Wakelin & Son in North Hertfordshire

Amazing place, the dwarf ban is a tad harsh but hey rules are rules. Service can be slow if there are hot 80 year woman in. Owner loves his bus sister who is his hero. Just lovely

Excellent coffee and reasonably priced, great selection of home made cakes, relaxed atmosphere, board games and colouring/free crafts for kids, James is so friendly and I would much rather spend my money and time here than in a chain like Starbucks! Great location too near the market square.

Having visited this coffee haven over the years for excellent drinks & home bakes, we were delighted to find a new, relaxed layout with more sofas and cosy areas for meeting friends. The range of home bakes has increased & they can now be enjoyed hot from the newly installed kitchen. There are sometimes toasties & savouries too. Still our favourite place in town for a nicely crafted coffee & good choice of ground beans for home. Teas also available.

Probably the best coffee in Hitchin! And amazing Caramel Egg Cookies... baked with a whole Cadbury's caramel egg inside (and there a creme egg version too!)

Went there to meet a couple of friends and was blown away by the lovely people and staff. The owner, James, has a great personality and knows his stuff. His staff members in particular are friendly and a great addition to the atmosphere. Would highly recommend to anyone I meet!

This place when open is great for kids, due to Covid it is currently serving via a side entrance. You can get some great ground/beans and also top that up with coffee and great cake. When it is open then it has it's owns kids coffee shop play area

I've been buying freshly roasted coffee beans from James for a couple of years now (since he had a market stall) and the coffee is amazing. Lots of choice and variety and always great coffee. He does cakes etc as well and it's such a lovely, homely atmosphere in there. Would definitely recommend.

Up an alley from the Market Square, this cafe is especially useful for letting small children rattle around a play area in the entrance, with seating for diners.

We attended here today and as always we were greeted by the owner who is always welcoming. We had our new born baby with us and this place is perfect for a pushchair with enough room so as not to inconvenience any of the other customers. It also has lots of kids toys for toddlers. I have a feeling this will become a regular coffee stop for us. The coffee and cakes were really good and very reasonably priced. Looking forward to visiting again soon.

Wakelin and Sons is the best (if not only) place in Hitchin to purchase coffee beans and they are very reasonably priced too! The owner, James, is extremely helpful and will gladly order in special beans that are not in stock. He's a peach! Fancy a cup of coffee and a cake Wakelins is one of the best you can got to.

Regular visitor of this great place for daily teas and coffees, extremely friendly, always walk out with a smile! The best banana bread I’ve ever had and love the new vegan chia pots, perfect for breakfast! Always a pleasure to see the Wakelin family!

I have been coming to Wakelin & Son since it opened and find the staff are always friendly and helpful. The choice of coffee is substantial and the owner, James, is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to the types of coffee beans likely to suit your palate. I would recommend Wakelin to anyone who enjoys a lively atmosphere and decent brew!

We've been visiting Wakelin and sons for the past year and never been disappointed. As a base the range of teas and coffees are fantastic and the owner James is always ready recommend a specialty tea or coffee if you fancy something different.The home made cakes are a delight, and if you follow them on social media there are so many pop up events with other local food companies and themed nights that are always really fun and well organised (with delicious food too!).I have a 2 year old, and the shop feels spacious, with a little play area so parents can have a hot drink and let their children play without feeling like you are disturbing other customers.Wakelin and Sons is a hidden gem! look for the signs from Hitchin town square, I highly recommend it! :)

We loved our visit to Wakelins. The manager was really friendly and recommended some great coffees. Most of all though the kids loved their hot choc and the games! If the kids are happy, we're happy! Catherine & Co

Friendly coffee made well with brilliant freshly ground coffee beans that change every day! Brilliant service from all three employees.

Lovely little place off the beaten track tucked away off the Hitchin Market Place. Friendly knowledgeable staff. Highly recommend

Divine coffee here they have a very unique machine that pours some perfect lattes. Friendly staff too.

Our favourite pit-stop. Friendly, relaxed atmosphere with real coffee and a selection of homemade cakes. Regular street food pop-up stalls at the weekend. The owners make a great barista/baker combo. Dog-friendly with plenty of toys for children (young and old!). Trendy adjoining bike shop too.

Great place for coffee, tea and homemade cakes, always busy with a great mix of people. As it’s inside a bike shop there is a good mix of bikers getting their coffee fix and families, plenty of toys to keep the kids entertained.

Certainly the best coffee STOP in hitchin. Friendly, chilled great coffee lovely home made cakes. Good for all nice little space for the little ones to explore while you sit down chill and enjoy a great coffee. Plus you have a cycle shop to nose about.

Loving this place. Really great coffee whether you buy a latte or a pack of it freshly ground for home. They're really knowledgeable about what's on sale, and super friendly too. Cakes and boardgames are all available in this really chilled out space with plenty of seating, and there's a mug amnesty so you can rock up with your own mug or borrow one of theirs for a bit of a green touch :) I got my new Moka pot from here, get the beans for it and grab lattes and cakes when I can - highly recommend.

I have just been introduced to this place by a friend, and will definitely be going back.Delicious tea and coffee, lovely homemade cakes and a really friendly owner. It is spacious inside, making it buggy-friendly (although a small ramp at the entrance would be helpful) and I loved that the owner even chatted to me about my baby. The atmosphere is very welcoming, and there are even some games for bigger children. I sort of hope it stays a hidden gem, but they deserve to do really well so I had to pass it on.

Even if you live in Hitchin, you may have missed this coffee shop as it's inside a bike shop, but do seek it out.The coffee, most importantly, is great, as are the home made cakes, which seem to be different every time I go in.It has a very convivial laid back feel, perfect for a quiet perusal of the paper.

Hitchin is full of great places to grab coffee but some get too busy and there are more great places to go round. Wakelins hidden in a bike shop down a alley is one of these places. Loads of space, cake, good coffee. It’s a great place to have a coffee! Go there.

This weekend the excellent Cheesecake man, Nick, with 'Guaranteed Niceness' is popping up at the Wakelins Cafe in Kinetic bikes (hope I got that right?) What could be better to go with your expertly tailored coffee or hot chocolate? James has been experimenting with waffles lately, lets hope he perfects the range soon so we can tuck in- its just the weather for them....Also am I the only one who didn't know this was the location for Dr Foster where she goes into the bar with her ghastly ex?

James Wakelin is the archetype of a genial host, engaging with his customers whilst serving a fantastic range of cofees in every format you could wish. He's happy to explain how an aeroptess or a cold brew works even if you turn it down in facourt of your regular espresso or flat white, made from a huge choice of beautifully roasted fresh beans. His recommendation of the day is sufficient but he will guide you to a match for your individual taste...as well as sell you a bag to take home. Wakelin's is a bit of an open secret...it acts as a portal to Kinetic cycles whose owners are frequent customers - beyond them it has become the de facto haunt for the Hitchin Nomads cycle club, people who work in Hitchin Town Centre and families who know the secret. Complemented by fantastic honenmade cakes, the occasional art exhibition, free advice on bike maintenance and all the local gossip - spend an hour in Wakelin and you'll really feel part of the local scene. Cone again and it's a bit like walking into your own favourite soap opera. Oh and it's excellent value too

This is the place to come in town for really great coffee. Wakelin & son who supply a lot of the coffee to Hitchin's restaurants and offices are now running the cafe in Kinetic Cycles behind Brookers, and its a real haven for coffee and tea lovers. New treats are being added all the time and most weekends there is a pop up food option or exhibition. The service is friendly and really knowledgable, come here if you want to learn as well as imbibe! Does a lovely hot chocolate too and open Sundays. There are comfy sofas and hard seating as well as free wifi.

Totally brilliant coffee best espresso I have had in a long time. Great service, owner has a great selection of coffee beans, house blend is exceptional and £1.50 for an espresso brilliant value too! Even impressed my dad who’s not an easy man to impress when it comes to coffee!