Eighty Six’d was a (semi-) chance discovery in Ironbridge, where I’d gone to visit The Green Wood Café. However, tipped off by Hundred House, who I’d visited the day before, I took a wander along the river front and past the eponymous Ironbridge to the eastern end of town, where I found Eighty Six’d, occupying the first floor of a narrow, wedge-shaped building.

In pre-COVID times, you could go inside Eighty Six’d, which has the intriguing tagline “Art • Coffee • Cake”. Unfortunately, until the next relaxation of the COVID-19 restrictions which are due in mid-May, you’re limited to ordering something to go from the door, which you’ll find along the left-hand side of the building. There are various espresso-based drinks, with coffee from nearby Has Bean, loose-leaf tea, a selection of specialty drinks, light lunches, sandwiches and cakes.

You can read more of my thoughts after the gallery.

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Eighty Six’d is on the corner of Waterloo Street, which runs along the top of a small rise overlooking the River Severn, and Madeley Road, which climbs steeply up the hill and out of the gorge. The two streets meet at an acute angle, the resulting corner being occupied by a narrow, three-storey building that is best described as wedge-shaped.

The ground floor, which has the advantage of having its door right at the tip of the building, is home to a hair and beauty salon, with Eighty Six’d occupying the first floor. Despite the address (1A Waterloo Street), the entrance is on Madeley Road, which is on your left as you approach from the centre of town, where you’ll find the door towards the back, aided by a colourful A-board at street level and an equally colourful sign projecting from the wall at first-floor level.

The door opens into a small hallway with stairs at the back. These lead up and to the right and are, sadly, currently off-limits due to COVID-19. Instead, you’re greeted by a rope strung across the doorway and a small, round table with a sign asking you to wait someone to come and take your order.

When it comes to coffee, Eighty Six’d uses Has Bean, with the Blake: Black Blend in the hopper during my visit. I ordered a flat white, the barista happy to take my HuskeeCup. As well as the standard options, I could have had a “French Kiss” (sweetened latte with honey) or a “Barraquito” (which, I believe, comes from the Canary Islands, and includes liqueur, described to me as a dessert in a cup). Sadly, I’d just had (a very big) breakfast at The Green Wood Café, otherwise I may have been tempted by one of ten different cakes, all of which are baked on-site. With hindsight, I should have had something anyway, which I could have eaten on my long drive back to Guildford.

Instead, I stuck with just my flat white, which I took down to the famous Ironbridge, my coffee enjoying the views which I enjoyed my coffee. The Blake goes very well with milk, producing a rich, sweet flat white which I thoroughly enjoyed. I would have loved to stay for longer, but sadly I had to get back to Guildford for the Surrey Scorchers final game of the season. I arrived 4½ hours later with just 15 minutes to spare thanks to some lovely Friday afternoon traffic around Birmingham, which delayed me just enough to hit the M25 at rush hour.

May 2021: Eighty Six’d plans to reopen its interior seating as soon as COVID-19 restrictions allow, while I plan to be back, this time for a longer visit, so that I can see what I missed! Watch this space.

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