Arapina cafe on Lordship Lane

[Jellybeanz]

Lovely service, terrible vegan hot chocolate... shame as I've had pleasant lunch experiences before especially their soups.

Edited Wednesday at 16:14 by Jellybeanz

[satsuma]

I've had fine experiences and enjoyed their baked goods, it seems a bit unfair to make a whole thread putting them on blast because you didn't like something.

Edited Saturday at 15:58 by satsuma

[Steve32]

Not tried the hot chocolate and sorry about your experience. 

Found it a great place to have a coffee and do some work during the week. It's expensive, but then that's unsurprising given the location.

[Sue]

I'm not sure how to link to it, but there is actually another thread on here solely about Arapina, also negative but for a different reason.

A search on Arapina will bring it up, but here's a screenshot. This is why I have never been there.

[Sue]

There was a very long thread following that first post I screenshotted (?) above.   I have just re-read the thread.

If anybody knows how I can link to it on this thread, please let me know.

It's very interesting (but also pretty appalling).

Edited Wednesday at 14:00 by Sue

[Jenijenjen]

You copy the address in the URL and then paste here

 

[Sue]

1 hour ago, Jenijenjen said:

You copy the address in the URL and then paste here

 

My phone doesn't show a URL for the forum at all!

[Dulwichway]

On 21/01/2025 at 18:59, Jellybeanz said:

 terrible vegan hot chocolate...

Love this place! maybe try a proper one then?

[KalamityKel]

Does vegan hot chocolate ever taste good? 🤭

[Angelina]

Best way to find out is to try it

[Jellybeanz]

On 22/01/2025 at 19:11, Dulwichway said:

Love this place! maybe try a proper one then?

We tried both vegan and then the usual.. neither was nice.

I've had nice soups here before so will just stick to that. Probably just a bad choice on the day...

As I said the waiting staff are always lovely. 

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

On 23/01/2025 at 07:03, KalamityKel said:

Does vegan hot chocolate ever taste good? 🤭

If it doesn't taste good, don't put it on the menu

[Sue]

Pleased  to see that the original very long and very  negative post starting this thread has been edited down to one sentence 😂

[Vasilis_M]

Wtf. The word in Greek is the “n” word for Black women. Why would someone open a business under this name? People should boycott instead of commenting on food. 

[Peckhampam]

Hi Vasilis

When I googled Arapina it came up with chocolate cake.  I am NOT an apologist for Arapina, I have never been there and probably never will.  But I wanted to ask ......some words in English for instance "coconut" are absolutely fine when you are in the greengrocers but not when used against a person.  Could it not be that Arapina is fine , or appropriate even, for a cake shop??

[Vasilis_M]

Hello,

we’re not talking about a word being used metaphorically, it is literary the translation of the n* word. The cake took its name after the slur, not the other way around.
The word is outdated in Greece and not used anymore, so I’m completely shocked that someone thought it’s a good idea to name their bakery after the slur.