A Bloc

1. Tell us a little about á bloc

à bloc is a coffee and brunch spot in a location that has been a bike repair shop for decades. We serve freshly baked doughnuts, brunches and lunches, as well as cocktails and charcuterie in the evening. We’re located in the suburbs just out of Altrincham town centre overlooking Stamford Park.

The Colombian breakfast and dirty doughnut have become firm customer favourites. As we get a little more established, we’re going to be having loads of evening events like wine tasting with Reserve, supper clubs with Terroni and wreath making with Green & Grounded.

The name à bloc is a nod to the cycling heritage of the building. It’s a reference to when a rider is going all out and doing their best, and we thought it was a great metaphor for hospitality.

2. What is your most memorable coffee experience?

My first experience working with coffee was as a student in Sheffield. I worked at Tamper, which is a bit of an institution. It’s fair to say that at that point, some of the nuances of amazing coffee were lost on me – I mostly stuck to making toasties – but it’s funny how things come full circle. Since having à bloc it’s clear what an impression their slick NZ approach to coffee and hospitality had made on me.

3. What does your morning coffee routine look like?

The doughnut shift starts at 4am, so mornings tend to involve scrambling over to the cafe and having a flat white as the sun rises. Days off are a bit more chilled: we usually have something on the clever dripper at home, or lazily cafe hop around Alty or town.