'Coffee is almost the excuse - the connection is the point': The Leeds cafes bringing communities together

A cafe is more than just a place to grab a coffee. For many communities, independent coffee shops serve as a living room where locals meet, relax and socialise.

Like restaurants, independent coffee shops compete with the big names - Costa Coffee, Greggs, Starbucks and Caffè Nero - the faceless multi-million-pound chains that offer little in terms of community.

This week, the Yorkshire Evening Post's Leeds Summer Served campaign is exploring the independent coffee shops that unite our neighbourhoods - whether it's newly arrived students in Headingley or lifelong residents of Rothwell.

Leeds has a strong cafe culture. Empire Cafe is often named among the country's best eateries, while institutions such as IF have become synonymous with Call Lane.

"I think there's a lack of pretension which you may find in other cities," said Bobby Parker, owner of IF. "Rooted in the city's mix of student energy, northern warmth, and a genuine appreciation for people who do things properly."

"Sometimes I think coffee is almost the excuse; the connection is the point," he added. "A good cafe is one of the last genuinely 'third spaces' left - not home, not work, somewhere in between where you can sit for two hours and nobody bats an eyelid.

"At IF, we see first dates, job interviews, grandparents meeting new grandkids, freelancers who've basically made a table their office."

Building community in the city centre

Situated next to Belgrave in the city centre, Grounded & Co is one of Leeds' newer cafes and has taken its role as a community meeting space to heart.

Since opening late last year, the coffee shop has attracted a steady stream of regulars, something manager Nuno Mesquita believes comes down to putting community at the heart of the business.

"You get a lot of community cafes in the suburbs. You find them in the city centres too, but they're a lot more popular in the suburbs," he told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

"I just wanted to help that community grow in the city centre, and just add to that, make the city centre also feel more of a close community."

In addition to serving coffee, breakfast and brunch, Nuno and his team host a range of community events, including free yoga on Mondays, art exhibitions and more.

The cafe has also become a popular spot for the LGBTQ+ community, something Nuno believes comes down to the business's "no judgement, no pressure" approach.

"It's just a space where people can be themselves and just enjoy being around other people," he said.

In his view, what sets independent, community-driven cafes apart from Costa or Caffè Nero is the personal touch.

"If you want a little bit of something more unique, something more personal, where when you come into the shop you'll be seen as an individual and will be treated as an individual, go to a local independent coffee shop."

A second home in Headingley

One cafe where taking a bold risk has paid off is Munch Cafe in Headingley.

Since taking over the North Lane cafe, popular for its full English breakfasts, Sandhiya Prasad and Ram Selvarathinam have introduced a South Indian menu.

Before arriving in Headingley, the duo ran women-only student accommodation in their native India, serving breakfast and dinner to residents.

That experience influenced them as they took Munch in a new direction and has helped establish the cafe as a living room for old and new residents in Headingley and beyond.

"This cafe was actually an English cafe, only serving English breakfast in the morning," Ram told the YEP. "So once we took over this, we do English breakfast in the morning, and we serve South Indian breakfast in the evenings.

"I don't think any other cafes actually do two different menus in the same place, and that is a very unique thing that we wanted to showcase to students in this area and others as well."

But where Leeds' coffee shops excel is in creating a living room for the communities they serve.

"Independent cafes are the ones which actually can have very close connections with the customers. You go to McDonald's, you are just one out of 100," said Ram.

"Old customers - they feel like this is like a second home. They just come here for a chat. They have a coffee. They sit here for one or two hours. They talk about their family.

"You can't share that with everyone on the street… If they go to McDonald's, do they have time to listen?"

The pair believes more cafes mean stronger communities.

"I would say there should be an independent cafe in every two to three streets. That will help people," they said.

More than just regulars

In Rothwell, Gray's has built a loyal base of regular customers. Owner Heather Amos believes venues like hers are vital to the community.

She said: "We've been in Rothwell for seven years now, and over that time we've become an important part of many people's lives.

"We started off as a small independent cafe, and when the pandemic hit, it gave many people the chance to spend more time in the town and discover local businesses. A lot of those first-time visitors are now regulars and friends."

She echoes Bobby's sentiment that people visit their local cafes to connect.

"We host workshops, networking events, and meet-ups for new mums because we want Gray's to be a place where people can connect, make new friends and feel part of the community," she explained.

"One of the nicest things is seeing people who first came in as strangers now meeting friends they've made through Gray's. Knowing we've helped create those connections is something we're really proud of."

But despite having "hundreds of regulars", cafes are facing the same challenges as the wider hospitality industry, Heather said.

"Hospitality is facing huge challenges at the moment, with rising costs across the board. Independent businesses work incredibly hard to keep prices fair while continuing to offer great quality and service," she said.

"This summer, I'd encourage people to shop local whenever they can. Every visit really does make a difference, and by supporting local businesses you're helping to keep your high street thriving for everyone."