Earlier this week, a new café opened in the city centre by the team behind a popular brewpub in Bristol. Commune, located at 1 Castle Park (on the corner of Castle Street and Tower Hill), is on the ground floor of an office block building and is the latest venue to be opened by Bristolian brand Left Handed Giant.
The café serves a range of sandwiches, salads and specialty coffees. Open from 8am to 4pm everyday, Commune benefits from having access to a courtyard garden which is perfect when the weather isn’t forecasting torrential rain.
What interested me personally about Commune was the location. Being between the Old Market roundabout and Castle Park, it is far enough away from the busy Broadmead, yet close enough to still be part of the city centre and a 30 second walk away from the iconic park.
I visited Commune just after it had opened at 8am earlier this week and it being so near to the Cabot Circus and Old Market bus stops, it already has earned brownie points for being convenient to walk to when taking public transport. It could have been quite difficult to find Commune as it blends in with the Blok office building, but signage outside the café made it clear where the entrance is (it was right on the very corner of the café facing Castle Park).
Commune is a bright and peaceful place to be in, the sense of tranquillity you get from walking in is a stark contrast to the traffic just outside. There were plenty of plants which added a zen-like feel to the coffee shop.
When I went, I decided to have a sandwich and a drink, as I had heard that the sandwiches were freshly made. Since it had just past the opening time, I bought a sausage, bacon and egg sandwich which was £4.65.
The drink selection was more interesting as Commune provides soft drinks made by a company called fritz-kola , a German brand popular across Europe. It is famous for a relatively high caffeine content when compared to other soft drinks, so I had the sugar-free cola which was £4. It is also worth noting that the café is card-only.
The prices I do admit may have been a bit high, especially the cola drink, but was the food and drink worth the cost? I’m not sure, for me the drink was tasty and more zesty than the average diet coke drink, but the sandwich whilst fresh and delicious, was not going to change the world and for a bigger cost than a meal deal in Broadmead, I feel it could be a little cheaper.
But I think the food is second to the vibe and the atmosphere of Commune, so I would rather talk about the café itself. The staff are very welcoming and friendly, they put the customer first.
The aforementioned plants and tranquil atmosphere which Commune is able to hold is a testament to what the coffee shop is all about. It’s somewhere to escape where you are able to socialise and feel relaxed and calm. I personally think the courtyard itself is a lovely place to be, being surrounded by nature when enjoying a cuppa.
That’s the point of Commune really, there’s plenty of places in Broadmead and in Old Market where you can get a bite to eat or something for on the go, and that’s ok. Commune plugs that gap where it’s somewhere to be, to unwind for a few moments and to be away from the crowds of people, so I think it is definitely somewhere to try out.
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