Zuzanna Mohsen has taken a gamble by opening a new cafe during a pandemic.
But already the decision to launch Lost Coffee & More in St Clement’s seems to be paying off.
Loyal customers are returning on a daily basis to enjoy the coffee, relaxed atmosphere, cakes, pastries and banana bread.
Originally from Poland, Mrs Mohsen has lived in Oxford for about seven years and has worked in the hospitality industry for many years.
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“I come from a restaurant family so I am used to this,” she said.
“We opened in August and then of course the new variant came along after that so things were a little quiet in December as some staff started to work from home.
“Now people are coming back into Oxford and I’m hopeful that means business will pick up.
“There are already customers who are regulars and I’m very grateful for that.”
Mrs Mohsen said she is trying to stay optimistic about the future and is hopeful there are no more lockdowns.
She added: “I hope this is a great place to get lost in - I want people to come here and relax.
“Students and office workers can come here and plug in their laptops - we see that quite a lot.”
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One customer from Oxford, who has become a regular, recommends the cafe for a visit.
She said: “I went in there for the first time last week. I’m hooked -the lady that owns it makes pretty much everything herself including a vegan biscoff cheese cake that I have to go back and get this week!
“It’s local ingredients, and her menu for hot drinks is the most inventive I’ve ever come across which is particularly great for people who love coffee culture but can’t drink coffee - they do coffee as well of course.
“Students are starting to come in and spend time, it’s a lovely place where you really feel welcome to just come in on your own and have a much welcomed pit stop.”
Another reviewer added: “It’s a beautifully decorated bright airy place to go.
“It was so welcoming I felt like I was already a seasoned local when we came in and admittedly fired a ton of questions at her about all the utterly delicious looking cakes to eat - so many were an obvious deviation from the usual offerings you get in cafes.
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“They do an oatmeal stuffed baked apple topped with vegan custard. How awesome and I’m not even veggie let alone vegan but I want that! They really take pride in their produce.”
While Mrs Mohsen does most of the work herself, she said she was looking forward to taking on new staff as the business grows.
"I have already had a few people approach me, so that shouldn’t be a problem," she said.
The cafe at 69, St Clement’s is open six days a week from 7.30am to 6pm and is closed on Sunday.
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