Best Coffee Shops and Cafes in Darwen

"This cosy café on Edge Street in the Northern Quarter is known for its snug interior, quirky detailing and incredible-looking cakes. If you’re looking for sweet treats to photograph, you’ll find it hard to select just one cake from their selection, so it’s a good idea to bring a couple of friends with you. And don’t get too stuck into photographing the food that you forget to capture all of the eclectic details, such as their neon pink signs."

"From the towering cakes to the boozy milkshakes, Home Sweet Home is a must for anyone with a sweet tooth. The American-inspired brunch restaurant will wipe away any morning blues with its titan breakfasts; opt for pancake stacks with a breakfast cocktail thrown in for good measure."

"With three shops across Manchester, this Icelandic-inspired independent coffee shop is definitely popular with the locals (including me!). The artisan coffee shop is another perfect spot to sit down with your laptop and get some work done while sipping away on some of the tastiest coffees in Manchester: TAKK knows their coffees. Their house roast is a single-origin coffee from Finca Miravalle in El Salvador and they feature some of the best guest-roasts from all across Europe."

"Restaurants Coffeeshops. Takk is a love letter to scandi coffee houses, and it’s been serving up hygge vibes to savvy Mancunians for years. They now have three outlets across the city, but we still love their Northern Quarter branch the most."

"Takk is a simple room in the Northern Quarter that’s been pushing the Manchester coffee scene forward for years. Stripped backbenches and a room full of co-workers sipping drinks from their big wholesome mugs. Great simple breakfast options too."

"What: Just up the road from Sugar Junction, this trendy cafe is known for its great coffee and fair pricing. It serves up a mean grilled cheese sarnie on sourdough alongside other lunch plates such as soup and sandwiches, and a selection of all-day breakfast offerings. The vibe is industrial chic, but chatty staff make it feel as cosy as can be."

"Unlike their name would suggest, it is their coffee they are best known for (although they do have some seriously good loose leaf teas). Small brunch and breakfast style items, great gluten free cakes and a perfect place to work or read for a couple of hours make this a Manchester coffee shop that ticks pretty much every single box."

"Another Northern Quarter brunch and coffee destination, Ezra & Gill is a smart neighbourhood hangout with a simple yet excellent food menu. Its brunch is served all day and you can pick from posh beans on toast topped with parmesan, a classic sausage sandwich, or sweeter things like organic oats porridge or brioche French toast. No matter what your taste, Ezra & Gil has something for everyone."

"Ok, so this coffee shop isn’t technically in Ancoats, but it’s less than a 5 minute walk away, in the Northern Quarter so I couldn’t not include this. This hipster spot is perfect for all day brunch, coffee and somewhere to sit and work. I’ve currently been here for 4 hours and counting; demolished this avocado and chilli poke bowl, iced mocha with oat milk and even made a couple of friends!"

"Ezra & Gil may have made a name doing breakfast, brunch and coffee, but since it decided to turn its hand to refreshing poke bowls as well as seasonal salads and pasta, it has truly levelled up. Stylised as 'Ezra by night', head chef, Dan, wanted to add more to evening offerings and, boy, did he. View this post on Instagram"

"If you're more of a beer drinker, BrewChimp on Church Road is the place for you. Alongside venues in Stretford and Flixton, BrewChimp's Urmston haunt is the official home of the local craft beer and wine bar. Promising to ‘do things differently’, the cosy bar is full of quirks (including an old-fashioned shop bell) that’ll make you want to stay for more than just the one drink."

"Located on a traditional cobbled street in the heart of Blackpool, this light and airy cafe has a pretty parisian-style facade and a good all-round contemporary menu to boot. Customers say the breakfast is always cooked to perfection, and the coffee is also highly rated. There's also options for vegetarians, vegans and gluten free diets."

"I swear that the good people of Manchester were waiting for me to leave… I’d been visiting for the inaugural Cup North back in 2014 and no sooner had I left, than it seemed a slew of new coffee shops opened, led by Federal Café & Bar, which, by the way, does what it says on the tin. By day, it’s a café, while by night, it morphs into a bar, although, as I discovered, the staff will happily serve you coffee long into the night (and, I suspect, alcohol during the day). The coffee side of the equation is handled by Kiwi transplants, Ozone, supplying the Hodson blend and decaf on espresso, with a couple of single-origins on pour-over, impressive when you consider the (lack of) available space."

"Situated just along from the Arndale, this Northern Quarter cafe is perfect for a healthy shopping break. It features all of our favourite kinds of healthy food, such as banana bread (well, it does contain fruit), smashed avocado and French toast. It’s also ranked 11/1,752 restaurants in Manchester on TripAdvisor, so we really think we’re onto a winner with this one!"

"Having conquered Northern Quarter with their Aussie-style brunch bowls, Federal has opened another charming spot in Deansgate. Expect the same easy breezy vibes, alongside healthy plates that include a winning banana bread."

"This modern tapas bar is in neighbouring Salford, but if you find yourself on the west side of Manchester city centre (Castlefield, Spinningfields, Deansgate), it is well worth the 10-15 minute walk across the border and down Chapel Street to Porta’s, housed in a former bank. The rugged, flavour-packed Spanish dishes are underpinned by impeccable sourcing and quiet kitchen ingenuity. Picos de Europa blue cheese with caramelised walnuts and honey is revelatory, while regulars, such as seared, acorn-fed Iberico pork with mojo verde or broccoli with romesco, are reliable bangers."

"Tapas bar Porta started life in Altrincham, before setting up in Salford too and has been winning rave reviews in both locations. BBC Good Food praises Porta favourites that “conjure lingering flavours from apparently simple ingredients."

"This independent tapas bar began its journey in Altrincham but now also boasts a second site here in Salford, pictured above. Focusing on homemade food and great ingredients, go for the relaxed atmosphere and stay for the food."

"I wasn't disappointed, a great selection of cheeses to choose from, nice friendly staff. 05/06/2021: Throughly enjoyed. Social distanced tables, great service and a fantastic selection to choose from."