caff

"Caff" is a piece of British slang and a clipped form of "café." It usually describes a modest, local place where people grab tea, coffee, sandwiches, or simple meals, rather than a polished modern coffee house. In many communities it can sound close to "greasy spoon," but it is broader than that: the word often points to a familiar, down-to-earth hangout with friendly, practical service. If someone says they’re meeting at the caff, expect a casual, affordable stop where conversation matters as much as the menu.

In British English, "caff" is an informal contraction of "café" that usually refers to a small local coffee-and-snack place, often with a practical menu and a regular local clientele. The term is especially common in everyday speech, as in "the local caff" or "pop in to the caff," and it usually implies an unpretentious setting rather than a sleek brand-name café.

Many people picture it as a "greasy spoon," especially in working-class settings where tea, toast, bacon, or a full English may be on offer, but the meaning is not limited to that one type of place. It can be any no-frills neighborhood cafe that functions as a social stop as much as an eating place. Younger speakers may choose broader terms like "cafe," yet the word still carries a distinct colloquial flavour in the UK and parts of Ireland and New Zealand, standing for a familiar, local, accessible spot. If someone suggests the caff, you should expect a straightforward, welcoming, down-to-earth place.