What makes for a great Cafe?

I have always disliked the term "Entertainment Industry". It smacks of the food and drink equivalent of satanic mills.

The picture above is of Cafe Guerbois. Centred on Edouard Manet, its customers included Emile Zola, Monet, Renoir, Pissaro and Degas. It was the crucible from which the Impressionist movement emerged. Not bad for a cafe.

What I wonder makes for a great cafe? I found myself pondering this question as we find ourselves, hopefully, on the cusp of being able to go back to places to meet. It also begged the related question - which ones have I missed in a year of living antisocially? The answer bothered me. Very few

I think a great cafe, or pub has a number of attributes that set it apart.

• It has a host for whom what they do defines their life. It is more than a business, it is a way of life.

• Naturally, it serves wonderful coffee (or beer) with real provenance and pastries made with love, either on the premises or locally. Never, ever from a supermarket.

• It has great customers w…