Thoughtfully Cafe is offering customers a calm haven just a stone’s throw from the noise of the city
A café in Liverpool just a step away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre is drawing in customers looking for a slice of calm and a late-night coffee.
Thoughtfully Café, on Cleveland Square, is just a stone’s throw from the bar-lined Seel Street and shopping buzz of Liverpool ONE, but offers something much more tranquil. Open from the morning until 9pm, seven days a week, the space welcomes regular morning commuters as well as those seeking somewhere alcohol-free to hang out after most other coffee shops in the city close.
The aptly named café is owned by Kuwait-born Hasan Almanae, 42, who took over the business in April 2025 from its previous owners, who first set it up in in 2014. Since taking over, Hasan and his team have put a focus on serving specialty coffee and sourcing quality ingredients from local suppliers including Birkenhead coffee roasters Adams & Russell.
Soft drinks are also supplied by independent UK businesses and Karak chai – known for its spice blend and velvety texture – is made in house.
Warm evenings outside the cafe see wooden chairs and tables filled with chatter, as customers sip drinks under a blue awning, overlooking the quiet, green square. There are locally baked cakes, trays of tiramisu which sell out “in hours”, and pastries from Lark Lane’s much-hyped bakery, Lunko on offer too.
The café also serves a food menu until 6:30pm with toasties, sandwiches, salads, breakfast bowls, avocado on toast and desserts. Everything on the menu is halal-friendly.
Café manager, Tom Starkey, who previously worked in a bar, said: “Liverpool is quite a boozy place so it’s nice to have something different. We are a late space where you can come but don’t have to consider that someone might be drunk or rowdy next to you. It’s a calm collective space.”
“In the evening you’ll have lads chatting outside, it’s like chatting in a bar, except they’re sober with coffee. They stay right till close, we have to kick them out,” Tom jokes, “they’re just so comfortable in the space.”
Upstairs is an area for events and meetings which has so far been used for free by local book clubs, study groups, run clubs and Liverpool Kuwaiti Society meetings, with those using the space enjoying discounted food and drink.
Thoughtfully isn’t the only café open late in the city centre, and Tom says how for many customers, particularly from non-drinking backgrounds and Arabic communities, it will be one of many spots enjoyed on a coffee shop crawl.
Tom said: “I’ve had conversations with our customers and a lot of them will start at Bean at 8pm, then come to us around 9, then to Black Sheep then finish at Heavenly Dessert. It’s a social community and people meet up with different friends along the way.”
While the spot has long been popular with Middle Eastern and international students, it is increasingly attracting locals from the Baltic Triangle and city centre too with many residents becoming café regulars. Yet, owner Hasan feels the square deserves more attention and he and Tom agree the area just south of the city centre can sometimes be overlooked.
Despite this, manager Tom describes friendly neighbours and a collaborative spirit among local businesses. He said: “I grew up in Huyton and my dad was a builder. If he could help someone he would. These days people want something in return but a pat on the back and a handshake can be much more rewarding”.
Tom added: “This is a space where you can sit down, chill out and have a quiet space that’s near town without being in town. You don’t have people walking over you like you would on Bold Street.
“It’s a change in vibe from Seel Street. It’s not as rowdy but it’s still so close to town. There are a lot of people who probably don’t know we exist and have walked past 100 times but not known we’re here. It’s become a social hub where people can come in with friends to chill out or work late.”
Thoughtfully Cafe can be found at 15 Cleveland Square, Liverpool L1 5BE.
It is open from 8:30 to 9pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 9pm on Sundays.
