If you’re anything like us then one of the things you’ve missed most during the past few weeks has been going out for great coffee with friends.
Bru, based on Granby Street, is an independent coffee shop with passionate management and a desire for great quality products. If you follow us on social media you probably already know how much we love these guys. From their grilled cheese to their beautiful poffertjes (mini Dutch pancakes). They also cater for those late night munchies through being open right through until 11pm.
Now back running for takeaways and deliveries, we caught up with them for this week’s BID Spotlight to hear about their new drink launches, favourite products and how they thrive in Leicester as an independent business.
If there’s anyone who’s never been to Bru how would you describe the coffee shop?
Open from early morning to late night Bru is unique by design, offering comfortable, familiar surrounds and serving exceptional, hand-crafted products by a team fuelled by passion…and coffee!
At Bru we use our very own, ethically sourced blend of 100% arabica beans, for a truly irresistible coffee experience and taste like no other on the high street.
Whether it’s a morning coffee or late night dessert, Bru is often recognised as a destination of choice for working, relaxing and socialising.
How have you adapted during the weeks of lockdown?
The health and safety of our customers, team members and community is paramount. We temporarily closed in March and were one of the first coffee shops to re-open in early April.
In line with UK Government recommendations we have temporarily closed of our seating areas and are only offering a takeaway service. Although we already have high cleaning and hygiene standards, we have increased our cleaning schedules and all team members are fully equipped with additional PPE.
As a result of adapting from a primarily ‘eat in’ service to takeaway, we have invested in sustainable, recyclable packaging and have tweaked a few of our products so that they remain warmer and travel better on foot, cycles and cars!
What are some of your favourite items on the menu?
Too many to name! Aside from our awesome coffee, Bru’s Bagels and Grilled Cheese have been a popular lunchtime choice. The Iced Refreshers are great for summer sun, especially the Virgin Mojito and Passion Fruit Punch.
We launched Bru’s Poffertjes in May which have been flying out of the doors and popular for breakfast, lunch and dinner times! These are our own take on mini Dutch pancakes.
The BFF (Bru Fish Fillet) is also proving to be a new favourite, it’s already sold out twice since being launched.
You’ve just launched some new drinks, tell us about those…
We’re nuts about coffee and are always on the hunt for new ingredients to combine it with so we’ve launched our limited edition Pistachio Perfect drinks.
The Pistachio Espresso Shake is a heavenly duo crafted using our handmade, luxury Royal Pistachio gelato and a shot of Bru espresso, topped with whipped cream and ground pistachio.
The Pistachio Iced Cappuccino is a must have drink to satisfy coffee lovers this summer. It features a tasty pistachio syrup base and frothy milk topping sprinkled with ground, crunchy pistachios.
How do you find Leicester as a city to be an independent business in?
Leicester is a fantastic city full of culture, commerce and education. We’ve really made ourselves at home on Granby Street and are proud to have been a fundamental part of the area’s revival. The once quiet part of the high street is now bustling with independent restaurants, cafes, boutiques and shops.
What has Bru got planned for the rest of 2020?
With the challenges of COVID-19 we are taking each day and week as it comes. We’re looking forward to welcoming our fantastic customers back in store at some point in the future. Bru also has a number of new and seasonal products in the pipeline…watch this space.
Where can people find out more and order online?
You can find out more about Bru by following @brucoffee_uk on Instagram. We are open for takeaway from 8am – 11pm Monday to Saturday and 9am – 11pm on Sunday.
Delivery is available through our online partners Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat and Owl Get It. In fact, Bru was the first business to sign up with Owl Get It when they first launched (delivery range up to 4 miles).
You can also support Bru by picking up one of their special edition t-shirts on sale now from Leicester Merch Aid.
Our BID Spotlight features are brought to you in collaboration with BID Leicester.
