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Speciality coffee and donuts at new cafe and bakery
On a recent morning, Chris Chubb and John Drysdale stood behind the bar of what will soon become their third business in Bristol.
Taking a dust cover off a machine with an elaborate flourish, the pair looked ahead to a summer of serving speciality coffee and using the machine – a manual dough press – to help make a variety of sweet treats.
Small Goods is set to be the third business in Bristol to be opened by Chubb and Drysdale, following Small Street Espresso in the Old City in 2012 and Little Victories in Wapping Wharf in 2016.
is needed now More than ever
Instrumental in bringing speciality coffee to Bristol, the pair would have continued this four-year cycle with their next opening – but instead have been content to bide their time during the pandemic.
The bakery in Small Goods, on Glass Wharf close to the cheesegrater bridge in Temple Quay, will also provide baked goods for Small Street and Little Victories, with the kitchen headed up by head chef and manager Brian O’Hara.
Small Goods will be opening the other side of the cheesegrater bridge from Temple Meads – photo: Martin Booth
“Everything has moved on so much in the last ten years,” said Chubb. “You do have to improve what you are doing.
“You need to improve and adapt to keep up the quality of what is going on in Bristol.”
While Small Street still specialises in coffee, Little Victories is both a cafe and a bar, while Small Goods will focus on speciality coffee and donuts.
Customers will be able to see the donuts being made in the open kitchen, with Drysdale already busy testing out flavour combinations in his kitchen at home in Totterdown.
Coffee will focus on but not be limited to batch brew filter, with beans able to be purchased in tins.
“It’s about keeping things interesting rather than doing the same thing again,” said Chubb. “In an office area like this, coffee and donuts is a great fit.”
Drysdale continued the theme: “You’ll be able to get an amazing cup of coffee and amazing donuts.
“The donuts will be unbelievable with a cup of coffee. They are unbelievable when they come out of the fryer in front of you.”
Main photo, from left to right: John Drysdale, Brian O’Hara and Chris Chubb – photo by Martin Booth
Read more: New bakery set to open in St George
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