Lowry's Espresso Chocolatier

The portion sizes were questionable, 4 baby plum tomatoes on my plate but full portion on my boyfriends and a tablespoon of beans on his but full portion on mine. My Water glass was dirty, the bottle of coke was warm, the cappuccino wasn’t hot. It took over half a hour for our food to arrive and it wasn’t even that busy. The place was filthy. The kitchen was an absolute disaster. The seating areas were a mess. I pointed out a particular eye sore to the owner/manager when we walked in, he commented that it was his son but when we left 45 minutes later it was still there not cleaned up. The sofa in the corner upstairs looked absolutely disgusting. The seating was a mosh mash of all types and didn’t work well together at all. I used to come here years ago but it has since been taken over like other places in the area and unfortunately the current owners have not been able to keep up the same level of service and quality the original owners did. Won’t be visiting again.

Yesterday, I had a delightful lockdown birthday afternoon tea delivered by Ali. The food was fresh and delicious. I had the option to choose from four sandwich fillings, but there were plenty of choices on the menu that was sent to me via Facebook Messenger. The tea included plain fruit or cheese scones, jam, cream, butter, and a generous slice of cake - I went with the Victoria sponge, but there were many other options available. I also requested a birthday cupcake, which was included in the delivery. Ali practiced social distancing and wore a mask when delivering the tea to my house. The cost was £10 per person, plus an additional £4 for the card. This cafe is a favorite of mine for their takeaway coffee, hot chocolate, cakes, and sandwiches. The staff is warm and friendly, and the atmosphere is great.

My parents like to visit Lowry's and I knew they would miss it during lockdown. I contacted Alison to ask her if she could surprise them with a delivery of coffee and cake to their doorstep. I knew it was a bit of an ask, but she was absolutely lovely and went the extra mile for me. I don't know the Espresso Bar personally, but can't fault the kindness and generosity that I met, and that she showed to my parents. The prices are very reasonable too. Exactly the kind of local business that adds so much to the community and that we need to support during this time!

Decided to pop down for a bit of brunch- really good quality food and staff were really friendly, highly recommend!

I highly recommend Lowry's for brunch, lunch, or a mid-afternoon snack. I always enjoy their hot chocolate and cakes, but their savory dishes are also always delicious.