A lovely way to recharge your shopping batteries! (Thornton's Cafes)

Member Name: SusanLesley

Product:	Thornton's Cafes
Date:	10/08/09 (127 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The taste, the atmosphere, the staff

Disadvantages: The temptation! LOL!

I am currently staying in Edinburgh with Dave. He is still working up here and has a long term let on a holiday house so Mew is in the cattery and I am keeping Dave company for a week or two.

On Saturday we went to the Fort Kinnaird shopping centre just off the A1 in Edinburgh but if you want to talk about it to anyone do pronounce it slowly and carefully because it can sound very naughty if you say it quickly!

Whilst we were there Dave suggested that we go into Thornton's (the chocolate shop) for a cup of tea in their cafe. He had been in there before and knew that it was nice so off we went.

The Thornton's shop itself is quite small and you walk through it to the back where the cafe is situated. There are about 8 tables some of which have chairs and a couple have very comfortable sofas - I know because we sat on one of them!

You just go to the counter and order and collect your snack, pay for it and then go and sit down, relax and enjoy.

The food consists of sandwiches, toasties, pannini wraps and cakes so it is just snack food as opposed to what I would call a proper meal but the there was a good range of everything. The drinks are either hot - tea, freshly brewed coffee or varieties of hot chocolate, or cold - juice, iced drinks, smoothies or water.

It was mid morning so we just decided to have a cake and a cup of tea. I looked at the various cakes which included three different flavours of cheesecake, mousses, various sponges, chocolate gateau, a sort of lemon flan and also a caramel one, and three different flavours of Danish pastries.

I was considering the caramel flan affair which did look delicious but decided at the last minute that an apple Danish would probably be less sweet and as such better for me as I have Type 2 Diabetes and have to be a little bit careful although not necessarily too strict.

Dave said that he would have a chocolate Danish whereupon we were told that there was a special offer whereby a cup of tea or coffee and any Danish was for sale at the lower price of £2.75 so we were even more pleased! Incidentally the saving was 35p per person but it all helps. The members of staff working in the cafe were pleasant and friendly and very efficient.

We were given the choice of a pot of tea or a large mug of tea and we chose the mugs. The fresh milk was supplied separately in a little jug so that we could add the amount we needed and of course there were tubes of sugar too. We even got a free Thornton's chocolate each as an extra to go with the drinks.

We went over to our table and settled down on the comfy sofa for a chat. The cafe is light and airy and the atmosphere is one of unhurried decadence surrounded as you are by Thornton's products!

Both the tea and our pastries were lovely. My apple Danish was light and fluffy and the apple was nice and tangy making the whole thing taste really good without being sweet and sickly.

The toilets provided at the back of the cafe were spotlessly clean too which I always think is the sign of an establishment that cares about its customers.

So all in all it was a very positive experience, in fact the only down side to it is the temptation of the chocolates as you walk in and out through the shop! LOL! By the way I did resist the temptation - honestly!!

Summary: I will be visiting again!