With Spring finally in the air, it’s time for cars and car enthusiasts alike to emerge from hibernation.
And, just like grizzly bears stepping out from their caves, we’re in need of some sustenance and social contact.
That’s where the nation’s cars and coffee hotspots come in – welcoming drivers and riders with warm beverages, hunger-sating food and good company.
Here’s a rundown of our favourite places to join the car community to meet, eat and swap stories with your fellow petrolheads.
London
Ace Café
Arguably the Ace Café is where the whole cars and coffee concept began back in 1938 when it opened on London’s new North Circular Road. Today it hosts regular club nights, live music and offers a pretty traditional greasy spoon menu. The Ace is open seven days a week, with late closing on weekends.
Duke of London
Duke of London put the optimistically-named Brentford Riviera on the car enthusiasts’ map. The classic car emporium holds regular Classics & Cake Sundays in its somewhat breezy multi-story car park home.
South & South West
Goodwood Breakfast Club
Goodwood hosts its monthly themed Sunday Breakfast Club meetings from May to August, with an early 7.30am start and a midday finish. Tickets are free, but you do need to book, especially so if you have a car you’d like to display on the track. There’s plenty to eat and drink available at Goodwood’s Aerodrome and Circuit cafés and various food trucks dotted around.
Fuel Road House
Situated at the heart of a Sussex farm is Fuel Road House. This family-friendly venue has an educational focus, giving kids the chance to learn about farming, but also welcomes car and bike fans. The menu is big on burgers and the Road House is open from Wednesday to Sunday.
Fuel Coffee House
The original Fuel Coffee House (which spawned the Road House) is still open in Small Dole. Fuel’s signature burgers are again the star, while car and bike fans are actively encouraged “We dig anything that moves,” say the Fuel founders. Open times are Wednesday to Saturday.
Caffeine & Machine – The Hut
Caff ‘n’ Mac’s third venue The Hut brings its welcoming ethos, tasty food and ample parking to a former pub in Petersfield in Hampshire. It’s open Tuesday-Sunday, and parking can be reserved, and events are ticketed.
Re: Fuel
Devon’s Re: Fuel calls itself the Southwest’s Automotive Capital and says: “we have two priorities: Caffeine, and Community.” Located near junction 28 of the M5, Re:Fuel’s cars and coffee mornings take place every Saturday and Sunday, with plenty of mid-week events also on offer. As well as the coffee house and kitchen, serving award-winning local food and drink there’s a bank of racing simulators to play with seven days a week.
Midlands
Caffeine & Machine The Bowl
Named after the two-mile circular test track at the nearby Millbrook proving ground, The Bowl was C&M’s second spot. It’s a familiar formula that helps broaden the brand’s appeal across Britain. It’s closed on Mondays but otherwise open to all, although you’ll need to buy a ticket to attend events.
Gasoline Juice
Founded by automotive designer Cesar Pieri Gasoline Juice, near Northampton, is part design studio, part gallery and part automotive hangout. Among a variety of events the venue hosts Takona’s Coffee and Cars meets. Otherwise it’s open to the public on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Hagerty Clubhouse
Our very own Hagerty Clubhouse at Bicester Heritage is a top spot to join your fellow classic car fans. We host Hagerty Hangouts on the second Tuesday of the month, and are open during the regular Bicester Sunday Scrambles, as well. The multi-purpose venue is also available for hire for private events.
Gilks Garage Café
Gilks Garage in Kineton, Warwickshire has a 100-year history in the same family and was reinvented a few years ago as a delightful car-themed café, by brother and sister Keith and Katherine. They welcome everyone on two and four wheels, and even have electric charging points! Open Wednesday to Sunday, regular events include fish ‘n’ chip Fridays and Sunday roasts, with the occasion car-themed evening also on the calendar.
Caffeine & Machine The Hill
The original Caffeine & Machine, now known as The Hill, brought car culture to Stratford-upon-Avon in 2018. It’s since become hugely popular, and spawned the two spin-offs above. It’s so popular, in fact, that The Hill is open seven days a week. There’s something going on every day, and it’s always busy, so do check in advance before turning up.
Piston Club
The Piston Club, also not far from Stratford, is a more racy spot, founded by the people behind BTCC team Power Maxed Racing. The restaurant is open every evening with a varied gastro pub menu, while there are regular themed evenings and weekend daytime meets as well.
Wales
Baffle Haus
Baffle Haus was founded by rugby Lion George North, Welsh Cricketer Andrew Salter and entrepreneur Sam Daymon, brought together by their love of everything on two wheels. They started with the Cedars, on the A4042 near Pontypool, serving coffee and cake from 201 before expanding to the Old Post on the A48 near Cardiff in 2024. The Cedars offers easy access to the great roads of the Brecon Beacons, but parking is a tad tight, while over at the Old Post there’s room for 90 cars and 60 bikes. Haus burgers are the specialty, with beef coming from cows “just a couple of fields away.” Both Baffle Hauses host regular themed events for car and bike fans.
North East
The Motorist
The Motorist is quite possibly the biggest and busiest car hangouts in the UK. Opene seven days a week, there’s parking for 800 cars at its airfield location near Leeds, it also holds some 150 events every year. There’s a kitchen, a members’ club, shop, and garage so it can cater for all your automotive needs. You can even get married there – although you’d need a very understanding spouse!
North Yorkshire 500
Pickering’s North Yorkshire 500 is a warm-weather venue, open only from spring to autumn, and even then, its hours can be a little erratic. Nonetheless, when it is operating it’s a well-placed spot for a coffee before exploring the North York Moors, which is why many local car clubs use it as a base for road trips and rallies.
Northumberland Coffee House
The owners of the Northumberland Coffee House not only provide hot beverages and snacks, they can also rent you a classic Land Rover to explore the area. They’ve even devised a road trip route – the Northumberland 250, to take in the best of the county, from Lindisfarne to Kielder forest. It’s open daily from 8am-4pm.
Great Northern Classics
Great Northern Classics is a bustling motoring hub set on a former foundry in Derby that was, more recently home to Rolls-Royce’s heritage collection. Today you’ll find a range of automotive businesses, including a climate-controlled storage facility and a calendar packed full of car meets, talks and entertainment. Once a month it’s home to a Takona Coffee and Cars event as well. You’ll find the site open 7 days a week.
Scotland
The Rhynd
Once a month The Rhynd Café near Leuchars hosts a Sunday Bacon and Brakes meet up. Free to enter, the events are open to all-comers on two and four wheels and attract everything from pre-war classics to the latest supercars and superbikes. Oh, and, as the name suggests there’s breakfast readily available. The Rhynd is open Friday to Sunday, and, with a Michelin-starred chef in charge it’s fair to say the food is a cut above the average greasy spoon.
Have you been to any of these stops? Think we’ve missed one off the list? Let us know in the comments below!
Insure your classic with a specialist insurer
If you’re looking for cover for your pride and joy, why not consider Hagerty UK? Not only are we classic car insurance specialists, but we are enthusiasts at heart. Call us for a quote on 0333 323 1138.
