A short stroll behind Bristol Temple Meads Railway Station and you’re surrounded by new developments. The new buildings in the city centre are growing upwards, with glass-fronted buildings containing glitzy new flats and offices.
Temple Quay has become a small community for many office workers to enjoy a brief respite from the daily grind. I deliberately made my way to Small Goods in Glass Wharf outside of the morning and lunchtime rush to enjoy a quiet cup of coffee.
But it’s not just coffee that calls people to Small Goods. The coffee connoisseurs behind Small St Espresso and Little Victories launched their third site in 2021, an idea dreamt up from a mutual love of doughnuts from owners. It's just a few steps away from it’s also a few yards away from Oxford Street, which has become a strip for indie traders under the arches, home to Little Martha’s, the Pasty Emporium and The Ding’s Del to name a few.
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At Small Goods, the team pairs a knowledge of artisan coffee alongside freshly baked goods and lunch items, including avocado toast and focaccia sandwiches. The cafe is encased by tall windows allowing the natural light to pour in even on the darkest of days, with neat rows of houseplants and powder pink interiors.
All doughnuts are made from scratch on site, with the dough being left to proof overnight before being shaped by hand and fried each morning. The doughnuts hit the shelves at 10am offering classic fillings such as jam or custard alongside some distinctive specials (previous flavours have included tiramisu and lemon sherbert. On my visit, there were trays of chocolate and lemon-glazed rings neatly arranged in rows.
Small Goods is partnered Foodstuff for inner city deliveries within 2.5 miles of the shop from 11.30am. In the last week or so, it trialled a click-and-collect service for boxes of six, sold for £13, which has now been rolled out permanently five days a week.
It will probably surprise some of you to discover I didn't scoff the lot - I rather unadventurously chose one of the two jam doughnuts, but they're hard to beat in my view. The dough was as light as a cloud, fluffy without being stodgy and filled to near bursting point with a sticky, homemade blackberry jam, which gave a mellowed sweetness. The chocolate and hazelnut cream was also a triumph - and not overly rich - as well as their popular vegan Biscoff flavour.
Forget the garish, processed versions you find at the likes of Krispy Kreme or Dunkin’ Donuts, which are typically more icing than dough. The point of difference is that Small Goods don’t overcomplicate things, prioritising a well-made, fresh dough and quality fillings.
It should already be on the radar of every coffeephile in Bristol, but Small Goods has mastered the art of making an excellent cup. You’re unlikely to encounter a better flat white anywhere else in the city, apart from if you’re visiting one of their sister sites, having teamed up with speciality roasters Clifton Coffee for three types of bean. You can bring the coffee home with you and purchase the house bean, decaf or filter blends for £8.50 per 250g bag or £7.50 per refill.
Bristol is now completely covered with speciality coffee houses and it’s not short on doughnut shops these days either, each offering something completely different. Small Goods’ neighbour Future Doughnuts sell a fantastic vegan selection, Pinkmans serves sour-doughnuts and is a veteran of its craft and Diggity Doughnuts has a huge range of bakes in the city centre.
Small Goods succeeds in its effortless simplicity and high quality in everything they serve, with a friendly team working hard behind the counter. It’s a peaceful cafe spot (ensuring you visit outside of the lunchtime rush) slightly off the beaten track of the busy city centre.
Find Small Goods at Unit 3, Temple Quay, 2 Glass Wharf, Bristol BS2 0EL. Mon-Fri 8am-3pm and Sat 10am-2pm
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