2nd View Cafe in Cambridge

Stopped here at about 1210 so early for lunch. There was only one sandwich and two tuna melt panini rolls to choose from very poor at this time of day. One panini chosen and toasted this I was told very nice it also had cheese and a light onion filling along with the tuna. I had a tomato and basil soup which was served with two lightly toasted sour dough bread slices. The was also nice. It appeared lots of tables being used by people on laptops who look like they have been there ages. Well this is Cambridge with lots of students.

I have been coming to this cafe for several years, since the re-furb. and was v.pleased when it eventually re-opened after the 3 Covid related lockdowns. However, I now feel it is frequented by far too many young students on their laptops, who seem to sit at the tables for several hours at a time and consequently there is often a shortage of anywhere comfortable to sit. Personally, I also think the tables are now far too closely spaced apart to be safe - given that the majority of the customers seem to be young people, who are more likely to be unvaccinated and even carrying the Covid virus. Sadly therefore, I will probably be avoiding this cafe, for now at least - for us older customers, it just doesn't feel a safe space to be in!

This was a refuelling coffee stop in a bookshop cafe. The service was good and the choice of cakes was interesting and wide. The cakes were of a sensible size, unlike the monstrosities so often served in similar places. I chose a lemon and poppy seed muffin and my daughter had a slice of carrot cake. For drinks we had coffee and green tea respectively. The tea was served in a filter pot and was generous enough for two cups.

He estado yendo a la cafetería del tercer piso todas las semanas durante los últimos meses, ya que es un buen lugar para relajarse. Me encontraba con un amigo allí, así que quería ser cortés y esperar a que llegaran antes de comprar cualquier cosa. El gerente me dijo bruscamente que me fuera, ya que no había comprado algo. Extremadamente molesto como un cliente habitual (que siempre ha comprado en la cafetería) para ser tratado de esta manera. Muy miope de los Waterstones para tratar a clientes habituales como este: debe echar un vistazo a cómo los gerentes tratan a sus clientes.

Nos encanta la librería, así que paramos a tomar algo. Un montón de miradas duras de la gente porque teníamos niños que estaban siendo niños (no eran demasiado ruidosos o se portaban mal). Terminamos saliendo rápidamente ya que no era acogedor. Los aseos tampoco estaban muy limpios: los pisos necesitaban trapearse, reemplazar el rollo de papel higiénico, solo cosas básicas que uno pensaría que podrían mantener por encima de lo mejor.

This is a really cosy place to come and relax with a book. Prices are a little expensive but nice calm and relaxed atmosphere. :)

Fancy getting away from the hustle and bustle of Cambridge? We did yesterday and were struggling to find a quiet place to have a drink on a very hot day. We dived into Waterstones and enjoyed two very nice afternoon coffees. My iced latte was packed with ice, which was very necessary on this hot day. The coffee strength was well judged and it was very pleasing. My partner's iced Americano was equally refreshing. I was allowed one sip. Friendly service and most importantly, quiet surroundings. How lovely to enjoy a drink where people are not on their phones, but instead reading a book. Lovely!

Well it's a good place usually to escape throngs of people when in need of a snack or lunch in town though it can still be a tad difficult to find a table. It is frequented by people on their lap tops who can literally hog a table for hours. On Saturday one of the large tables which can seat about six people was taken up with one such person. Said person had her work all over the table marked out with corrections. Quite ludicrous when paying customers are looking for a place to sit. Coffee, cakes and panninis are reasonably priced and okay quality. Will continue to come but the management need to get some handle on the laptop student brigade. Live and let live and all that but there's a limit!

Great place to escape the crowds in Cambridge. Excellent locally baked cakes (love their brioche tea cakes) and good sandwiches too. Highly recommended.

I was really pleased when this cafe was re-furbished and presumably taken over by a new team of people. During the refurb. they very cleverly (and generously) offered free samples of their various coffees in a temporary, makeshift cafe area on the ground floor. This tactic certainly worked for me - not only did I end up buying 5 books in one go, after sitting down on the comfy sofas at the back of the shop, sipping my free 'Flat white', then as soon as the cafe opened again, I visited and often return if I want somewhere peaceful and comfortable after a few hours shopping. The coffee is far better than the previous cafe provided and it is for that alone that I usually visit, although I have occasionally tried out the cakes, which are also good. Because there is a lot of seating you can nearly always get a quiet spot although it is true there are a lot of people on their laptops, or groups of students working together, who look like permanent fixtures! However, providing I can find a seat i don't mind that - after all think of all the traditional Parisienne cafes where writers/artists used to meet! I often choose this place if meeting up with a friend because a) I know the coffee is always excellent and b) I know we can stay as long as we like without feeling pressured to move on. In conclusion, there is a nice, relaxed vibe about the place with the added bonus that you can gather up some books from the shop to browse through too. As another reviewer comments, for me this cafe beats any of the other chain cafes (i.e. Costa) any day!

First time I've been here since the revamp. Nice decor, but not impressed by metal trays and plates. Very tasty guiness and chocolate cake. Gluten free glitches though. Signs all over the place noting that they offer gluten free items and asking you to tell them of any allergies etc - good. However their (massive) gluten free brownies were on display open next to the other cakes and therefore prone to cross contamination. Just behind them, and raised up slightly, were some brioche style buns nicely shielded inside a plastic cover!!?? This arrangement might be OK for gluten free faddists who could actually eat any of the items. Not OK at all for coeliacs, whose mouth would water at the appearance of the brownies but not be able to touch them for fear of crumbs getting onto them from the other cakes as they are served. I couldn't see if they had dedicated cake slices, but that's beside the point if they are open to contamination. Come on - it only takes a little effort and thought to make many more customers happy. There were other gluten free options next to the till, but who would want a tiny little thing wrapped in its own plastic bag when you could have had a decent sized brownie and not stick out like a sore thumb? I would go again if by myself, but not with my coeliac son unless I see that this has changed.

This cafe has been refurbished since our last visit and the menu has been streamlined , the cafe is our first port of call when we visit Cambridge and we have never been disappointed with the quality of drinks and service if anything the coffee has improved .At times the cafe is full of students taking up most of the tables using their laptops / studying , but not yesterday ( friday 14th )

Unfortunately there were no seats on a Saturday as about 80% tables were taken by people studying. I had to share a table. I doubt I'll return due to this. Cakes looked nice. Nice coffee. Free WiFi. Apart from the one noisy family, very quiet due to the studying so it depends if that is what you want from a cafe. I prefer a bit of atmosphere. Average price for Cambridge.

The cafe was shut for a few weeks for them to renovate. They seem to have done a fair bit to the loos, although they are still small, but the rest hasn't changed a great deal. It seems to be more crowded these days. Not noticeably expensive. Average tea and coffee at pretty average prices. Nice outlook if you can get to the far windows. Good free Wifi. Pleasant staff. Preferablt to John Lewis.

I discovered this place as I started my PhD back in 2013. I used to go almost every weekend/every other weenend, just to do some work on my laptop, drink a (really nice) coffee and eat one of their amaizng toasted bagels. How disappointed I was, when they stopped making their deli bagels, only to substitute them by overpriced, petrol station-like pre-packed sandwiches. However despiute this, their atmosphere to do work and chill out continues to be amazing. Just bring the good bagels/paninis back!

Un lugar muy tranquilo, yo no sabía que tenía un nombre. Buen café y té, bollos, tartas, algunas preciosas, las habituales sandwiches sopa. Siempre se puede ir allí para sentarse y descansar, o reunirse con amigos, que no te importa si te alojas en un largo tiempo, un montón de gente trabajando en portátiles, etc. Arriba es aún mejor. Se puede ver el jardín al otro lado de la calle.

Me gusta juzgar lugares por cómo se tratan los clientes difíciles. Yo estaba en la segunda vista detrás de una mujer con una discapacidad de aprendizaje obvio Habla muy alto y sin un verdadero concepto de colas; pidiendo la hora cada cinco minutos. Tengo que decir que el personal era muy bueno. Paciente, educado, diplomático y eficiente (a todos los clientes). Algunos lugares realmente crispado sobre tales clientes. Aquí, ella fue absorbida. Y todos los demás clientes también educadas impecablemente. Como estos tiempos, prefiero como Cambridge.

Until recently, I just used to nip up to use their toilets, but have started having the odd tea or coffee. Reasonable value, comfortable, not usually very crowded, free wi-fi. Why would anyone use a chain coffee bar. Of course, I mourn the passing of all the really decent independent bookshops of Cambridge, but that's just another of the pains of getting older.

On a Saturday lunch time every place in Cambridge has queues out the door - Costa coffee! This unassuming cafe on the 2nd floor of waterstones books was able to serve us hot quiche, a toasted sandwich and pots of tea with no wait at all. The service is polite and efficient and while the food is really only average, it gets the extra star for being inside a wonderful bookstore.

The 2nd View is Waterstone's café and it is really a joy to be able to sit here with your book and a well-made cup of java. The ideal place for a spot of escapism. And with free wifi, ample seating and good access to plug sockets, you can't go wrong. Love it.