Drinking coffee in a gent’s public toilet?
Doesn’t sound too appealing does it?
Well ever since watching a programme on TV about an architect who bought a disused public toilet in Crystal Palace and turned it into a beautiful little city flat, I’ve been quite fascinated by these unique spaces that were once abandoned but now have a fresh lease of life.
ALSO: Take a look at some other amazingly cute London cafes, if The Attendant is your kind of cafe!
The Attendant is one such place, built as a Victorian toilet back in 1890 it was left, disused and in disrepair for over fifty years until January 2013 when it was reopened as a quirky espresso cafe beneath a central London Street.
The first thing you’ll notice about The Attendant is its beautiful black ironwork on street level covering the stairs down to the cafe.
Take a look at my other website all about bean to cup coffee machines, if your looking to get a high quality coffee in the comfort of your own home.
The Attendant’s Office
The cafe’s tiny kitchen and service area takes up the space where the old Attendant’s office used to be and apparently there used to be a door with “Attendant” written on it. On our visit it looked as thought this has been taken out to expand the seating area, which seems like a bit of a shame.
The cafe can get quite busy on a weekday lunchtime as workers come downstairs to sample the coffee by Caravan coffee, Ivy House Farm milk, Rare Tea, Batch Bakery brownies as well as soups, salads, breads and cold sliced meat.
On the weekends you’ll find the odd tourist popping their heads into the cafe to see just what all the fuss is about. It’s now open on a Sunday too from 10am to 5pm.
Doulton & Co porcelain urinals that have now been converted with a wooden shelf to be used as a coffee bar
Eating At The Urinal
If you’re lucky you can get a place at one of the original Doulton & Co porcelain urinals that have now been converted with a wooden shelf to be used as a coffee bar. Original wall titles and flooring add to the surreal experience and in one corner a hand dryer hangs on the wall.
Those looking to leave their mark at the cafe can scribe their name onto the graffiti wall at the entrance along with the hundrends of other names and messages from all over the world.
The Attendant also serves a good range of breakfast options, light lunch and a much talked about salted caramel brownie.
But for those looking to spend a penny, ironically the cafe doesn’t actually have a working toilet…
Useful Links
www.the-attendant.com
www.facebook.com/attendantespresso
www.twitter.com/attendantcafe
www.pinterest.com/theattendant
