Roost
I’m always excited when a new coffee source springs up in Godalming. You can never have enough caffeine, right? So when Roost arrived in Wharf Street in 2018, on the site of the old toy shop, I was knocking on the door as soon as they opened.
In a listed building and with a quirky space, they have done wonders with the design and vibe. The exposed brick walls work brilliantly, and a real jumble of seating options – stools at counters, tables by the window, communal benches in the cosy space at the back by the kitchen and fire – combine to exude a relaxed sense of zen-like informality.
And the coffee? Outstanding. Roost Godalming is currently offering freshly roasted Javascript Espresso Arabica beans from Guatemala and Peru, sourced through Surrey-based artisan organic roastery Beanberry Coffee Company. And they always serve a double-shot!
But Roost is about so much more than coffee, as I found out when I chatted with co-founder and co-owner Jody Diton at the original Roost venue, in Bagshot.
‘We wanted to create somewhere that is healthy and sociable. Where you can meet friends for a coffee and lunch, or a piece of cake, knowing that you’re making good choices. All our food is gluten-free, and we guarantee that everything on the menu excludes processed sugars, additives and preservatives. Our menu will also appeal to those wanting to eat vegetarian, vegan and paleo options. But we also offer meat, with our bespoke sausages from local butchers, ham and chicken.’
All Roost’s ingredients are sourced as locally as possible, and they want their venues to be part of the local community. Look out for regular ‘Table Talk’ events, with someone hosting a social get-together to talk about nutrition, food choices or local issues, or just provide an opportunity to network with like-minded local people.
I asked Jody what plans there are for Roost’s future.
‘We have a central ‘hub’ in Deepcut, where our kitchen is. That will support 5 or 6 separate ‘spoke’ sites in Surrey. We started here in Bagshot. Godalming was our second and we’re designing our third right now, in Farnham. And we’re close to securing number four, but that’s a secret for now! We’re also doing some catering for offices and the England rugby team eat our special Roost granola.’
So drop in when you happen to see an alluring Roost sign somewhere in Surrey. You’ll find some fantastic coffee, healthy innovative food, friendly people…and you never know, it might just change your eating life.
Here are just a few items from the current menu to illustrate the Roost ethos:
Smashed Avocado - £7.00
vegetarian/vegan
Prepared with lime & garlic on toast topped with radishes, mooli and pomegranate
Roast Eggs Benny - £8.00
contains nuts/dairy free
A savoury grain-free waffle heaped with shaved smoked ham, poached egg & garnished with homemade dijon mayo
Roasted Pepper and Shallot Frittata Hot Bowl - £5.00
vegetarian/dairy free
With roasted peppers, onions, shallots and our superfood salad
Breakfast Burrito Wrap - £8.50
vegetarian/dairy free
Made to order and served with our special superfood salad. A mix of three beans, pepper and onions in our homemade bbq sauce, smashed lime & garlic avocado, tomato & charred corn salsa and spinach & kale
But be patient – ‘we don’t serve fast food, we serve great food as fast as we can.’
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