Alto Lounge
ENTRY
Free
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Reading
What it’s like
An all-day café with a proper kids menu, gluten-free and vegan options, and free wifi if you need to stretch a coffee into an hour.
This is the sort of café you can turn up to without a plan. No booking needed for small groups, the menu runs the same from 9am to closing, and there's a kids menu alongside dedicated gluten-free and vegan options, so fussy eaters and dietary needs both get sorted without a fuss. Fancy a full breakfast at 4pm or a burger at half nine in the morning, nobody blinks.
It's open long hours, from 9am to 10pm most days and to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, so it works as a lazy weekend brunch stop or somewhere to land after a busy afternoon. Free wifi means it also doubles as a spot to park a laptop while the kids poke at chips, though last orders land about an hour before closing, so don't leave it too late if you want the full menu.
Dogs are welcome, which is a nice touch if a walk is part of the plan, and the space is described as wheelchair accessible, though the site's honest that some of their older buildings have their quirks. On the allergy front they say all the right things, staff are trained to handle allergy orders separately, but they won't guarantee any dish is completely allergen-free, which is worth knowing rather than assuming.
There's no booking required if you're six or under in your group, you just walk in. Bigger groups or parties need to get in touch ahead of time, which is a small bit of admin worth doing if you're planning a birthday gathering here.
Facilities
Need to know
- Booking
- Walk-ins for parties of 6 or less
- Food
- All-day café with food and drink
- Dogs
- Dog friendly
- Groups of six or under can just walk in, no booking needed
- Menu is the same all day, so breakfast at 4pm is fine
- Free wifi if you want to linger with a laptop
- Some of the building's older parts mean accessibility can vary, so it's worth asking ahead
Plan your visit
Do we need to book?
Not for groups of six or under, it's walk-in. Bigger groups need to make a booking enquiry with the venue first.
Is there a kids menu?
Yes, alongside dedicated gluten-free and vegan menus if anyone in your group needs them.
What are the opening hours?
9am to 10pm Sunday to Thursday, and 9am to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Last orders are about an hour before closing.
Can we bring the dog?
It's listed as dog-friendly.
Can you handle allergies?
They'll ask about allergies when you order and get a senior staff member to prepare and deliver the food separately, but they can't promise any dish is completely allergen-free.
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