Loft Cafe

I mentioned this cafe in my 'Cafe Exploring' post but I've been in there much more recently and feel it deserves a post of its own. (Although I am going to include some of the same photos as before!)

FOOD

I've only ever had sweet things here, but I often go in around lunchtime and some of the things they bring out for other people look and smell amazing! I've seen huge salads, pasta, meat dishes, flatbreads... I should probably go for lunch myself one day. But look at the lovely little pastries too, perfect for accompanying a cappuccino...

DRINKS

The waiter now recognises me and anticipates that I would like either a cappuccino or a cioccolato caldo (local, oh yeah). Both of which are really nice. Although if said waiter realises you are a young foreign girl he may create a love heart shape on your cappuccino, start making small talk or give you a 2euro discount on your hot chocolate...

I promise these were all taken on different days...!

CUSTOMERS

I've seen so many different types of people in this cafe.

I tend to get a drink then sit myself in a corner (near a plug for my laptop!) and sit there and very sneakily (or maybe not...) people watch.

This week I saw a really sweet date; the girl was smiling from ear to ear whenever her back was turned and the guy was being so attentive and gentlemanly and always trying to make her laugh.

I've also noticed a few businessmen who come in for lunch, including wine of course. At 1pm. Naturally.

The other day I saw the most beautiful little family - a worn out looking mum and dad and a baby who looked only a couple of months old. You could see how exhausted the parents were but the way they looked at their daughter was in complete awe. When the father and daughter had ten minutes to themselves, he sat her on his lap and genuinely just stared at her lovingly for the whole time whilst she grabbed his finger, only stopping to kiss her forehead. If that doesn't make a girl broody, I don't know what does.

I've also noticed a few groups of Americans come in here (I've seen so many Americans in Perugia since after Christmas, I think a whole state have just moved here...), including a group of young men from 'New York...yeah, New Jersey' who could speak barely a word of Italian and fumbled their way through ordering with some help from the not-so-English-speaking waiter. I mean, I know I'm not great but I can at least order water...

There are also a regular few people who come in and have lunch and have the most friendly, human-like dog I have ever met. He always gets his own seat, as if being allowed to join in with the conversation, rather than being made to sit on the floor. Perhaps not the most hygienic though, now I think about it. Hmm. But he is extremely cute and cheeky and I managed to capture him perched up, asking the owner for food. He stayed stood like this for a good few minutes, very patiently, like an eager but polite child, just pawing at the owner every now and again.

The thing I love about this cafe is that it's fairly spacious so there's usually always a few places to sit, and the staff just let me sit for hours, either reading or working or abusing the free Wifi. It feels slightly more English maybe, (compared with some of the other coffee places that have only the bar for you to stand and drink your espresso) in that it's somewhere you can just sit and relax and chat and people watch.

I've also just found out their opening times: 6.30am till 2.30am. What?! They're only closed for 4 hours at a time?! So you can literally go in for your first morning coffee, any meal in between and your last regrettable gin and tonic.

So, should you ever find yourself in Perugia, this is definitely somewhere I would recommend you go! Friendly staff, delicious food and drinks, nice atmosphere, a potential discount if the waiter feels like it, and potential sightings of an extremely cute baby or dog. What more could you ask for?