Expresso Cafe in Norwich

Popped for the first time. On Sunday. Lovely cup of coffee

First time in yesterday with my husband but won't be back unfortunately, we popped in quick on our lunch break and weren't acknowledged to begin with while waiting, we then had to wait while the server had their back to us cleaning behind the counter even though they saw us waiting, they half served us then started serving someone else at the same time (there was only one other person so unsure of the sudden rush), before even finishing serving us they slapped someone else's roll in front of me, then someone else had to come and finish serving us. The person did not look like they wanted to be at work or serve us and it was a shame for a first impression, thank you to the second person for finishing our order but we will continue to use Alchemista. First impressions especially for new customers and pleasant service should be a given, not ignoring people and causing an awkward atmosphere. Myself and my husband both felt awkward and like customers were an inconvenience, if we ever look at each other speechless at service it's a sign not to return.

Lovely food, great quality and a really good selection of sandwiches, pastries, cakes and fruit for an external catering order I placed. Friendly service and very accomodating with a last minute special request for a vegan option. I would definitely recommend these guys for price, quality and customer service.

Lovely little well put together coffee spot

Cozy cafe, had a coffee and chorizo sausage roll which was really nice

Awful lukewarm coffee, milk tasted re-steamed. Staff seem to be overworked and underpaid, because they certainly don't look like they enjoy their job. Never going back.

We had Expresso cater our wedding and they did a great job! Our wedding was all vegetarian and they provided great food - canapes, mains, coffee and tea, late-night grazing table - that we got many complements for. Very pleasant and uncomplicated to work with. Would 100% recommend to anyone planning an event in Norfolk.

We had Expresso cater our rustic, barn wedding, and I couldn’t recommend them more highly. The food was amazing – fresh, tasty, and plentiful. Our guests with dietary needs were catered to with such care and attention. Expresso took the stress out of wedding catering by bringing all the tables, chairs, glasses, napkins, and crockery, making everything seamless. Their staff were friendly and attentive, ensuring everything went smoothly. Our guests were all thrilled with the food, and we were absolutely delighted with the service. Thank you, Expresso!

Been here a few times for iced coffee and breakfast - they offer a great value porridge with nuts and berries of your choice for £3.50.

Has been losing its character for quite a while but the rate its going downhill is increasing. Two of the girls who work there are so grumpy it makes me scared to interrupt them with an order. They have recently changed the brand of coffee which is much much worse than before. PLEASE go back to the previous brand of beans, the new brand tastes like Starbucks or worse.

Lovely, friendly staff who are always happy to help and lots of lovely food options! I had the vegan breakfast bun (which can be toasted) and an americano. There is student discount on the baguettes too

Roland's team provided catering for my grandad's funeral wake. His communication before the event was calm, reassuring and helpful. The food was delicious-we received so many compliments. Lots of choice and variety of different options. Great Gluten and dairy free options. Cakes were amazing. Staff were respectful and kind. So glad we booked Expresso catering- we took a risk as we didn't know anything about them but couldn't recommend them highly enough. Thank you so much Expresso!

Great coffee and sandwiches in the heart of Norwich!

Thank you to the whole team for making our wedding such an amazing day. The food was absolutely delicious and your staff were really friendly and helpful. Everything ran so smoothly on the day. Thank you for the help in putting together the menu and helping us order extra equipment and catering to our home made contributions.

Went here for a quick take out coffee and got covered in coffee due to the nasty cheap paper cups they use. Coffee on my jeans, my hands, my coat and all over my car. Leaking every time i tried to take a sip. Luckily I had a cafe Nero cup in my car so was able to transfer it to that. Wouldn’t have minded so much if the coffee had been better!

The staff are the real problem here. 2 of the women are actually happy and chipper, but the other two... well... you get the feeling you're a complete inconvenience as soon as you walk in. One is usually on her phone, ignoring everyone, and the other says little else than "what can I get you", with a scowl. No "thanks", or anything else. Phone girl is no better, I mean, I'm just a customer, and don't expect a discussion, but basic pleasantries cost nothing - I always treat people politely as I know that the service industry can be rough, but the attitudes here are awful. Then the food - you can order the paninis heated, and they serve them with "salad". I quote that word as a piece of lettuce is not a salad any more than a glass of water is a cocktail. I ordered a panini one day and asked for no lettuce. The reply was "no salad?" I said, "no, just no lettuce". Of course, it was just a plate with the panini as expected. There are two MUCH better coffee shops within a 1 minute walk from this place, one is always packed now as it stocks its own in-house produced pastries etc, whereas places like this buy from the same bulk suppliers.

Great little cafè, super selection of quality food and good coffee.

Went there today to get lunch as a change from the shop next door and me and my colleague both wish we hadn't , it isn't the food as that was nice but the member of staff who served us looked like she neither wanted us in the shop or had the time to be serving us although it wasn't busy at all. We both came out and nearly simultaneously said how rude was she. If you don't enjoy serving customers maybe find yourself another job where you can be miserable and rude .

Best sandwich I've had in a while, Very friendly staff. Nice location

Nice shop, coffee, cake, panini.

Lovely little cafe. We had a nice pain aux raisin for our breakfast which was yum. Nice view. Seemed clean. Staff friendly.

Rude staff taking and giving orders - No smile, No manners, just hurry up and get out vibes

Decent lunch options, friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere and space to sit inside. A good spot for lunch.

Nice little place. Great sandwichs and good coffee. Probably the best coffee at a reasonable price.

I have been trying loads of different places for lunch and this one tops it all. The selection of hand made sandwiches which I have had to keep coming back to try different ones and I have not been disappointed at all! Best hot chocolate I have had aswell so highly recommend that. Best selection of handmade dessert which I highly recommend aswell. The price I think is a good price for what you get. Highly recommend

I have been trying loads of different places for lunch and this one tops it all. The selection of hand made sandwiches which I have had to keep coming back to try different ones and I have not been disappointed at all! Best hot chocolate I have had aswell so highly recommend that. Best selection of handmade dessert which I highly recommend aswell. The price I think is a good price for what you get. Highly recommend

Surly charmless service again… lukewarm takeaway hot chocolate. On a previous occasion I bought a mozzarella and tomato roll which contained no tomato. The server very resentfully fished one measly slice of tomato out of another roll and dumped it on my plate. I won’t be back.

Excellent cafe especially for iced drinks both coffee and not! Strongly recommend in summer and very friendly staff.

Special mention to Lucy, Mariana and Brody for their kindness and always making me the best coffee in the mornings ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genuinely the best food we could have ever imagined for our wedding !! The team were absolutely amazing, and we could not have wished for better help than Roland, Helen and Co. Thank you so much!

Roland, Helen and team provided the best food we could have ever imagined for our wedding at Voewood. They were so flexible with our needs, and the food was absolutely delicious! All our guests commented on it. Thank you SO much xx

Roland Schreiber at Expresso gave us so much support throughout the preparation and during our ruby wedding lunch on Sunday. And Expresso staff were thoughtful and caring on the day. They were unobtrusive and still managed to keep everything moving smoothly, without fuss. They were brilliant. EVERYONE, without exception, said how amazing the food was. How on earth Roland can create food of such quality at scale beggars belief. He is a genius and truly exceeded our wildest expectations. Thank you! If Expresso can do for you what they achieved for us you will have a truly unforgettable day.

Lovely food and coffee but I think two of the girls working there ate wasps for breakfast. Would it really hurt just to smile when you serve customers? Come on, give it a go. Couple of the birds are a bit chirpier, but the other two should learn from them how to have a better outlook on life.

We used Expresso for catering each day for a 3-day project, for 15 people. The food was absolutely delicious, well presented and delivery was smooth - Roland was lovely. They provided great gluten free and vegan options too. I would 100% use Expresso again.

We just wanted to say a huge thank you for the amazing food you provided on Saturday. Everyone is raving about it and we’ve had several messages to say it’s the best wedding food they have had. We couldn’t have been happier. The cake looked incredible too. We really appreciate all the hard work and for making our day even more memorable and special.

Excellent coffee - I had an oat latte. Their sandwiches and rolls are also good.

What a wonderful place for a morning Coffee!. I couldn't ask for a better service. The Staff are very well manured & polite. The Coffee perfectly done too.

We just want to say thank you so much for your service during our wedding (September 2022). Your staff are a credit to your company in particular the two guys on the bar who I think were kept busy the whole time! The feedback we have had from our guests is that it is the best food they have ever had at a wedding, I wish I felt like eating more on the day but what I had was excellent. Thanks again! Harry & Rachel

Coffee was OK but not great, however a wide range of choice on offer. Had to ask for sugar and ended up getting it ourselves. Glad we were not soaked by the deluge of water from the canopy!

Lovely coffee, pastries, savoury muffins and delightful staff. Fantastic central location only a few steps away from the Lanes or the majestic cathedral.

Good coffee, good service, nice selection, great location! Stopped by for coffee and outdoor table whilst cycling.. great find and highly recommended!

Expresso Catering did an excellent job catering for our wedding day. Roland was incredibly easy to communicate with, and so helpful throughout the whole process. We had an excellent tasting session beforehand, and we knew straight away that this food was an immaculate standard. For the wedding day itself, Roland and the team went above and beyond. We had absolutely beautiful canapes following the ceremony, a three course meal for the wedding breakfast, and chip buckets for the evening food. Expresso went above and beyond on the night, making sure all of our guests with dietary requirements had exactly what they needed, and even serving our wedding and cheese cakes for us, which weren't provided by Expresso. The food was all exquisite, and so many of our guests raved about the food, many saying it was the best wedding food they'd ever had. We were absolutely thrilled with the service provided. Thank you so much to Roland and the team!

I used to frequent this cafe some years ago, but as I was near the area on this day & needed coffee & food after a tough meeting, thought I’d go in. As they still do, all the food items are in a cabinet at the front, tricky to read the descriptions of most. I was immediately asked,” what can I get you”, which seemed odd when I’d barely had time to look. I ordered a coffee & small roll, coffee was good, roll not so. By the time I got home an hour later, needed lunch at home! It’s also not very accessible, space & seating wise, so won’t return.

Buzzy inner city cafe serving great coffee and range of snacks sandwiches. Nice to sit outside on sunny days and watch the world go by.

Lovely place to stop for a drink , friendly staff , good prices

Amazing service, great coffee and food.

Excellent! Stopped by briefly for a coffee - it was superb! The staff were very pleasant, the food looked great. I shall be going back there!

One of my favourite city cafes. Wonderful service, great sandwiches, and lovely atmosphere.

Having passed by many times decided to grab a coffee and was not disappointed. Good roast, nice smooth taste and most certainly a good independent coffee shop. Looked like a nice selection of snacks but only partook in the coffee. Will most certainly return l.

If you like a good flavoured strong coffee,look no further. For me one of the best coffee shops in Norwich, as well as a nice range of snacks& meals.

Delicious hot sandwiches, tea and coffee

The food is amazing. The staff are friendly. Roland was great. We would recommend to everyone. Great place!

Lovely atmosphere, food and drinks, reasonably priced. Friendly staff.

Great chorizo and black pudding sausage roll. Cake too is wonderful

Go from time to time to catch up over coffee - usually end up with a pastry or fruit and yoghurt bowl too! staff super friendly, coffee very good and service swift - loyalty cards too!

Best Almond Croissant ever!! Sat outside taking in the early morning hub bub with a coffee and croissant, lovely.

Nice cafe with a lovely choice if food and super moist yummy cakes

Expresso provided the catering for our wedding at the Octagon Barn in August 2022 - they provided canapes, a sharing feast, dessert and evening food, organised the crockery and tableware and the staff to serve drinks and run our bar for the duration of the day. Everything was absolutely perfect and ran so smoothly, we really felt the whole team went above and beyond to make our day perfect - nobody ever had an empty glass, and they took special care to make sure that myself and my new husband didn't miss out on the canapes! The food - especially the sharing feast - was all delicious. We had so many comments from guests about how much they enjoyed the meal - one of the guestbook comments reads that the evening food was 'the best wrap we have ever had!'. They were also excellent at catering for those with dietary needs and preferences so that nobody felt that they missed out. Roland was also extremely helpful and communication was great throughout, from the time of booking and arranging a tasting to all the final arrangements for the day. Would 100% recommend!!

Has coffee and millionaires shortbread. Both were tasty, sitting outside has pedestrian street.

15 mins to buy 2 take away sausage rolls, only 2 people in front of me in the queue and only 8 people at tables outside half of which already had there orders, totally ignoring the customer's while replenishing food counter. Retraining needed or more staff either way an annoying experience but the food was good.

Nice little cafe with home cooked food

Love this little cafe better than the large chains. We head hear regularly when visiting our son at university. The pbj cookies are amazing. Great staff.

Fab muffins! A great place for Sunday breakfast or brunch, nice tea and really good coffee in a relaxed atmosphere

This is one of the best coffee houses in Norwich. The staff are always welcoming and friendly and the coffee is of a high standard. Thoroughly recommend the oat milk cappuccino.

Wonderful staff and coffee. I start my working day with a flat white and a croissant. Always made to feel welcome, and love the chat with all the staff.

Have been here many times before. My friend and I usually have a coffee, him an Americano and I a Mocha and a pork sausage roll each. Been owned for several years by the same owner. Do come along quite early morning sometimes, we both have bacon and egg muffins.

Absolutely brilliant food, fantastic customer service, a great place to visit!

Excellent selection of sandwiches and quick grab lunch. You can also seat down indoors or outdoors

Great stop for a coffee great coffee and a bun...Sat in the sun this morning, people watching.

Favourite cafe in Norwich, the sandwiches are divine

Good coffee, great cakes and a very tasty black pudding and chorizo sausage roll. I liked it.

Great place for coffee and quick bite

Just want to thank you yet again for your professionalism.Not only did you step in just a couple of months before but everything about the way your staff worked the amazing food that so many people (120) comment on as the best food they had ever had at a wedding and the timing was perfection even with the huge numbers of people and distractions.

I first visited expresso in 1999, I no longer visit seven days a week as I did in the early days, times change but expresso has always been consistently good, great coffee good conversation and it’s a local independent business.

Superb food, and a damn good cup of coffee. The salt beef sandwich and the Chorizo and black pudding sausage roll are both sensationally good. Friendly and helpful service even when busy as well.

Food and drink was ok, but service is so so slow, not somewhere or go of your area in a rush. Also surprised at lack of mask wearing by staff serving food and customers queueing, considering rates of covid are on the rise.

Ultra clean, helpful and friendly place. Nice coffee and first class panini. Had a lovely picnic today. Thank you.

The sandwiches and sausage rolls served here are some of the best in the city. Really recommend stopping by for lunch!

Great service, lovely food and drinks

Always a large variety of rolls, savoury snacks and cakes. Nice seating inside and out. Can get super busy, but that's not the fault of the cafe - just a sign of how popular they are. Great caramel slice and chai latte 😋😋

Service is everything, the chap here was rude with serious attitude

Best iced latte ever. Really lovely and friendly inside. Highly recommended :)

We always call in here when in Norwich. It wasn’t great today. They we were busy but sufficient attention wasn’t paid to social distancing (table too close to the bar table in the window) Also take our customers were allowed to queue inside at the bar. We’ve seen better systems elsewhere. We had a chilli with rice (I tasted my husband’s portion and it was okay - nothing special). My macaroni cheese was disappointing. It had obviously been made before and reheated. All the sauce was absorbed into the pasta which resulted in a claggy mess. There was no baked cheese topping. The whole thing was completely bland - macaroni cheese should taste of - cheese! I left most of it. I did say ‘excuse me’ to tell a member of staff as she rushed passed. She didn’t answer, which is why my comments are in this review. Finally, they use plastic cups. Not good for the environment and now restaurants are open indoors there is no excuse.

Service is very good and welcoming. The food is absolutely wonderful, I've never tasted ciabatta toasties like theirs and the prices are very reasonable. A great little place.

Had the most tastiest sausage ciabatta with a milkshake. Me and my partner will definitely be going back when we move to Norwich area!!. Try the coffee next time. Cues outside on a lovely sunny day. Service was great even though the owner was busy. Recieved a loyalty card.

Really nice coffee and muffins! Very friendly too!

Lovey Saturday morning treat - amazing selection of homemade paninis, baguettes, and rolls.

This is my local cafe and the staff are always friendly and accommodating . sometimes when I go and what I usually have is not available they ring upstairs to the kitchen and it arrives quite quickly.. All the regulars are still attending but we have to sit outside due to Covid 19. well worth a visit ...

When I am in Norwich, this is my MUST go cafe. So much so that it has become my daily haunt when I'm there. It has really improved so much over the last few years and it's now not just a great place for coffee (it is !!) but the food offerings are as tasty and as good as you'll find anywhere. Ceri, Lucas and Roland (the owner) are fabulous. Attentive and sometimes mind readers being able to anticipate my requests!! Coffee is great. Truly great. Never burnt. Food, as I have said, is fresh and just the best and as varied as I have had in any cafe. Their vegetarian selection is varied and amazingly tasty! Cakes too........ Enough said. The best advice I can give is to try it. .

Excellent pannini and delicious hot chocolate certainly warmed me up.

Nice coffee and croissant in a nice friendly cafe.

My wife and I used Expresso for the catering of our wedding at The Reading Room, Alby in September 2020. Roland and his team were fantastic and the service they provided was spectacular. All of the team we had there on the were very friendly, accommodating and professional. The food was absolutely perfect, and all our guests commented on how delicious it was. We had a bbq feast style meal which catered to exactly what we wanted. The slow cooked lamb went down especially well (my personal favourite). From the time of booking up until the morning of the wedding Roland was very good at communicating and helped us with what we wanted to ensure we got the best of the day. We had the team from Expresso provide our food and serve out drinks until the end of the evening. I would definitely recommend you to any of our friends if they asked for any suggestions.

Enjoy eating here and have on and of for a few years. Sometimes feel the menu could change a bit, but can't argue with the volume, huge baguettes stuffed with tasty fillings.

Good coffee and 'ambiance'(!) for a business meeting and while I didn't eat (this time) the food looked amazing so will be back soon to try some!

Dreadful food. Awful coffee . Less than interested staff

Lovely quiet dainty cafe. Excellent food and excellent service. Will definitely be visiting again next time I visit Norwich

I run a local social site Norwich Social Adventure and we have used Expresso a lot for meet up coffees and breakfast. The staff are very friendly and helpful with quick service, the coffee is very good and the food is nice. I have used them privately for lunch and really like the chilli con carne when they do it. Keep up the good work and all my members give Expresso the thumbs up..

Excellent for a quick stop off on the way to work

I often call in here for breakfast. It's a quirky (in a good way) place and a bit shabby chic, with good coffee and toasted breakfast muffins. Nice to sit by the window watching the world pass by.

Very personal service, felt we were given time and food was very high quality.