I am certainly not a ‘petrol head’. I’m the kind of person who, when asked “What car did they drive?” is likely to respond “A silver one.”
However, I’m always drawn to cafés that stick to a theme: spots like The Artyst in Cambridge, which celebrates the legacy of Syd Barrett, or The Cherry Pit, with its distinctive 1950s American diner style. Out of the thousands of places to sit with a coffee, why not choose somewhere that sets itself apart?
It was this ethos that led me to T2D Coffee Club, a vintage car-themed café in Burwell. The building on Ness Road shares a car park with Type 2 Detectives, a car restoration service.
Before I had even entered the café, I was surrounded by retro motors. Having parked my boring black Corsa next to a rainbow of colourful campervans, I headed through the bright-pink doors.
Rather then the typical aroma of roasted coffee beans, the overwhelming smell as I stepped inside was one of petrol. I noticed this scent less and less throughout my time at T2D, though, so I either grew accustomed or it wasn’t quite as heady in the dining area.
(Image: CambridgeshireLive)
The café appears to have a cult following, judging by how busy it was and the T2D-themed merchandise dotted around. Eager to see whether its popularity was solely down to the cool cars, I ordered a grilled cheese toastie with soup of the day for £11.90.
Before sitting down, I wandered over to the large windows that provided a look inside the back room. Lined up in here were a quirky-looking 1958 Volkswagen Beetle and two flashy vintage racing cars.
The soup option on this Wednesday afternoon was roasted red pepper. It was rich and warming, and came sprinkled with black pepper.
(Image: CambridgeshireLive)
The grilled cheese toastie was indulgent. The cheese, which I believe was mature cheddar, was satisfyingly stringy.
I paired the meal with a £3.50 flat white, which was nice and strong. If you’re looking a cosy autumn lunch alongside fancy classic cars, T2D might just be your perfect spot.
All of our food reviews are paid for by the writer. The establishments do not know we will be reviewing their food, allowing us to make fair judgements on each place.
