Espresso East

Espresso East don’t miss out. Great coffee, good food and the staff are just outstanding. A hidden gem in East Belfast.

Don’t you just hate goodbyes? They’re horrible, horrible things, made every so slightly more bearable with the aid of ‘coffee’ (aka hot chocolate) and a bit of chat.
Espresso East (I’ve been desperate to check out this place for agggges) was the meeting place for myself and a friend who is hopping off to Belgium for a year (sniff), and a lovely place it was too. It’s a pretty special one too, as I was thrilled to see that they employ those with some form of learning disability. Excellent. They were lovely, lovely staff too. We were happily presented with two menus and given a pen and pad by one lady, who asked us to record our order for her. A snazzy hot chocolate and a tea it was, and minutes later our drinks arrived in an equally delightful manner.
My hot chocolate was smashing (two good ones in as many days… I don’t know what’s happening), and my friend loved her tea. We soaked up the pleasant atmosphere and enjoyed a brilliant natter in what has to be my new favourite café.
Five stars all round… Espresso East and their wonderful staff deserve it.

Placed as it is on a prominent corner site, Espresso East was one of the first cafes that I noticed when I first visited this area a good many years ago.
It’s a clean, pleasant, bright and airy spot to have coffee and a snack or lunch where the clientele appears to include the ladies who visit the smart clothes shops on Bloomfield Avenue.
As a notice on the door informed me, the café is run as a social enterprise that offers job opportunities to people with learning difficulties.
I came in ravenous for a late breakfast and ordered a mini fry — so called — for it was enough for me anyway. The bigger Titanic fry on offer must be for giants. It was all good, hot, tasty and quickly served.
There are also simple lunches on the menu of things like chicken goujons and steak and mushroom, which, if the standard of the breakfast is consistent, should be as good as the breakfast I had.