Root /25
Set your coffee route to Root /25!
I always pass by this little café when making my way to the Bow Church DLR station, making a mental note that I should come to visit this café since their banners intrigued me with the words “coffee, books, events.”
After many weeks of being busy, I found myself with spare time to walk down to this little café for a visit.
Root /25 is located on Bow Road, a less-than-5-minute walk from the Bow Church DLR station.
Root /25 is meant to be a coffee shop that does more for their consumers than just serving coffee; they want it to be a safe space for all.
This quaint little café can be easily spotted with its large signboard and banners hung around their railings. As mentioned, the banners itself were intriguing and they only put key words describing their café on it, leaving your curiosity peaked.
I must admit that the exterior looks quite daunting because you have to go up a small set of stairs to enter and it feels almost like an exclusive club.
However, you can’t always judge a book by its cover because when you enter the place, you can already feel the warmth and welcoming atmosphere.
The place is scattered with little vases of flowers and plants, which gives the place an earthy vibe, matching its name. The garden chairs also complement the atmosphere and also made it feel like a traditional European-esque coffee shop.
The maroon “retro-looking” sofa also added to the vibrancy of the place, and several little mix-matched decors exuded “community” to which everyone was welcome.
The walls were wooden panels and had several windows to let natural light in, teeming the place with warmth.
The counter had their baked goods displayed in a glass case. When I arrived, there was nothing in the case as it was still early on in the day.
As time went, I saw the display case was being filled with delicious goods, setting a temptation.
It was a rather sunny day and I had decided to order their Dirty Iced Chai topped with Pistachio Ice Cream to accompany me while I wrote my assignment.
The iced chai was refreshing, but the spicy notes couldn’t be tasted.
However, the creamy pistachio ice cream made up for it, giving the drink an almost milkshake texture. I especially liked the flower petals and pistachio chunks as toppings because they made it look so pretty.
Root /25 also served brunch menus at reasonable, affordable prices, and it was all halal.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have a bite there, but I will go back just to try their brunches, as they sounded delicious from the menu.
The place doubles as a preloved bookstore, and there is a wide selection of books, from novels to religious ones to travel guides. It was an endearing addition to the place because it made it even cozier.
The best part is that everything that you buy in that café—books, food, drinks—those profits would go to charity in support of marginalized communities.
They also have regular events that welcome everyone through workshops, live music nights, or art classes.
They are actually having a Paint & Sip event on Thursday but by the time this article is released it will be over but that is an example of the events they hold so be sure to check out their Instagram to keep up to date of their events if that interested you.
Root /25 has to be one of my favorite places in London, and it is a good place to get your work done. If you feel bad about spending money on sweet treats, then head down here to treat yourself and know that your money spent in Root /25 goes to aid people in need.
Location:
116B Bow Rd, Bow, London, E3 3AA
Written by Althea Scully