You’ve probably already spotted new Vibe Café opposite the Barnet Everyman. However, if you haven’t, you need to take a good look.
Café Vibe is the latest example of how Barnet is currently better for cafés and supper-clubs than for mainstream restaurants and “gastro” pubs. If you want to eat some decent food in a relaxed and imaginative setting, this seems to be the way to go. It’s just a shame more of our newer generation of cafés don’t stay open into the evening, morphing into wine bars or bistros. (Although, The Wilds now does evening pop-ups and, of course, there’s Stonewines in Whetstone.) A short selection of daily specials chalked up on a blackboard is so much better than a suspiciously long menu worded by a marketing department.
Anyway, back to Vibe Café and getting straight to the point, it gets a lot of things right. Most importantly, the food is great and keenly priced for the quality. So far, I’ve had a Coronation Chicken bap (made with their home-baked bread for £4.50), other good bakes – chilli chocolate brownie, chocolate shortbread and apple tart (£2-£3.50), and on another visit, their ham and cheese omelette (£4.99) which was spot on for breakfast. There are also salads (£5.50), jacket potatoes (£5.50) and burgers (£6.99). What’s more, the Full English Breakfast looked amazing at just £5.99.
There’s a warm, friendly welcome from owners Fash and Maria (who recently moved to the area from Bournemouth) and the atmosphere is wonderfully relaxed with a great choice of music. A couple of gripes: the menu could be a little clearer as they also have information written alongside things on the counter (so you don’t know where to look to see what’s on offer) and I wasn’t sure about my Kilner jar water glass. Otherwise, whether you fancy an indulgent Saturday brunch or a quick coffee after the school run, it’s a lovely local option. (However, let’s hope we can persuade them to stay open later so we can make an evening of it.)
Opening hours
Monday to Friday: 7am-5pm
Saturday: 9am-5pm.
Sunday: closed
6 Greenhill Parade, Great North Road, Barnet EN5 1ES
020 8344 2462
Dear lucy
I can not thank you enough for your kindness and support we are really supprise by the post .you are truly a nice person, and looking forward to see you at our cafe again.
Many thanks
Fash
Thank you Fash – it was a real pleasure.
See you soon.
Best,
Lucy
+1 for this – I stopped in this morning and had an AWESOME coffee. I will be back 🙂
Thanks for letting us now – it’s a great place!
We were there yesterday for a late lunch after a busy morning, and fell in love with the place. We moved away from Barnet 16 years ago but return to visit my parents grave and to see family. Spotted the Vibe on the way home and looked great so chose to stop for a drink and a bite. Look forward to our next visit.
Hello John. Many thanks for your message and pleased to hear you enjoyed Vibe. It’s a great café.
Best wishes for the festive season and New Year,
Lucy
Another enthusiastic thumbs up from my wife and I. Lovely cafe with great food, cake and coffee and we are really happy it’s in our local area. Fash and Maria are wonderful hosts and very kind people. Maria even made some lovely jams for us at our wedding! New menu is clearer than it was before which is great, it was a bit confusing previously. The reconfiguration (moves counter etc) is a big improvement as well. Only thing we’d love would be to be able to visit on a Sunday! Everyone needs a day off though, so fair enough. Keep up the excellent work.
Thank you Jon and Vash – we must get back to try to new menu. Best wishes for the New Year, Lucy
I agree as above – what an amazing cafe. You knew it was special the moment you saw it open. Great decor, imaginative , tasty cooked food, and great service by the owners and their small team of committed staff. I believe Maria makes all the cakes . How does she do it all!!!! You know it is a great cafe as it is never empty and you always observe the staff building up a rapport with their customers – whoever they are!
It’s a pleasure to have them on my doorstep.
You will be as busy as ever after lock down!
Best
Thanks for your comments Judith. It really is a great café.
My laptop and I love relaxing at the Vibe cafe, outside, underneath the awning, as the sun is baking the air, but a wonderful breeze is blowing, and wonderful food is being served.
Lovely people come to the Vibe cafe to meet lovely people and enjoy the great menu.
All ages of discerning humans love the Vibe cafe.