Fidget & Bob

Fidget & Bob Independent, Local Café
,
Fresh, Home-Made Food
Click & Collect: Pre-order & jump the queue
(204)

"Eating and drinking together - the original social network."

Just to give us a bit more time to complete some critical transition tasks, we will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday (...
31/08/2026

Just to give us a bit more time to complete some critical transition tasks, we will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday (1-2 September). Re-opening on 9.00am.

Thanks for your understanding.

Let's get one thing straight - Fidget & Bob is not closing down. But we do have some news…As some of you know by now, we...
29/08/2026

Let's get one thing straight - Fidget & Bob is not closing down. But we do have some news…

As some of you know by now, we (Breege & Shu) are moving on from Fidget & Bob. It's been almost 10 years - which feels 100 in real life! - and it is time for us to do new things. We have so much we still want to achieve, and frankly, café life is suited to younger legs. The time is right, it's a happy event for us, and we're leaving on good terms.

Today - Saturday 29th August - is our last public trading day as owners, though we will be around for another little while to support Carla & Haidar, the new owners.

Carla and Haidar will continue to operate as Fidget & Bob, with the same suppliers & menu. It's virtually impossible to distil everything into a few weeks of handover training, so we hope you'll be patient as they find their feet - the same patience you extended to us when we tried weird stuff that didn't work.

When we decided to sell, over aching bones one weekend, we thought to hold onto the name Fidget & Bob, but gradually realised that a name is just a name - what matters is the quality of food & drink, attentiveness of service, and the connections we make.

Since we opened, although always firmly tethered to the premises, we have experienced so much - cute children who attended the nursery next door grow to be fine teenagers; customers who moved away but still pop back to say hello; and often soaring joy & deep despair in the same day. During Covid, which was really formative for a nascent hospitality business, customers said the only time they heard their name was when we called their coffee; another who broke down in tears when he learned of his grandmother's death, but couldn't get to her; and of course, we opened Christmas Day 2020, not being allowed to go anywhere. Coffee was on the house that day - an inconsequential nod to the suffering around us.

We have loved meeting so many Reading indies along the way. When the Government announced lock-down, a number of Reading indies met at ours to discuss what it might mean for small hospitality, and whether we could work to support each other. Out of that, we began to stock local products for sale (who remembers the Ding-a-Ling?) and some we still carry. A big shout out to our friends at Clay's Kitchen & Bar Makan Malaysia Gluten-free Nibsy Rise Bakehouse Dee Caf Shed Double-Barrelled Tilehurst Honey; Vegivores; Swaadish Curry Beechwood Farm Free Range Eggs Geo Cafe; Blue Collar; the much-missed Grumpy Goat; La Petite Bouche; The Collective; Ela's Coffee Bar; Wolsely Street Bakery; Anonymous Coffee; Zest; Warings Bakery; Dark Horse Roastery; Dolphin Brewery; Cuppies 'n' Cream...and oh so many more.

Hospitality is tough right now. Chains aren't evil - of course not - but it is not a level playing field, and that really hurts. Independents don't have the same financial muscle or influence as chains. With that in mind then, when you make a decision to spend your hard-earned money, if you can, please think about spending some with an independent business.

As we could to say goodbye, we've tried to check in with as many people as possible, but like any good Oscar speech, we will have missed some. Please forgive us - there have been so many lovely customers who have passed through.

For now, we'll sign off. If you spot us in the wild do say hello!

For several years now, our customers have supported the Whitley Community Development Association (WCDA) Whitley CDA thr...
28/08/2026

For several years now, our customers have supported the Whitley Community Development Association (WCDA) Whitley CDA through our Community Giving initiative. Recently, they told us that needed a new cooker for their café. Through the generous donations from our customers, we have placed an order for a new cooker. (Total value £854.) We hope they enjoy several years of great food!

For those who donate £1 here & there, it really does mount up to something amazing for local charities.

Thanks a million, everybody.

Mighty women are the backbone of great communities. And there is none more mighty than Davina Turnbull and her daughter ...
28/08/2026

Mighty women are the backbone of great communities. And there is none more mighty than Davina Turnbull and her daughter Amelie.

For several years, we stocked greeting cards by Little Amelie Art. Half the profits from Amelie’s card sales are donated to Camp Mohawk, a multi-functional day centre for children with special needs. Amelie's brother George has a genetic condition called lobar holoprosencephaly, which means that developmentally, he is 18 months old. George loves Camp Mohawk.

Apart from stocking the greeting cards, and as a token of of our respect for mighty Davina & Amelie, we wanted to do a little more through our Community Giving Initiative. We have just placed an order for a new piece of soft play kit for Camp Mohawk. (Total value £645.) We hope George & his friends have a brilliant time on the new kit.

For those who donate £1 here & there, it really does mount up to something amazing for local charities.

Thanks a million, everybody.

Pipp & Co doughnut flavours for Saturday 22nd August:🍩 Mixed Berry🍩 Belgian Chocolate🍩 Passionfruit🍩 Cinnamon & Brown Su...
18/08/2026

Pipp & Co doughnut flavours for Saturday 22nd August:

🍩 Mixed Berry
🍩 Belgian Chocolate
🍩 Passionfruit
🍩 Cinnamon & Brown Sugar 'Bear Claw'

£3.4 each OR:
- Buy 6, pay for 5
- Buy 12, pay for 11

Place your pre-order on the website, where you can also claim your discount.

www.fidgetandbob.co.uk/pippdoughnuts.html

It has been a while since we distributed the funds from our Community Giving Initiative, so now we have a chunk of chang...
09/08/2026

It has been a while since we distributed the funds from our Community Giving Initiative, so now we have a chunk of change about to go to some great causes.

The first one up... Foodshare at Wycliffe

At the end of week, if we have food surplus, we will drop it off to Foodshare at Wycliffe. Yesterday, we dropped off a little bit more with £100 worth of packaging, blue rolls, bags, and period products. We have also donated £400 that will contribute to their ongoing running cost.

Foodshare at Wycliffe is a community food distribution program, supporting local families in need. The program distributes surplus and end-of-day food from local stores, ensuring that edible food is not wasted and reaches those who need it most. It is open to the public every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 8pm. It operates from the Lower Back Hall of the Wycliffe Baptist Church on Kings Road.

It is run by Pride of Reading Awards Neighbourhood Champion winner Kathryn Burgoyne, and an amazing army of volunteers.

Though Foodshare at Wycliffe is focused on food, if you plan to support their efforts, think also of donating period products. It is an item that they have a lot of demand for that they typically supply through buying using their own precious funds.

The odd £1 donation to the Community Giving Initiative mounts up to meaningful impact to those who need it most.

Thanks to all those who have contributed. 🙏🫶

The good news is that you don't have to be called Matt to enjoy The Matty. 🥪Grilled Bacon🥪Grilled Halloumi🥪Lettuce🥪Tomat...
05/08/2026

The good news is that you don't have to be called Matt to enjoy The Matty.

🥪Grilled Bacon
🥪Grilled Halloumi
🥪Lettuce
🥪Tomatoes
🥪Seeded Sourdough Bread

The fresh lettuce and tomatoes perfectly cuts through the saltiness of the bacon and halloumi.

Order yours now: https://goodeats.io/fidgetandbob

❤️

Pipp & Co doughnut flavours for Saturday 8th August:🍩 Strawberry Cheesecake🍩 Belgian Chocolate🍩 Madagascan Vanilla Custa...
04/08/2026

Pipp & Co doughnut flavours for Saturday 8th August:

🍩 Strawberry Cheesecake
🍩 Belgian Chocolate
🍩 Madagascan Vanilla Custard
🍩 Cinnamon & Brown Sugar 'Bear Claw'

£3.4 each OR:
- Buy 6, pay for 5
- Buy 12, pay for 11

Place your pre-order on the website, where you can also claim your discount.

www.fidgetandbob.co.uk/pippdoughnuts.html

With rain forecasted today (don't threaten us with a good time!), it must surely be time for a cosy toastie. The Cheesy ...
04/08/2026

With rain forecasted today (don't threaten us with a good time!), it must surely be time for a cosy toastie.

The Cheesy Garlic Toastie
🧀Homemade Roasted Garlic Paste
🧀Mature Cheddar Cheese
🧀Mozzarella
🧀Roasted Mushrooms (optional)
🧀Seeded Sourdough Bread

For an extra cheesy whack, extra mature cheddar is added on top and grilled for a crispy cheesy crust.

Order yours now: https://goodeats.io/fidgetandbob

❤️

Pipp & Co doughnut flavours for Saturday 1st August:🍩 Strawberries & Cream🍩 Belgian Chocolate🍩 Madagascan Vanilla Custar...
28/07/2026

Pipp & Co doughnut flavours for Saturday 1st August:

🍩 Strawberries & Cream
🍩 Belgian Chocolate
🍩 Madagascan Vanilla Custard
🍩 Cinnamon & Brown Sugar 'Bear Claw'

£3.4 each OR:
- Buy 6, pay for 5
- Buy 12, pay for 11

Place your pre-order on the website, where you can also claim your discount.
www.fidgetandbob.co.uk/pippdoughnuts.html

Address

The Piazza, Kennet Island (What3Words/empty. Peanut. Cheeks)
Reading
RG2OGX

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 2pm
Wednesday 9am - 2pm
Thursday 9am - 2pm
Friday 9am - 2pm
Saturday 9am - 2pm

Telephone

+441189310271

Website

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