I have now frequented a few board game cafes and I feel like I am beginning to get a good picture of what makes them great. So I was very excited when @therelationship.co approached me to see if I wanted to try the new Draughts Stratford prior to it opening. It has kinda spurred me on to feature more Board Game Cafes on my site, of which this is the first.
We hopped on a train to London and from London Bridge rode the Jubilee Line all the way to Stratford. To pad the day out a little more we strolled to Olympic Park and went on the world’s longest tunnel slide: ArcelorMittal Orbit. It was very expensive and made me feel travel sick, but I was proud of myself for braving it and the kids loved it. Slightly queasy I stumbled back over the river and down some steps to the Draughts frontage and lovely outside seating area overlooking some swan pedalos!
Through the doors and we were promptly greeted and shown to our table.
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Game Selection
I didn’t even bother to get comfy before heading over to the library to see what was available. Party games, mid-weight games, family games, as well as kids games and two-player games were all clustered together neatly in an alcove. Over the way, was a decent spread of co-operative games and beside those were the slightly heavier titles.
All the classics were present, but this was clearly a games library in its infancy. There was plenty to choose from, but I think there were some obvious staples for a café that had not arrived yet. There were more games upstairs, but these were more of the same. I grabbed a couple of games off the shelf to start with. While my boys grabbed a quick party game to play while I was learning a couple of them.
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The first game I played was Coloretto. I had never played this simple card game and had always wanted to. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but my boys were less impressed. Food arrived and then we continued with a bout of The Sock Game and Seas of Strife. It was during this game I got a message from another Instagrammer who had seen where I was and how close they were so I invited @gaminoverboard to join us. With a sixth player at the table we played Concept, Flip 7 and Kites before settling our bill.
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Food and drink
I decided to be adventurous and so started with a cocktail. A Tiramisu Espresso Martini soon arrived along with water and some fizzy drinks for the family. I was so excited by a sponge finger being aloft my cocktail I dunked it into the cocktail froth and only on my last mouthful did I remember I should’ve taken a photo of it before this point! That felt like the perfect excuse for another!
The table was split between burgers and crispy chicken and hot honey bao buns. I went for the latter and I was very pleased I did! They were a taste sensation and came with a generous portion of chips as well. There were no complaints around the table at all for the mains.
We didn’t opt for a pudding and that was probably my only disappointment. The three options didn’t grab me so I opted for another boost of caffeine in the form of an espresso. My youngest had some churros that were a bit too cinnamony for his ten year old tastebuds. I helped and they were fine, but reassured me not going for pudding was the right decision.
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Atmosphere
I have been to both Draughts at Waterloo and Hackney before. Each venue offered a different vibe. Waterloo being in the graffitied tunnel of Leake Street has a young and cool feel. Whereas Hackney was more opulent with its Art Deco resplendence and felt much more sophisticated.
Draughts Stratford had a slightly more industrial vibe and this contemporary edginess felt fresh yet traditional. I picked up speakeasy vibes although with the glorious glass frontage this would never have survived prohibition!
I’m a big fan of the tables at Draughts, they sit a bit higher than most, but have a dedicated shelf below to store lids, the next game, spare components and instructions. This means that the table top isn’t cluttered up, even when the food and drinks arrive. Our booth seating was extremely comfortable but was directly under a speaker. The music was unoffensive but just a tad loud for my aging ears and head, especially when trying to learn and teach games.
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Price
As I was very kindly given a discounted experience it isn’t particularly apt to offer an opinion on the value of my time at Draughts. My cocktail was never going to be cheap, and that would normally be £12.50. I could’ve saved about a fiver and gone for a pint of beer instead, but that wouldn’t have looked so good in the photo! Most main meals were about £16. The kids meal is £10 and includes a drink, main and pudding.
I was impressed to discover that children under 12 play for free, and even kids aged 13-17 game for half-price. I’m not sure I knew that from previous visits to Waterloo and Hackney, but with approaching school holidays it is certainly worth remembering.
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Staff
The staff were very friendly and attentive. Food and drinks were not long in arriving and dirty dishes and empty glasses were cleared as promptly as you would hope.
Their website states that their staff will suggest and instruct you on various games but that has not been my experience at any of the locations. Unlike some board game cafés, I have never been offered to be taught any games at Draughts. You are very much on your own, or perhaps they are not as forthcoming as they could be about teaching them. I think that is a shame, as I saw a table beside me playing Monopoly and Connect-4. I was desperate to go over and lure them further into modern board games by teaching them something easy but brilliant. A member of staff helping to guide people in that way would not only benefit the hobby as a whole, but potentially entice people back to Draughts to learn another new game in the future.
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Final thoughts
I really enjoyed my time at Draughts Stratford and the location was really good. It was a breeze to get to on the train. The V&A East Museum and the Stratford shopping centre were both neighbouring the venue to help pad out the day. The food and drink was very tasty and the games were all in good condition. Granted the games were all pretty much new, so that’s what you would expect. I will be keen to see how the library expands over time but regardless, Draughts Stratford is well worth a visit!
Key Facts
Location: Stratford, London
Participants: 2 adults, 3 children (ages 17, 14 and 10)
Price: £7.50 off-peak hours and £9.50 peak hours (children discounted see text).
Website: https://www.draughtslondon.com/
Reviewer’s Note
For clarity: we don’t get paid for our reviews. However, we were kindly given a discounted experience by Draughts via TheRelationship.co. We have tried not to let this affect our review in any way.
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