Swirls - Tunbridge Wells

Standing outside the brand new café ‘Swirls’ in Tunbridge Wells, I’m immediately struck by how shiny and professional it looks and walking through the door (grateful that its slightly warmer in here than the FREEZING outside!) I am only further impressed, the grey, black and pink colour scheme is very trendy looking. One of the staff greets me as soon as I enter and ushers me to a table before explaining the menu to me, what service! Its’ only let down today is that it is completely empty! The poor staff outnumber me four to one! Unfortunately that’s what happens when you open in January and your logo is gelato.

The space is well used, the tables in the window have comfy looking sofa-seats and there are cute tables for two lining the walls. The back wall is covered in little alcoves that each house a sweet jar, almost like an old sweet store but each has its own shelf and spotlight, very classy! (I wonder if they’d mind me having one… or five…). That’s just one of the many little details I love about this place, the napkin holders that look like ice cream cones are another and the tables upstairs who’s tops have pictures of ice cream and sprinkles on them! There are screens on each floor playing music videos and proving that if you put a screen anywhere near me I will absent-mindedly look at it, even if I have to crane my neck to see it…

Beautiful as this place looks, it was only on my second visit, when I took a closer look that I noticed what they really have to offer. For example, how HUGE their selection of gelato is, it takes up half the counter… and then goes around the corner! A quick peak at their very informative (if in tiny text) website tells me that they sell 20 flavors of gelato and 4 of sorbet, that’s enough to get anyone drooling! Don’t worry though, I know what you’re thinking, “Georgie, just now you said it was FREEZING outside, how can you possibly want gelato?!” and you’re right, of course. Coming in from that cold winters day, only a few days after it snowed here in Tunbridge Wells, I did not fancy gelato, I did however fancy a nice pastry and Swirls were only too happy to oblige, with a great selection on their menu of crepes, waffles, danishes, croissants, cinnamon rolls, cakes and much more I was spoiled for choice.

I settled on a ‘Nutella Swirl’ crepe with banana topping and a pot of tea (of course!). When it arrived it actually turned out to be two crepes with a healthy dollop of Nutella in each and some extra with cream  on the side I was a very happy girl! The first time I was in the warm-ish crepe cooled down really fast (and we all know a cold chocolate crepe isn’t as nice as a warm one!) but the second time it arrived on a hot plate that melted my cream everywhere but made the crepe stay warm and delicious all the way though. I don’t know about you but given the choice between a cold plate and in-tact cream or hot plate and warm melty chocolate crepe? I think I prefer the hot crepe, who cares about the melted cream! The tea, a gorgeous Clipper Everyday Brew is lovely and perfect to warm me up on a cold day like both of the days I visited (incidentally, I ate and drank the same things both times, I know what I like!)

Swirls is lovely, the kind of place I can see bringing a boyfriend or chilling in with my girlfriends maybe even visiting to collapse after work for a crepe and cuppa in winter and Gelato and… a cuppa (obviously) in the warmer months. Honestly though, what more proof of Swirls’ excellence do you need than the fact that after visiting the first time I liked it so much I took my brother there for lunch THE NEXT DAY! Though I really shouldn’t, as my New Year’s Resolution is to eat more healthily, I will certainly be back to Swirls soon! With plans to open stores in Tonbridge, Sevenoaks and Crawley, it looks like Swirls is here to stay!

Twitter: @SwirlsCafe
Facebook: facebook,com/swirlsgelatocafe
Website: Swirlscafe.co.uk
Address: 40A Camden Road, Tubridge Wells, Kent, TN1 2PT