Crystal Café, Fore Street, Exeter

visited in December 2013, for a reunion of long-distance friends

Like me, if you’re not one of those stereotypical hippie vegans that exist only in the imaginations of bacon-lovers, I encourage you to let the Crystal Café force you to put your ego aside, surround yourself with semi-precious stones and incense, and enjoy becoming that stereotype for a while.

Situated on Fore Street among the greasy-spoons and takeaways, is a little shop called Evolution which is not obviously somewhere you would choose to eat; yet has a couple of tables at the back where you can enjoy a coffee or meal for any dietary requirement.  The Crystal Café now advertise on local radio and are clearly very proud to offer vegetarian and vegan food, which can also be made gluten free. 

When I was lucky enough to have a very dear friend visit me all the way from Australia, I wanted to arrange the best lunch I possibly could.  We wandered around Exeter Christmas market in the cold rainy weather, until suddenly I remembered the existence of the mysterious Crystal Café.  My friend, suffering from the British temperatures and dressed like the Michelin man, was only too happy to go along with it.

In 2013, the Crystal Café only had two small tables, but it seemed that the rain had warded off any competitors we might have had in our quest for coffee.  We were greeted by a man who had apparently teleported in from the 1700s, addressing us an ‘My Lady’ at every opportunity and telling us enthusiastically about a whisky club around the corner with a years-long waiting list. 

Once the stories were over and we were firmly back in a new century, we ordered our coffee and tea which arrived in lovely stoneware cups; the tea even had its own timer and colour chart to ensure perfect brewing.

On this particular day, they hadn’t anticipated us; one vegan and one gluten-free, and there was nothing on the menu board under these criteria.  Ashamedly we asked ‘Our Man’ and he excitedly went to the kitchen to ask the chef.  They were only too happy to cater to our needs and I was quickly presented with a wonderful plate of vegetable tempura; chunky vegetables in crispy batter, all deep fried to perfection and served with salad and dips.  Perfect for a winter’s day, and something that I wouldn’t have made at home, so a proper treat!  It was also reassuring to know that the chef could whip up something so tasty at the drop of a hat,   so it was likely that if I went back again, he would create something different and not wheel out the same 'emergency' vegan dish!

The Crystal Café was really cosy, relaxed and unusual.  It’s a real hidden gem (excuse the pun) and it was a pleasure to eat there.  Since our visit it has been renovated, unsurprisingly, to put more emphasis on the kitchen and I look forward to writing another review soon.