Cafes / Reviews
Five Grains – cafe review
If George Ferguson had had his way, the whole of Bristol from Broadmead to Temple Meads would look like this: broad, shady pavements filled with tables and chairs bordered by a host of coffee bars and gaggles of chattering customers, the epitome of European café culture.
At least Five Grains are on board with the blueprint, white metal tables sitting out front on the wide pavement at the corner of Baldwin Street and St Stephen’s Street. That’s little surprise when you learn that the new café is the sister to next door’s popular shisha outlet Nova and working the same authentically Lebanese atmosphere.
Here, instead of scented tobacco you can enjoy the heady taste of modern Beirut with flat breads, tea infusions and fresh juices.
Manoushé is the quintessential Lebanese street food, a pressed dough baked with a topping of wild thyme, sumac, sesame seeds, salt and oil.
As the slow-moving line of traffic beyond the window creeps past at a glacial pace, a Green One juice – spinach, apple, mint, cucumber, celery, lime and ginger – appears swiftly at one counter followed by a zataar manoushé, filled with cucumber, tomato and olives, at another. Both are delicious and delicately flavoured – if the bread is a fraction dry – and a refreshing alternative to standard café fare.
A sign propped against a wall indicates that Five Grains will soon be adding a sweet selection, with energy smoothies aimed at the breakfast crowd. Those will include honey, Nutella, halaweh (a fudge made with tahini), peanut butter and fruit fillings.
Surrounded by a cluster of international cafés where you can pick up world delicacies including pho, chilli and bubble tea, the office and student crowd will no doubt be delighted at this latest arrival.
Five Grains, 39 Baldwin Street, Bristol, BS1 1RB.
07795 803 299.
Read more: Hanoi Coffee Company – cafe review
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