Boston Tea Party - Barnstaple
I have been a fond customer at Boston Tea Party Barnstaple since it opened and have always enjoyed it's ambience and enthusiasm. The staff are chatty and seem to care a great deal about the ethical standards upheld by the company. They put a traditional coffee shop feel into the place and are always happy to see familiar faces return (or at least fantastic actors).
It's excellent how all of the produce is free range, even the bacon which has been something that has seriously bugged me about a number of places. The sandwiches use breads from bakers in butchers row which is under a minutes stroll down the highstreet. Amazing cakes that always look appetising, huge sandwiches, satisying meals, fresh homemade soups and I haven't even reached the coffee yet! They look, smell and taste divine and watching the assembling is nothing short of entertaining!!!
There is an incredible amount of space in the shop and a large choice in seating ranging from comfy sofas to quaint tables and chairs, also a choice of upstairs and downstairs seating makes it more bearable when busy as the upstairs never appears too busy. It can get packed, apparantly quality and care speak for itself. The baristas obviously care about the appearance and flavour of the drinks.
The shop has also been noticed as being parent friendly, hosting a large downstairs loo with changing facilities plenty large enough to encompass a large buggy and screaming todlers. Also they have started doing smaller versions of their GIGANTIC sandwiches which are less daunting to small tummies. :D
This restraunt is fun and funky and really cares about it's product, it is family friendly and always packed with mums grabbing a bite with small children. Always a newspaper in site and WiFi accsess for those who study, it is a joint perfect for people of all ages from young to old thier is something for everyone to enjoy.

Boston Tea Party - BRISTOL:

An absolutely wonderful cafe Park Street & Whiteladies Rd. (The Whiteladies Rd outlet is new and a lot more slick looking). The Park St branch is somewhat more Boho.

I remember whiling away the hours in here whist studying, sat upstairs on the old battered sofas - It had a wonderful fuzzy atmosphere, I don;t like the Park St upstairs so much mow, lots of Wodden tables give it a more classroom sort of feel unfortunately. The courtyard garden area is lovely and a nice little suntrap on a lazy summer lunchtime.

The sandwhiches/wraps are to die for, one think I sorely miss about working in Bristol Centre. The Duck wrap also the Fete wrap are the best, the cakes are awesome, good coffee - sometimes the servers look like they could do with a scrpae and a bath but what do you expect. It's not starbucks! I do feel like there are always way too many staff about, loitering talking to each other like its some sort of social gathering and the service is sometimes too leisurely.

I rate this place good on the basis of the food and cakes being so super - however the staff need a good shake. If the staff were as welcoming and albeit "cheesey" as starbucks then it would make this place excellent.

They can quibble about it being ethical and embracing peoples differences - but Startbucks is what it is becuase the staff (the world over) look good, are polite and look smart and proffesssional. If I want to see displays of individualism - i'd go to an art gallery.

This is a really great, easygoing cafe with a fantastic choice of food and drinks, one of a small, west-country-based group (others in Barnstaple, Bath, Bristol and Honiton). It can get really packed on a busy shopping day, but there's loads of comfy, open-plan seating upstairs, so I've never faied to find a comfy seat. They use local produce wherever possible, free-range eggs and bacon, and make delicious (and huge) sandwiches, salads, soups, cakes. My absolute favourite time to visit is on a quiet weekend morning, with a stack of papers and one of their fab bacon sarnies to mend a hangover!