Seascapes, Surf and Speciality Coffee - A Cornish Coffee Shop with a Kiwi Influence

Sea views, the sound of calling gulls and a coastal breeze draws you in to this warm and welcoming Newquay based coffee shop. A roastery, a cafe, and great vibes- this is a space that can do it all and more.

Surf capital of the UK Cornwall is inundated with beautiful beaches and cliffside coves. Speciality coffee shops however are a different story. Having based ourselves in the fishing harbour town of Padstow during our stay, we found the coffee scene lacking and were left longing in the mornings for a good flat white. While our aeropress proved trusty while camping, the wind and rain left us desiring something a little milkier. We were thus delighted when we branched out from Padstow and discovered The Roasting Room. Situated on Bank Street in the busy tourist town of Newquay, the coffee shop is a stones throw away from Towan beach. As we approached, strolling downhill, the view is one of sea and sky, an appealing Cornish seascape. As we hesitantly set our gaze away from the sea and into the coffee shop, we felt as though we’d found exactly what we’d been searching for.

Founded by Olly and Loz in 2021, the inspiration of The Roasting Room, similar to Coffiality, was sparked while on a trip to New Zealand. It seems it’s not uncommon for people to come home from Australasia with a changed view on speciality coffee, and I’m here for it. While based in the small hip surfing town of Raglan, Olly learnt the craft of roasting speciality coffee. Implementing the knowledge and skills from his time in Raglan, the Roasting Room was born. Roasting initially within the cafe walls, the name came naturally. They’ve since expanded out and roast in Zelah but the name remains. Their original space now exists solely as a coffee shop, alongside a few pastries to sate the appetite. The interior is one of warm airiness. Golden lights and cool graphics create an inviting atmosphere. A large window has a bench running along its base. This, along with a few counter seats, make up the seating arrangements.

Coffee Jargon

We sit at the counter and opt for our usual order of one flat white and one pour over. The shop offers three different coffee choices which includes the house, feature and premium option. Unfortunately upon our visit the premium choice was unavailable. We therefore decided on the house option for the flat white and the feature for the pour over. Being a roaster, all three options are from the Roasting Room. Both coffees were paired with a glass a water which helps experience more flavour by cleansing the palette. This simple addition is a trend we’ve been seeing increasingly and hope seeps into more coffee shops.

The house roast was a the naturally processed Single Estate Brazil supplied by Andrea Silva who is part of the Cafe Delas programme. This means the coffee was sourced from 100% female farmers. The perfectly made flat white was well balanced with notes of fudge coming through with each sip.

For the pour over coffee we opted for the feature option which also originated from Brazil. Produced by Amarildo José, the cherries are sun-dried after an extended fermentation process. Neatly served up with an informative card explaining the origin and process of the cherries, the pour over was full of flavour with distinguished notes of apple with dark chocolate coming through and lingering on after we’d finished.

With all their coffee verified by “AtSource”, it is clear from their website that The Roasting Room ensure their coffees are of the highest quality and sourced sustainably. Keeping sustainability in mind, all coffee bags are “TUV OK Home Compostable” certified which means the bags can be composted at home, unlike the more widely used coffee bags which often contain plastic that is challenging to recycle. Being so close to the sea their concentration on sustainability stems from witnessing the effects of pollution on beaches.

Summary

Our first visit to a speciality coffee shop in Cornwall proved to be a success. As we traversed our way along the Cornish coast, we were continually struck by the beauty of the landscape. With the Roasting Room bordering the waves of the sea, it’s no surprise that sustainability is one of their values. This care for the environment was reflected in their sea based graphics and further connected this coffee shop with the landscape around them.

With its warm and relaxing interior aesthetic, whether you are coming back from a stint in the water or escaping the busy streets of Newquay, head to The Roasting Room for a well crafted cup of coffee.

Where to find The Roasting Room:

65C Bank St,

Newquay,

TR7 1DL