RICHARD HIGGINS visits Cafe 876, a little slice of Kingston in Armley…
Cafe 876 is a new venture opened recently by partners Andrew and Amber.
Located at 266 Tong Road in Upper Wortley ( handily near to Vinyl Fixx for those with a caffeine and record addiction) it hopes to bring a new experience in a world choc/mocha full of identikit overpriced Starbucks/Costa’s/Cafe Nero’s et al.
The immediate thing you notice is the appealing decor.
The interior is not fussy but is adorned with little nods to Andrew’s Jamaican heritage – a map of the island highlighting places of interest, pictures of Bob Marley and Red Stripe.
Additional bamboo fixtures and coconut plants add a very informal feel, like you are stepping into someone’s house.
With a background in hospitality Andrew and his partner, Amber (an Armley local) had considered opening up premises in Jamaica, Bali and Thailand before deciding on Armley as a destination for their new enterprise. As Andrew said, exotic as the alternatives were they wanted a base in their local community but also to represent Jamaican heritage- and community and is an important concept for Andrew. He strives to source ingredients locally – for example bagels are supplied by Street Lane bakery in Morley.
A lack of coffee shops in the area meant Bali’s loss was Armley’s gain.
But obviously some things can’t be sourced locally – like coffee!
Cafe 876 uses two blends of premium Jamaican Blue Mountain Blend coffee. To qualify as Jamaican Blue Mountain Blend the coffee must be sourced from a certain elevation within the Blue Mountain region. Andrew offers two varieties, one is a 100% blend, the other a mix of 25% pure and 75% other Jamaican sourced beans.
I had a latte to start which was very smooth. For lunch I tucked into a satisfying bacon bagel with spicy jerk chicken accompanioned by a rich mocha.
The prices are very competitive with a bacon sandwich from £2. The highlight though was the moist homemade rum and raison flapjack – a perfect treat to round things off.
Andrew and Amber have obviously put a lot of thought and effort into realising their dream. The opening hours are 8.30 – 4 Monday to Friday and 9.30 to 4 on Saturday.
Cafe 876* is distinct, different, and a great place to chill and relax. A little slice of Jamaican culture transported to Armley, it’s well worth seeking out.
* the international dialling code for Jamaica . Everday’s a school day..