As a nocturnal finalist, I find it almost illegal that most cafes in Oxford shut at 5 or 6pm, forcing everyone to huddle in college libraries for a bit of late night revision. It therefore was miraculous when I was told one night last term that there finally is a cafe that is open late – and I mean properly late – the glorious time of 11pm Mondays through Sundays. The Coffee Guild is located in Jericho directly across from the Sainsbury Local, with a nice, quiet storefront that you can almost miss when you walk by. One night, I decided to go with ex-editors of the OxStu and Cherwell to study in silence together and try the place out.
We walked into a cozy area with a range of comfortable seats and a downstairs seating area filled with tables. Though we came after 9pm, when the kitchen closes, we were able to order from their range of drinks. There’s your normal variety of espresso drinks, juices, teas, and an additional option of avocado toast, rosti, sausage rolls, and sandwiches, plus pastries (for those who don’t fancy a late night coffee.) One of us got the manager’s special: a (decaf) flat white sweetened with Canadian maple syrup that was invented during the manager’s last barista job. Apparently it had to be Canadian maple syrup: no other syrup tasted as good. The ex-Cherwell EIC ordered her normal hot chocolate, a smart choice given the time. I debated getting a chai latte, but was drawn to the matcha, which had the option to order with and without milk. When I ordered a matcha without the latte, I was told that I was the first person to do so since they opened in February (how illegal!) We then went to explore while the drinks were made. The ambiance makes a cafe, after all. The basement was warm, with shelves filled with board games. Most of the people there were studying, with only one group playing Go in the basement. I grabbed a whimsical board game and returned to our place on the bar seats facing outside next to the plugs.
My matcha was a good shade of green, not too bitter, though by the time I had finished my drink, some of the powder had settled to the bottom. The manager’s special was delicious, a good mix of sweet and bitter from the slightly fruity espresso used. The hot chocolate, though not the most special, was not too sweet and perfectly warm. We agreed that the drinks were good, with the only qualm being that they were a bit small for the price (though normal for Oxford.) We joined the wifi and had a good study session after playing a round of our board game.
When we were done, we had a chat with the three people who were cleaning up for closing. Chatting to the owners of the Coffee Guild, we learned the main reason for the late closing time was because nowhere else was open late. Though they all drink, they wanted the opportunity to have a place other than a busy pub or restaurant to socialize in the evenings. Since their opening in February, they’ve begun to host community events such as book clubs and a biweekly mic night. Friend groups often come to study and socialize. I can understand why: the place is great. It’s quiet, you can take a game break, and the indie rock playing over the speakers sets the mood well. It is clear that The Coffee Guild cares about being more than just a cafe, but a third space.
4/5
Ordered to have in: Matcha (£4.70), manager special (£4.30), hot chocolate (£3.90)
