The Vanilla Pod Cafe Patisserie has become a High Wycombe favourite coffee and food spot since its addition to White Hart Street in 2018. We sat down with owner, Kamal Benamar, to learn a little more about him, his business and some of his traditional homemade specialities.
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Q. The Vanilla Pod Cafe Patisserie is well established in Wycombe now as a wonderful spot for food and drink, but for those who don’t know, could you tell us a little bit about you and your business?
The Vanilla Pod Cafe Patisserie is a family-owned business, and having previously worked for other companies, I saw a gap in the market and decided to bring something unique to High Wycombe. We are a fully Halal cafe and offer many vegetarian and vegan options. We offer a variety of teas, coffees, cakes and sweet Arabic specialities like Baklava – which goes incredibly well with our freshly homemade Moroccan Mint Tea!
I wanted to integrate the food I grew up with into the cafe, so we introduced some of my family’s traditional dishes – we have homemade specials including Chicken Tagine, Dolma and Falafels for our customers to try. They have been a huge success, and we are truly thankful to our wonderful customers for their positive feedback.
Q. What was it that led you to choose High Wycombe as a destination for your business?
I live in High Wycombe with my wife and two daughters – it’s a lovely town, but I always felt like it was missing something. I wanted to create a space where people could come in and work, relax with friends and family or have a little “me time” without feeling rushed.
Q. How is Vanilla Pod different from other local cafe’s?
The team at Vanilla Pod offer exceptional customer service to our client as stated by our customers in more than 400 reviews across Google, Facebook and Trip Advisor. The atmosphere is relaxing, and the venue is spotlessly clean any time you come in. Not to mention the great and delicious variety offered on the menu. All this is at a very reasonable price!
We offer a comprehensive delivery service for outside catering to support Business events, lunches and functions- we can assist with any specific requirements. We also have a large function room that can accommodate any business and personal events (Birthdays, Meetings, parties etc.) and can cater for groups of up to 50 people on site. Please contact Kam on 01494 531510 for further information or to make a booking.
Q. Any exciting upcoming plans/events or offers?
We are now offering a loyalty card where customers can enjoy a free drink or food upon reaching a certain number of visits to The Vanilla Pod!
Q. What other local ‘hidden gem’ would you recommend to any High Wycome town centre visitors?
The other hidden gem I would recommend is the Rye Park which is a short walk from the cafe and perfect to wander around with a nice hot drink! It also has two play areas – one for older children and one for younger children
Q. Where can people find out more about Vanilla Pod?
The Vanilla Pod is located at 17 White Hart Street, High Wycombe, HP11 2HL and is open 8am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and 9:30am to 5pm on Sundays.