Random Cafe

If you’ve not been I heartily recommend a visit to The Random Cafe (24a Garsmouth Way, Garston, Herts,WD25 9DR). Jane, the founder, is completely potty, a wonderful host, and dedicated to reducing waste in Watford - she also makes a rather decent cup of coffee, that’s always a plus for me!

The Random cafe was founded in 2017, originally based in West Watford. It moved to the Meriden Community Centre in 2019. They finally got their own space and moved into their permanent home, in Garsmouth way, July 2021. They had a lot of work to do on the old site before they could open in November 2021.

Jane set this up because she wanted a job that was more fulfilling and had meaning, she had a passion for reduce food waste and joined the two together.

Volunteer Tom potting on the Leeks

The random cafe is my new favourite place to be. To either sit and enjoy a coffee and a chat, or sitting under the veranda at the back, it’s so peaceful there, you could easily forget you are sitting bang snack in the middle of the Meriden estate. You know those times I mean, when you just need to get away, clear your head and forget about everyday life just for a few minutes! Well for me this is the place. I get a coffee from the cafe at the front, and walk around the allotment to the veranda at the back, sit down, take a deep breath, look at the apple trees. All of the noise in my head just disappears. Sheer bliss

My New Favourite Place

The team of gardening volunteers grow some beautiful flowers along with fresh fruit and vegetables. The taste of fresh grown veg is beyond compare to the stuff you get from a supermarket. On the Random allotment they grow, and sell, a fantastic range of produce, including tomatoes, chillis, fresh cut flowers, beetroots, cauliflowers, squashes and pumpkins, and more.

Jenny, one of the volunteers, introduced me to a white squash she called Baked Potato Squash. It looks, I suppose, like a white mixture between a melon and a half deflated pumpkin. When baked it has the texture you’d expect from a squash but tastes like a potato - I’ve saved the seeds from the one I bought last week and will definitely planting them at home next year.

Volunteer Jenny tending to the Aubergines

Jane, with husband Steve dragged along for good measure, collect food that would usually be destined for the bin (food that’s perfectly good to eat but has reached its display dates) and sometimes flowers, from local shops. Most of the food is set out in The Random Sustainable Shop for local residents to come and buy (for a donation) the rest is used, along with produce that has been grown on site, and turned into delicious treats to buy in the cafe. On Jane’s fantastic “Made from Saved” menu you’ll often find soups, toasted sandwiches, cakes, jams, chutneys, banana pancakes and ice cream, or whatever else the wonderful imaginations of Jane, and her team of volunteers, think to transform that particular days offerings into. Green Grandpa and I often have lunch there on a Saturday, he’s particularly taken with the toasted sandwiches.

I’m sat there now writing this. I’m not sure if it’s all the trees or the houses surrounding us, but I can’t hear the traffic from the M1 or A41. I can hear the cooing of a few pigeon, a few birds I’m not knowledgeable enough to identify, gentle gardening sounds from a few of the gardening team puttering about in the back poly tunnel, and the occasional large vehicle passing by on Meriden Way. I’m guessing the sound of cars is being muted by the trees, I can’t imagine that not a single car has gone by in the time I’ve been here.

A visit to the Random Cafe is an easy and enjoyable way to reduce Watford’s waste. Hope to see you there some time soon 🌿