The café set within a former railway station on the outskirts of Bristol

It provided a unique experience worth repeating again and again

Bristol, and the surrounding fringe areas, is known for a wide variety of cafés which can provide plenty of choice. The character of a café can go a long way to make it appeal to many and stick long in the minds after leaving the place.

So where do you choose? Many cafes across the wider area are widely known for quality and for an unique atmosphere, but there is one café in Warmley which not only provides a carriage-load of character, but also provides a topical take on a few different news stories happening in Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

The Ashley Down train station has been built and has started welcoming passengers as of today (Saturday, September 28). New developments in the progress of Henbury train station were also announced earlier this week.

So we went to the Warmley Waiting Room, the café which is located in the former waiting room at Warmley Station. Situated on the former train line which closed in 1960 and later converted into the Bristol to Bath cycle path, it is also home to the Warmley Wheelers, a cycle scheme which allows those with healthy conditions and disabilities to ride specialist bikes.

The café itself is run out of the former waiting room and spreads out onto a vast seating area. When we arrived on a Wednesday morning, prior to the rain, the café was very busy and a queue of people were waiting.

The options on the menu looked appetising as it was split between a normal menu and a speciality menu. My friend bought the egg and bacon roll (£4.90), whilst I ordered the BBQ pulled pork roll with stuffing and apple sauce (£5.20).

Keeping to traditions, I ordered my milkshake (just £2.30), this time choosing a chocolate milkshake to partner my roll. The café also serves a range of cakes, baguettes and jacket potatoes which were also tempting.

The service was very quick and we sat down on a bench overlooking the Warmley Wheelers and to be sat in a former railway station was such a cool experience. Aspects of the former line can still be found which makes the whole experience a lot more surreal.

The rolls came out and were much bigger than expected. It was also extremely tasty with the apple sauce mixed perfectly with the BBQ. The egg and bacon roll also delighted my friend.

The chocolate milkshake was more milk than shake as it could easily be mistaken for a cup of chocolate milk. Alas I still enjoyed it, and it was cheaper than a flat white, which was £2.80.

The food was nice and it was a great environment to be in, but I believe the main draw of the Warmley Waiting Room is the friendly service - the staff were so kind and chatty to everyone who came to the café - and the location of being in a former railway station.

It is perhaps one of the most characterful cafes in or around Bristol. In a city where cafes typically blend into one another, it is refreshing to see a themed café like this stand out, and it matches the hype and popularity it has earned.

It is definitely somewhere that I will head back to, despite being on the edge of the South Gloucestershire fringe. I might also start a campaign to convert all abandoned train stations into cafes as a result of enjoying my time at the Warmley Waiting Room.

The Warmley Waiting Room is open everyday from 9am to 5pm. In the winter months (November, December and January) the café closes at 4pm. Hot food is served from 9am until 4pm (3.30pm if closing at 4pm) and cold food items are available from opening to closing time.

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