Tastes of Northampton: Town centre cafe owner praises ‘massive boom’ of food outlets in recent years

Esquires Coffee, in Dychurch Lane, is the venture of husband and wife Zofur and Halima Ali.

The venue was due to open the day after the announcement of the first lockdown, and the pair had invested a lot of time and money for the six months prior to the unexpected halt.

Esquires was eventually able to open in June that year and despite the whirlwind first few months, there has been an amazing response to the coffee shop ever since.

Halima and Zofur first met in a cafe in 2013, and Zofur had a vision that the two of them would set up their own in the future.

Now, they are proud to run an inclusive coffee shop with a quirky buzz and plenty to offer – including brunch, lunch, sweet treats and seasonal drinks.

Halima is the fourth individual to get on board with the Tastes of Northampton series, after the Chronicle & Echo joined National World’s Food and Drink Month.

When asked her favourite thing about being a business owner in the town, Halima said: “Definitely the vibrancy of the people, that’s been the case since day one. Northampton is so diverse and it’s amazing that these people visit us.”

The business owner believes the town’s food and drink industry has improved in recent years, particularly the four years they have been immersed in the hospitality scene.

Halima said: “We’ve seen a massive boom of food outlets in the town centre in particular and it’s very exciting with the regeneration.

“Customers are telling us that even though some shops have closed and there are more food outlets, it’s a really nice atmosphere. It’s a positive thing for them and us.”

The business owner would welcome more evening events in the outdoor areas of the town centre following the completion of regeneration works, which she hopes would make it more of an attraction and destination.

As a South Asian woman, Halima would also love to see informal and inclusive get-togethers organised for members of the community to meet new people from their cultures.

Esquires Coffee has received a lot of support from fellow local businesses since opening during the pandemic, and Halima is proud of the way the community sticks together.

When asked her proudest achievement since setting up the business, Halima said: “Getting to this stage and towards year five. We’ve expanded our menu offering, and there are customers who met here and are now married and have children.”

It is an exciting time for the coffee shop as they are elevating their entire menu within the next month, with new promotions and a festive menu on top.

It remains important to the Esquires team that their service and offering matches customer expectations of their price point.

If you would like to get involved in the ‘Tastes of Northampton’ series throughout National World’s Food and Drink Month, email [email protected].

For more information and to keep up to date with Esquires Coffee, visit the business’ Instagram page here.