I stumbled upon News Cafe one night while out looking for a non-fast food option near the university campus in Hatfield. The trendy music, low lights, and good vibe emanating from the place was enough to steer me away from KFC and Wimpy’s without looking back.

This fun, casual cocktail bar/sports bar/restaurant officially caters to an over-23 crowd (according to the signage outside), but was plenty full of 19-year-old university students when I went there.

Inside is a large wood-accented barroom, where TVs show the match of the moment and fine whiskey flows freely. Outside is a neon blue-lit patio where pop music pulses from overhead speakers and the patrons are lively (though not rowdy). So basically it’s an OK place to take a date, but not if you want a quiet, romantic meal where you make swoony eyes at each other.

The menu’s got an array hearty comfort foods like burgers, wings, and wraps, some with a dash of imagination. There’s the Cajun chicken wrap (chicken, feta cheese, onion, baby leaf lettuce, tomato and spicy Cajun mayo), the Great Mexican Burger (guacamole, lettuce, tomato salsa, chilli sauce, crushed nachos, mozzarella and jalapenos) and even mini corn dogs. The house specialities are the creamy, decadent mac and cheese, and the “top seller platter,” which combines enough BBQ ribs, wings, chicken bites, sausage and potato wedges to feed a small army.

Drinks are the headliner here, and they do a good job with both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic variety. Teetotalers can enjoy bubble teas, strawberry cheesecake shakes, Belgian hot chocolate (served with an Oreo cookie), or freshly squeezed juices. Alkies can try a martini, mojito, sangria, shooter, or one of the News Cafe Originals, like the Love Potion (Smirnoff triple-distilled vodka, Butlers triple sec, Monin passion & berry puree topped with litchi juice).

Staff is more friendly and attentive than many restaurants I’ve been to recently, and the prices are reasonable.