Many students will not venture past Walkabout when in town, for fear of straying too far. What many do not know is that down on Fore Street is Exeter’s Independent West Quarter, and nestled at its heart is The Glorious Art House: A multipurpose venue; gallery, coffee shop, and community space. Brimming with colour, oozing with character and bursting with flavour. Glorious is the perfect little hideaway for anyone who needs peace or inspiration.
About Glorious
Styled as if you were in a fantasyland, the vibrant colours and tastefully clashing décor transports you off of the grey streets of Exeter into another world. Whether you’re popping in for a coffee or settling down for lunch, you can escape the rain to the cheerful interiors of Glorious. Or, if you are lucky enough to be visiting on one of Exeter’s rare sunny days, you can sit in the quaint courtyard – brimming with greenery!
Glorious is proud to boast about its green initiatives – from using recycled paper for their menus, to running their shop with Ecotricity which feeds green energy back into the grid for the energy you use. It makes a guilty pleasure so much easier to enjoy when you know just how good the shop and the products are for your local environment.
The Gallery of Glorious is located on the second floor, and rotates local artists every fortnight, meaning that there is always something new to catch your eye. Budding artists can even contact the shop for an application pack, and have their art displayed for two weeks in the popular local destination.
The Goodies
It is a well-known fact that the best reviews always include a sample of the product. So, I ventured down there with a few friends to check it out.
It was a Friday lunch time, we had all been in lectures, and we all deserved a break. Cue the entrance to Glorious, the light at the end of the exhaustion tunnel. We settled down in the courtyard, soaking in the sun, and ordered our lunches.
I must inform you of a particular qualification of mine; I am very much a caffeine addict, and I’m the “go-to expert” on all things coffee, so when I say the Vanilla Latte was the best I have ever tasted I am telling the absolute truth! When the hipster-esque barista brought out my drink, I was amazed at the attention to detail and quality of the coffee that they presented. There was a sense of finesse that is lacking in any chain coffee shop, but which clearly displays the passion for the best that Glorious aspires to in every aspect of their shop, even their coffee.
I opted for the ‘Spicy Butternut Squash Soup’ from the menu; opposed to the Paninis my friends had chosen. Believe me, it was spicy – just as I was expecting. I was absolutely delighted with the miniature loaves I was given with my meal. Where possible, Glorious strives to use organic, local produce: even though it was not the thick broth I had thought of in my head, I still enjoyed every spoonful.
Overall
I can say with absolute certainty that Glorious has become one of my favourite destinations in Exeter. Surrounded by independent shops and packed with life, Glorious is the perfect escape. And here is an extra little fact – the top of the building, named the Crow’s Nest, is a meeting space which can be hired for any occasion… socials, anyone?
Photo Credits:
www.gloriousexeter.blogspot.com
Amy Hopkins
Trip Advisor