Meet the owners

Meet Zach

Home to an array of delectable desserts, from fluffy bubble waffles to exquisite French-baked cakes, B. Tap Baron in Lion Yard is a must-visit for those with a sweet tooth!

There’s an inherent feeling of happiness that envelopes you from the minute you step into B. Tap Baron, welcomed by the sweet aroma of bubble waffles and a kaleidoscope of colourful toppings.

The soundtrack is uplifting, with manager Connor prone to belting out a song or two whilst conjuring up waffles or mixing milkshakes. And a selection of illustrious Cambridge scientists – including Sir Isaac Newton (sticking out his tongue) – watch approvingly from the wall, as you tuck into your sweet treat.

Describing itself as an ‘indie café intent on sparking joy’, B. Tap Baron, is certainly succeeding in its mission.

Owner Zach Zavid launched the cheery cafe in 2017, out of a desire to bring the food culture of the east to the west, whilst adding his own creative twist. “I wanted to do something that was international, a fusion that reflected my own heritage and interests; I’m Persian and Pakistani and my wife is Indian,” he explains. “Bubble waffles were a new idea to Cambridge at the time – and the beauty is that you can pair
them with ice creams, fruits and all sorts of toppings to make them interesting and exciting.”

The light fluffy waffles are made with premium ingredients, to a secret recipe devised by a Japanese scientist. They are whipped up on special waffle irons in front of the customers for that added element
of theatre. Taking around two minutes to cook, the crispy clouds are then filled with a tantalising selection of gelatos and toppings, including fresh strawberries, marshmallows, Oreos, Smarties and
almond flakes.

The six signature waffle combos are named after the intellectual ‘barons’ of Cambridge referred to in the café’s title – the scientists Newton, Darwin, Turing, Hawking, Maxwell, and Franklin.

“The Newton combo is our bestseller,” explains Zach. “It is filled with vanilla gelato, strawberries, chocolate drops and Nutella, and has a great balance of familiar flavours, without being too chocolatey.”

B. Tap Baron also specialises in creamy, thirst-quenching milkshakes, including the temptingly-titled Cookies & Cream Team and Mint Choc Club, as well as bubble teas, ice teas and coffee.

Their latest addition is a range of decadent cakes handmade in Cambridge by French baker Alex Guiet, which are available for home delivery. There are six flavours including Red Velvet, Chocolate Victoria Sponge, Black Forest Gateau and Oreo Cheesecake.

“Strangely enough, the reason the cakes came about was because last year, between October and this January, we had about 10 celebrations, including my wife’s birthday, my birthday, our wedding anniversary, our engagement anniversary, and our dogs’ birthdays,” explains Zach.

“We wanted to celebrate with cake but it emerged that there weren’t many good options locally. We’d worked with Alex on a recipe reboot on our waffles and she said she’d help us out. I ordered her red velvet cake for my birthday and it was absolutely delicious, so it evolved from there.

“The French are obsessed with quality and it’s reflected in Alex’s baking; she creates such exotic flavours.”

B. Tap Baron’s customer demographic changes throughout the week; at the weekend’s it’s a popular pitstop for families who want to treat their children, and in the evenings it’s a hit with students.

“Some evenings we stay open until 3am, and I think students like the fact it’s a ‘no bar bar’ so if you don’t want to drink alcohol, you can come here, relax and chill out with friends,” says Zach.

In the future Zach says he’d like a bigger cafe, but for now he’s content with the current premises, which he describes as a ‘cosy Cambridge nook’. “I’m happy that B. Tap has become a place that sparks a lot of joy. People come in and you can see them begin to feel really happy!” he enthuses.

“Right now, in terms of waffles and milkshakes, we know we’re the best in town, but we’d love to be known as the best dessert café in Cambridge, with a 4.9 rating across all our online platforms. That’s the dream!”

Visit B. Tap Baron at 22 Lion Yard, Cambridge, and find out more at btapbaron.co.uk