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Cafe Metro

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joellevand
joellevand
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
1
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1
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Editor Pick

Cafe Metro

  • April 23, 2005
  • Rated 4 of 5 by joellevand from Edgewater Park, New Jersey
Cafe Metro

I feel I should begin this entry by saying that I've never been one for peer pressure. I've never felt an urge, because of one or many friends, to pick up a cigarette and start inhaling to capacity as much toxic, carcinogenic fumes as possible. That said, however, sitting here with a pen and notebook in hand, waiting for my grilled chicken sandwich and chips to arrive, I can't help but feel bizarrely wistful about Paris bistros and wishing that I had a cigarette in my unoccupied left hand to slowly drag on at my leisure. Once outside again, I take a deep breath of fresh air and move on, but inside of Cafe Metro, I'm immediately taken by a longing to contribute to the blue-gray haze that perpetually hangs over the large smoking section.

It's just the atmosphere of Cafe Metro that lends itself to ideas of Paris and artists and writers sitting around tables, smoking fags, and waxing poetic about literature and philosophy. A small, if-you-blink-you-miss-it café hidden behind Debenhams on High Street in the city centre, Cafe Metro is a brilliant place for lunch to mingle with the friendly staff who speak broken English and with professionals and amateur artists. Manchester writer and comic artist David R. Williams penned part of a short story here, and he's not the only budding writer at work. All over the café are people chatting, mingling, smoking, and a few lone figures are seated in the dark corners, busily scratching away on paper.

Not unlike myself as I write this review.

Of course, Cafe Metro isn't all about the incredibly casual, continental atmosphere. The food is excellent, especially their vegetarian spaghetti, and the coffee is always brilliant. The grilled chicken sandwich is definitely to be tried, as is the lasagna.

Cafe Metro is a seat-yourself, pay-your-waitress-or-at-the-till, eat-with-your-friends-or-dine-alone casual café on two floors, with large windows on the ground floor for people-watching. It's a great place to spend an entire day practicing your artistic endeavors, or a cute little shop to grab a bite to eat on your lunch break.

From journal Six Months Living in Manchester

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