coffee and seasonal themed hot chocolate, not to mention delectable cake, hearty breakfasts and a continental-leaning lunch menu with tasty options for vegans and vegetarians.
They’re part of a movement that’s changing the face of Leamington Old Town, long somewhat run down compared to the upmarket New Town, but now definitely changing under initiatives to reuse vacant buildings, encourage creative enterprise and generally regenerate.
Procaffeinate spokesman Ash says: “The Old Town is an up-and-coming district, full of students, really cool, more diverse and a bit more chilled.
“Alex and Matt always wanted to have a coffee shop, and ‘Downtown’ didn’t have anything like that, so we stand out. The students and locals love it and we love them. Now we attract people from all over town.
“We get involved with whatever is happening locally – all the events, all the community efforts – we relish being part of the positive change that’s taking place.”
