Café 164

Nice but small place, it really works having it sandwiched (ho ho) between the little Leeds Gallery and the new art shop Colours May Vary, gives it a nice creative atmosphere. Big windows at the front keep it well lit (though the sooner Munro house ditched the scaffolding the better — how long now??) and it’s quite pleasant to sit at the breakfast bar watching the world go by. So why the 3 stars… the coffee is poor

I am a ginormous fan of Bakery 164’s food, so I’d been wanting to go to Café 164 for ages. The only thing stopping me was that the location isn’t that convenient unless you live nearby. However last time I was in town I finally overcame my natural idleness and wandered down past the bus station to pay them a visit.
The best thing about Bakery and Café 164 is their focaccia sandwiches. They’re SO delicious. The focaccia bread is amazing, they’re really generous with the fillings, and the fillings on offer are a bit unusual and totally lovely. They do great salads and huge slabs of cake too. The ambience in Café 164 is very cosy and friendly, with comfy sofas and quirky décor, plus it’s next to a free art gallery so there’s plenty to look at. Informal ‘one in, one out’ book exchange too — I love a café with plenty of books in it.
The only thing stopping me from giving a resounding 5 stars is that by 1pm-​ish loads of the sandwiches have sold out, and they don’t make them to order so you’re left with quite a limited selection. This can be problematic if you have specific requirements (e.g. you’re veggie, or you have a massive cheese craving). Bakery 164 suffers from the same problem — I wish they’d make a few more of a morning! However lack of my customary mozzarella did mean I was forced to try the goat’s cheese sandwich (my life is so hard…), which I enjoyed enough that I’ll probably get it again.
In short: Delicious focaccia! Huge slices of cake! Get there before 12.30!

There’s something addictively relaxing, inspiring, and ponderous about this delightful café, situated a stone’s throw from the bus station of Leeds. Perhaps it’s the creative types that inhabit the building, whose ebb and flow in and out of the place spark one’s imagination, or perhaps it’s the intrigue of the gallery next door. Either way, in this space, I feel as though I could spend the day writing, as the rest of the world speeds by on the busy road.
If you’re in the business of cakes, and eating particularly delicious ones, this place is where you set up shop. With most (if not all) being supplied by the eco-​ethical cool local company That Old Chestnut, you can be assured you’re in for a royal mouth treat. They’re vegan, they’re generously portioned, they’re all about £2, and they’re excellent. Yesterday I allowed myself to partake of a banana and chocolate loaf slice, and it was everything I desired, and more. Moist, flavoursome, chocolatey and with added nuts!
I also had a few cups of the masala chai tea. Although I’ve forgotten the name of the tea brand, it was a fantastic cuppa, and perfectly reviving. The seating is varied, and plentiful for such a small space, so if you’re lucky you can bag a squishy sofa. However, the plastic pawn seats are just as comfy, so grab a pew and get your thinking cap on. The music is ambient and unobtrusive, so there’s no need to worry about loud chart distraction.
It’s a place to meet friends and catch up, it’s a place to disappear into your own thoughts, it’s a place to catch up on work poaching the free wifi, it’s a place to delight in coffee, cake and tea. I hadn’t time to test out the soup or sarnies, but I shall be back soon for more wifi antics and a deeper investigation as to the edibles –having been a fan of Bakery 164’s sandwiches I’m sure they will not disappoint. If you get there before me, do let me know what you think! A lovely indie spot, and one that should be frequented by all.

Forgive me if I wax lyrical but as I sat in Café 164 I got the feeling that it was a place where stories are made, deals done and beautiful people shake hands with life.
It’s such a comfortable place where not only did my latte and flapjack taste great but I could relax in the knowledge that they were ethical (I think).
There are some very comfortable sofas (I gave up my chance to sit there as a largish group came in just behind me and I’m a nice, thoughtful guy) and I would very much like to settle down with a latte or two and a book for a long session of me time at some stage in the near future (they even have a bring one, take one book shelf).
My only worry was that the ceiling looks a bit iffy and I had some chicken licken moments.

Café 164 may be getting hype reviews, but I question this due to the profile around Munro House, its location, and other cultural tour de force that surround it (culture vultures, Leeds Gallery, Duke Studio) …
But to be completely honest, a sandwich is a sandwich, the dessert /​sweets were okay and not their own (not a problem mind), and so so affordable.
The coffees my friends and I ordered, cappuccino and americano, were average if not poor — particularly compared to Laynes Espresso and Bottega (major competitors in better locations).
So as a ‘café’ serving ‘coffee’ goes, it was okay, … meh, I’ve experienced better, the artwork was okay, and the service was … okay.
All round, just okay … that’s me being especially realistic considering its cultural padding.
I am a nice guy I promise, I just like good coffee.

After getting lost and arriving late, sorry Ro, I went into the gallery and can i say that its a sign of my age that i knew who everyone was on the photos without looking at the paperwork. Very interesting and brought back memories. The cake icing demo was very interesting but when elly kept saying which alternatives were best as a substitute for eggs, i said to someone, ‘why doesnt she just stick an egg in’ I was then told, ‘they are vegan recipes’. I must do my research and pay more attention. When i tasted the cakes aftewards, i thought the carrot cake had a funny aftertaste but that may be because i’ve never tried vegan food before, in fact when i heard the word vegan, i thought that was where Spock was from. The chocolate cake was delicious and when i tried the dark chocolate that they made it with, i was pleasantly surprised that it actually tasted of chocolate. The little sandwiches were to die for and had such scrummy contents. I told the staff that i would be back to try their coffee which is reasonably priced and maybe a bite to eat. Altogether a brilliant night as usual. The staff were friendly and informative and Rowena was the perfect host, as usual. Can’t wait for the next one. Thanks to all.

The bread here is to die for. Sampling their sarnies at a Unilocal Elite event has made me drool for more and shall definitely be back! hmm hmm
The vegan cakes that I sampled were also delish and so guilt free (nearly — i think margarine still officially has calories!) cake munching here I come!
The atmosphere of Café 164 is that of a cool warehouse apartment with lovely furnishing, very cool artwork on the walls and beams, wires and pipes on show above eye level.
Unfortunately its location is a bit random… right now. Whilst walking to the café all that was going through my mind was «it can’t be down here, all the shops are empty». Hopefully this set of shops will fill up and people that aren’t part of the music/​dance college or happen to pop over from the bus station will be enticed over. Although the attached Leeds Gallery is super cool and refreshingly independent, I’m not sure that I’d be willing to pay silly prices at the pay and display parking at Quarry Hill or specifically walk out of town to come for a visit. There isn’t really any way that you can just pop in for a lunchtime sandwich before heading back to work.
That being said… that foccacia was really good. so light. so fluffy.
sigh
Alright then! Twist my arm! :)
oh hang on… Sister shop Bakery164… this is new to me… i shall put it on the munching list and in the meantime pop back for a houmous and salad on chilli foccacia and recline in the lovely big chairs!

Locals and students may already know of Bakery 164 — located on Woodhouse lane — that has been serving up lovely big sandwiches on their ‘home’/in-shop made focaccia breads. Not forgetting huge muffins, delicious carrot cake and all the trimmings you’d expect from a lunch-​y sandwich-​y shop. Always packed with hungry people.
Café 164 is Bakery 164’s little sister — in a city centre ish location. Opposite the bus station, next to The Wardrobe, underneath a very new (not open yet) exciting project known as Duke Studios. Expect lots of creative things to be happening down this neck of the woods Leeds, and everybody knows creativity needs feeding.
Good cake, brilliant sarnies and a cosy ambience if you’re sitting in and chilling out. Art on the walls etc. I’d wholly recommend checking this newly-​opened gem of a lunchtime saviour. Marvellous.
Tweet them @cafe164 for hellos + to check they’ve got your favourite sandwich in!