The Old Crown Coffee Club – Birmingham

So, January blues are a thing. Who knew? I think I'm okay now, I mean, I can look back on the Christmas period with a feeling of fondness(!) instead of wishing it were still here like an ex boyfriend... There's always next year! Anyway, I can see summer now, lighter days, visiting Scotland, London, friends and family. I'm getting out of this silly little rut.

While I was sorting my life out I found some photos I had taken on a festive trip to Birmingham with my girl Rhi. We were ffrrrreeeezing, I remember, and all we wanted was a cup of coffee in a comfy little coffee shop. And we found one! Birmingham, like all cities, has hidden gems, you just have to look for them, and if you walk just ten minutes out of the city centre, you'll find a plethora of little shops and cafes waiting to be enjoyed.

We stopped at The Old Crown Coffee Club - an extension of The Old Crown pub, which had a nice homemade feel to it - you know, not too many bare brick walls or 'kooky' members of staff.

We got two coffees - black americano for me and cappuccino for Rhi, and couldn't decide between the adorable gingerbread man and chocolate brownie, so got both, even though we had just devoured a meal at Wagamamas.

The coffee was roasting hot, just how I like it, and the gingerbread man was almost too perfect to eat... almost.

The brownie was rich - fudgey and packed with chocolate chunks. The Old Crown Coffee Club gave us everything we needed to warm up again, and what made the visit most memorable was the chairs in which we sat. They were super springy and deceptively comfortable, making it hard to leave, but we had Christmas shopping to do (sorry, that's something you thought you wouldn't have to think about for another 11 months).

If you're shopping in Birmingham this weekend and fancy a coffee break away from the busy city centre, go for a wander, it's worth enjoying your coffee with quiet conversation. 

Find out more about The Old Crown here.