THE faint aroma of fresh coffee can be detected in the foyer of Worcester City Library, Art Gallery and Museum. It is about the only clue that there's something cooking in the building.
In fact, there's not a great deal cooking on the premises, for the Balcony Cafe offers a simple menu including a selection of sandwiches, home-made soup, baked potatoes with various fillings and cakes and ice creams for those with a sweet tooth, plus teas, coffees and other non-alcoholic drinks.
But for a light snack at lunchtime, it is ideal. Walking out of the hurly burly of the city centre into the quietness of the building is like entering a different world. And by the time you have gone up the wide marble steps into the galleried cafe with its light airy ambience and walls adorned with artwork, you've forgotten that other manic world even exists. This is quite simply a sanctuary where you can relax and recharge your batteries for a while.
There are just 11 small tables in the cafe around two sides of the rectangular balcony and the staff are friendly and helpful.
My partner and I both started with the home-made tomato and basil soup, which came with a very generous helping - enough for a round of sandwiches - of either white or granary sliced bread and butter.
The soup (£3.50) had a very clean slightly sharp and refreshing taste.
I then opted for a baked spud with a tuna mayo filling (£2.95), which came with a salad garnish while my partner selected a ciabatta roll with a chicken mayo filling (£2.95) and salad garnish including a good helping of home-made coleslaw.
Neither of us could manage any more apart from a coffee, served with a mini macaroon - the expresso at £1.05 seemed very good value.
The menu may not be designed to ignite the tastebuds but the food is reliable and there's certainly plenty of it. Up to 11.30am the Balcony Cafe serve a breakfast menu, but the main attraction is the atmosphere.
The place is wonderfully relaxing and restorative. It's just what you need after a few hours trudging around the shops.
BALCONY CAFE, WORCESTER LIBRARY, FOREGATE STREET, WORCESTER Tel: 01905 724488SERVICE: *** FOOD: *** VALUE: **** AMBIENCE: ****
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