After checking out the newly re-opened George Wetherspoons following its two-month refurbishment, I was walking back towards East Croydon when I stumbled across Earthy Coffee.
I was hungry, had a bit of time to spare and thought I'd give it a try. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the temperature.
It was a scorching day, pushing 30C outside, and somehow it felt even warmer inside.
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I was on the verge of turning around and leaving when a member of staff suggested I sit downstairs instead, explaining it was much cooler.
I'm glad she mentioned it because she was right.
Before heading down, I took a quick look at the menu.
For somewhere called Earthy Coffee, the food offering was more extensive than I expected, with everything from chicken shawarma and jacket potatoes to cakes and pastries.
I settled on the chicken ranch wrap after the server recommended it. It came with American cheese, lettuce, pickles and ranch dressing, which sounded like a safe choice.
Downstairs was certainly cooler, although it felt a little eerie.
I had the entire seating area to myself, with just a handful of booth tables, air conditioning and a stack of boxes tucked away at the back.
It was clean, just perhaps not the cosiest place to spend an afternoon.
Still, it was quiet enough for me to crack on with some work while sipping an ice-cold Coke Zero straight from the fridge.
Around 15 minutes later, my food arrived.
The wrap contained two chicken tenders that reminded me a lot of McDonald's Chicken Selects, along with ranch sauce, lettuce, pickles and American cheese.
The chicken was hot and freshly cooked, while the ranch dressing was probably the standout ingredient. That said, it didn't quite leave a lasting impression.
At just under £10 for the wrap and drink, I couldn't help comparing it to a fast-food meal. You'd probably get something more filling elsewhere for a similar price, although compared with many independent cafés and lunch spots, it wasn't outrageously expensive either.
Where Earthy Coffee really stood out was the service. The staff were warm, welcoming and checked in to make sure everything was okay throughout my visit. It's difficult to fault the customer service.
Located on George Street, just a short walk from East Croydon station, it's in a convenient spot for anyone grabbing lunch or a coffee while out shopping or commuting.
The café currently holds an impressive 4.7-star rating on Google from more than 430 reviews, with plenty of customers praising the coffee.
As I'd already decided on lunch, I didn't actually try one, which perhaps means I missed what many people visit for.
Would I go back? Possibly.
Next time I'd be tempted to stop in for a coffee and cake rather than lunch, especially on a cooler day when sitting upstairs would probably be much more comfortable.
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