A NEW Bromsgrove coffee house and eatery, which opened its doors in December, has been receiving rave reviews from customers.
As well as plenty of positive feedback and compliments from customers, Toploaf on the Aston Fields Industrial Estate has received an average of 4.7 out of 5 from its 60 plus Google reviews.
And, in just seven months, it has already become a firm favourite of many in the town and visitors.
How it all began
The venue was launched by Sophie Preston who runs it with the help of her mum, Karen Preston, and 19-year-old Matthew Dawes is the operations manager.
Sophie lives in Alvechurch and, after attending South Bromsgrove High School, undertook a degree in marketing, advertising and PR.
Having done several hospitality jobs, she always wanted to run a cafe after inheriting a love of baking from Karen and her mum.
They searched extensively for the right premises in Bromsgrove and even mooted having a catering van at one point.
Then they found the unit in Aston Fields and worked hard to transform what was an empty shell it into a warm and welcoming cafe.
The space was utilised to make it completely accessible for everyone and, because of that, it has become popular with mums with pushchairs.
Its customers range from people working on the industrial estate to people who have travelled from right across Bromsgrove and other towns, including Redditch and Droitwich.
‘A social space for the community’
Sophie said: “Our original idea was for a small cafe but, having got this space, we want to use it to its full potential and do a lot more.
“It has very much become a social space for people to meet up and a brunch venue.”
The coffee house employs 13 people, including full-time, part-time and casual workers and Sophie and Karen have praised them all for buying into the vision and helped make TopLoaf such a success.
And it prides itself on keeping things local to support its fellow Bromsgrove businesses.
When the space was being transformed, Toploaf used local builders, electricians and tradespeople and its suppliers include Butcher’s Block and Meadow Mill Bakery.
The coffee house also has an ethos on sustainability with its tables coming from reclaimed materials.
The venue has put on events for special occasions, including Mother’s Day and a bottomless brunch for Valentine’s Day where they got a temporary alcohol licence for a weekend to see how it would go – and it was well-received.
After an initial soft launch back in December to test the water, TopLoaf is raring to go with loads more ideas,
Karen said: “We are really pleased with the support from the local community who have given us lots of fantastic feedback and return to become regular customers.
“If you haven’t yet been to TopLoaf, please come down, give it a go and see what we have to offer.”
New summer menu
Building on its success of offering freshly made delights from locally sourced ingredients, a new summer menu has been launched so there is even more for customers to enjoy.
The team has been busy creating an exciting new menu, bringing together all the quality and flavour customers have come to expect from Toploaf with plenty of delicious new food and drink choices.
Breakfast
Why not start the day with one of the freshly prepared breakfasts, available until 12noon. There are new granola bowls, vegetarian and vegan full English breakfasts, brunch plates and wraps, along with a new chocolate chip addition to the famous pancake range.
Lunch
Available from 12noon, the brand-new lunch menu now includes:
· Toploaf signature Burgers
· Fresh Salad Bowls
· Handcrafted Wraps
· Hot and classic sandwich stacks
· Seasonal Specials
And, for those accustomed to what has been offered already, many customer favourites are still here too and include gluten free options!
The popular summer drinks menu now offers new iced options, milkshakes and smoothies which can include protein, creatine or collagen to give that much needed boost.
Everything is freshly prepared every day using quality ingredients by a team with the passion for great food that has made Toploaf a favourite destination for breakfast, lunch, coffee and cake.
Whether catching up with friends, meeting colleagues or simply treating yourself, there’s never been a better time to visit.
Toploaf Bakery Breakfast served until 12noon • Lunch served from 12 noon • Now open until 4pm
