TRAIT Coffee, College Square East
TRAIT on College Square East is one of a small group of Northern Irish coffee shops serving speciality coffee alongside viennoiseries and bakes made in TRAIT's own Belfast bakery. It opens daily from breakfast to mid-afternoon, a handy stop at the western edge of the city centre.
Photos
Silvia Filippelli
Who TRAIT are
TRAIT opened its first shop in Comber, County Down, in November 2017, and has since grown to several sites in and around Belfast, including a flagship on High Street, a shop on the Lisburn Road and a horsebox. The name stands for its values: trust, respect, approachability, innovation and teamwork.
Coffee and bakes
Coffee comes from speciality roasters around the world rather than being roasted in-house. Everything sold in the shops is baked by TRAIT itself, at its bakery on High Street, with hand-crafted viennoiseries such as croissants a big part of the offer. The team also makes a point of using local suppliers, and the bakes change with the seasons and the bakers' latest ideas, so there is usually something new on the counter.
Using it as a stop
College Square East sits beside the Royal Belfast Academical Institution and a short walk from City Hall, Great Victoria Street station and the Grand Opera House. It works well for a morning coffee and pastry before heading into the centre or catching a train, since it closes in the afternoon. If you get a taste for the pastries, the High Street flagship is a short walk away and has more seating.
Highlights
- Viennoiseries and bakes from TRAIT's own Belfast bakery
- Speciality coffee from roasters around the world
- First TRAIT shop opened in Comber in 2017
- Open daily from breakfast to mid-afternoon
Good to know
- This branch closes in the mid-afternoon.
- TRAIT has other Belfast shops, including its High Street flagship.
Frequently asked questions
Sources: traitcoffee.co.uk · traitcoffee.co.uk