Raff's Coffee Shop - Oakham

**Positive Aspects:** 1. A lovely venue with a beautiful garden. 2. Family-friendly, complete with children's toys. It's truly impressive! 3. Never a dull moment here. 4. The menu offers a great selection of food and drinks. 5. Free Wi-Fi is available. 6. Nice views of the marketplace. 7. The dining decor is beautiful; it’s visually appealing. 8. Locally owned, which adds a sense of community and safety. **Areas for Improvement:** While the atmosphere inside is generally positive and welcoming, the initial greeting and communication felt a bit lacking in customer engagement. The restaurant is definitely family-oriented, especially for those with children, but during our visit, it appeared the staff was mostly focused on kitchen duties and familiar faces, whether they were family or colleagues. I noticed a lack of attention when we were leaving; the staff didn’t seem to acknowledge our departure. The coffee was good but not strong enough for my taste. The menu offered a variety of options at reasonable prices, making it a good value, and the drink and food menus are well organized. I had hoped for a more visually appealing presentation of the dishes, as well as a more artisanal approach to the ice cream. The whipped cream had an industrial taste and didn't seem freshly made. I prefer my cappuccino with real whipped cream instead of the quickly melting kind they used, which made it overly milky. The cappuccino cups were not pre-heated, which impacted the flavor, although the cream itself was good; they just forgot to provide a spoon. The overall ambiance was pleasant, but the service could be improved. There wasn't much interaction from the staff, and conversations seemed to focus on the kitchen rather than greeting customers or saying farewell, which is something I think they should work on. As a new establishment, they are doing well but could benefit from more experience. Given my background with Michelin-starred restaurants, I tend to be critical. I provide travel advice, excursions, and reviews through a travel publication. In a competitive market, they have potential but should push for improvement, especially given their lovely garden. The menu flyers seemed poorly printed, with inconsistent coloring. **Service**: The ATM module could be confusing as I wasn't sure how it worked, but they did offer some advice before leaving me to handle the coffee. It felt a bit rushed, especially since we were the only customers at that time. **Cleanliness**: 1. In our dining area by the garden window, I noticed some cobwebs in the corners. 2. The tables weren’t consistently cleaned; a staff member brought coffee to a table without clearing it first, returning much later to clean up. 3. I also noticed that some sugar containers were a bit dirty, which detracted from the overall quality. While the restaurant shows promise, there are several instances where improvement is needed to elevate the experience.

Incredible comfort, delicious food, and great service!

Delicious food and excellent service! Thank you!