Caffé Nero Comes To The City of Culture

Watch out Starbucks, Costa, Cafe Soul, Cafe Del Mondo and even the most Legenderry of Warehouses... you have company. After many years of waiting, Caffé Nero is in Derry... and we went to check it out

A unit in the Richmond Centre that once sold all kinds of computer games, and was even, at one point in my lifetime, a Manchester United "superstore", has been converted into Derry-Londonderry's first ever Caffé Nero. It's arguably the least known of the Big Three of coffee houses – not as ubiquitous as Costa, not as big a brand as Starbucks – but to this observers' eyes, this is one reason why Nero ranks as the best of the three.

In my humble opinion, Caffé Nero's lower-key status allows it to retain a sense of mystery, in addition to a spacious, homely, indie vibe that always makes you feel welcome when you step through its doors. And its arrival in Derry, perfectly timed to coincide with the City Of Culture year, is a collateral boon for both the general public and its new staff, all of whom are taking to their jobs like clockwork.

This particular Nero branch actually opened much sooner and easier than everyone had expected, with some not even realising it was open until they checked the Richmond Centre Facebook page. But to Romanian-born manager, Lorena Grigore, this was no hindrance; rather, she is "thrilled" at the prospect of taking charge here.

"I used to work for Caffé Nero in Ballymena", smiles Grigore, her Italian-sounding accent giving a hint to the continental flavour of the café itself. "When the opportunity arrived to become manager here, I just jumped at it.

"With the shops and the theatres, particularly the Millennium Forum and Playhouse, so close by, it's more than a nice place, it's also very well placed. We want to bring a taste of Italy and a relaxing atmosphere to Derry, and the response to our efforts has been very pleasing so far."

Indeed, there's pretty much something for everyone here. A detailed and attractive menu which offers all sorts of coffees, teas, deserts, sandwiches, snacks, smoothies and so on, waiting to be enjoyed on a couch, at a table, indoors or outdoors, whether you're stopping to chat, to eat, or to work on your laptop. All while accompanied by pleasant lighting, interesting artwork and an obscure but rarely twee soundtrack. In short, a quintessential low-key coffee house.

One hopes that Caffé Nero can take advantage of the close-knit nature of Derry's city centre and become a crucial coffee corner in the City Of Culture. Maybe even much more than that.