Matthews Yard

This review is strictly for Hoodoo’s Café located in Matthew’s Yard because hot damn their coffee game is ON POINT.
I had been to Matthew’s Yard for a board game night but decided to wander back outside of my nerdfest to try out the Hoodoo’s Café. As noted before it is a nice little space with eclectic décor, dimly lit and the walls lined with local art.
I don’t know why I wanted to go there, specifically, for coffee but I’m glad I did. I don’t consider myself a coffee snob but I do recognize a damn good cup if one is given to me. I ordered a latte and upon my first sip I looked at my husband and went «[expletive deleted] that’s a good latte.» I was just not expecting such a good coffee from a little stall holder in a community center and frankly, I should’ve known but I love little surprises like that.
To drive home the point, whenever I find myself wandering down into Central Croydon my husband and I now make a point of stopping by Matthew’s Yard for a coffee (or when I’m not feeling caffeine a hot chocolate). It might be a little more than Costa or Café Nero but, trust me, sometimes you just gotta pay that little extra for a nice cup of joe.

Sort of forgot about this place until a friend recommended it before seeing a film at Vue around the corner. They now have an in-​house burger maker Burger and Beer and Hoodoos is the official in house coffee shop.
We adored the burgers, which are about £11 a piece and come with a side of rosemary or cajun fries. Good beer selection. All the usual suspects are there: Brooklyn Lager, Goose Island (whom are actually owned by Anhieser Busch now — who knew?) Flying Dog, etc.
Same crowd as last time and it was buzzing but not busy on a Tuesday night. They also do breakfast/​brunch which I have confirmation that it’s hot stuff (eggs, toast, etc) not just pastries.

Chill place with some cool art on the walls. We didn’t order any savoury food but I can vouch for the desserts. Yummy stuff! A dark chocolate-​striped coconut macaron was similar to the Girl Scouts’ Samoa cookie (if you don’t know what that is, you missed an an awesome part of American childhood). A good balance of coconut and chocolate. The white and dark chocolate cookies were the perfect balance between soft and crunchy with lots of chocolate chunks.
The staff was also really friendly so bravo there. The only downside was the mediocre coffee (according to my husband).

Great brownies good atmosphere, quite spacious. Burgers smelt good, although I didn’t try one.

Quirky little place out of the way of the busy high street, great for a catch up with friends over coffee. I’ve done some community theatre here as they have a great little space for small productions. Unfortunately they aren’t so good when it comes to catering for big groups at the bar!

Had high hopes given the secluded location, friendly staff and hipster-​ish vibe. Was then a bit disappointed when I couldn’t get a cappuccino because the machine was out of service and there was an awful lot of noise from some interior building works they were doing. First time visitor, suspect I may have just caught them on an off day.

Sweet place in Croydon, just a little bit pricey but otherwise lovely atmosphere!

Tucked away behind the Croydon Conference Center, this café is literally a hidden gem. The vibe is chill. The café is spacious with lots of seating so you have some elbow room. And the baristas are warm and friendly. It’s kinda hipster but that’s a welcome departure from the urban grittiness of Croydon.
Two hours must have flown by while I sipped my latte and nibbled on some amazing banana bread. It’s so chill and peaceful and you have your own space, so it kinda feels like your livingroom-​away-​from-​home.

The idea behind Matthew’s Yard rose fromthe aftermath of … The ethos is that
the business should play a positive role in the local community, and it does!
Whether you’re popping in for some breakfast (they offer meat, veggie and
vegan), coffee, a beer or to watch a performance, the atmosphere is welcoming.
People smile. People chat. Just off the market,
it’s perfect for combining with the weekend veg shop. Croydon desperately needs
more businesses like Matthews Yard.

This is a really wonderful place. Everything in here is a delight. It has a great vibe. Matthews Yard is an incredibly laid back place to eat, drink and work; yes, work! Free wifi. The coffee is excellent (knocks that awful muck you get at Starbucks out of the park), huge range of teas, fresh cakes & a great range of flatbreads. There are daily specials: check out twitter and facebook to find them. I defy anyone not to like it after being in there. If you join, you also have the opportunity to take advantage of their lounge and co-​working spaces.