Data Sources

OpenStreetMap (Overpass API)

Used for: initial cafe seed, name, geo-coordinates, street address, opening_hours where present, amenity hints (internet_access, outdoor_seating, wheelchair, diet:vegan, dog).

Licence: Open Database Licence (ODbL). © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Freshness: Cafes are imported via Overpass on demand; long-tail metadata updates as contributors edit OSM.

Google Places (Places API)

Used for: backfilling opening hours when OpenStreetMap doesn't have them. Called via a server-side script and a Supabase Edge Function — the API key never touches the browser.

Freshness: Hours are refreshed periodically; the cafe page does not promise hours are live.

Community submissions

Used for: cafes that aren't yet in OpenStreetMap. A signed-in user can submit a new cafe with a name, location and address. The submission stays in a "pending" state until three different users confirm it on the ground, at which point it auto-verifies.

Verification: Three-of-three independent confirmations. No editor override.

Community amenity votes

Used for: wifi, outlets, seating, bathroom, quiet, outdoor, pet-friendly, specialty coffee, vegan options. Each tag is a per-user upvote / downvote. Cafes show a tag when the net score is positive.

Why this and not yes/no? Wifi quality changes, "quiet" varies by time of day, and one person's "good for working" is another's "too cold". A net vote averages those out.

Community reviews + check-ins

Used for: the visible review text on each cafe page, the aggregate rating, and the recent-activity feed. Reviews are tied to a signed-in profile with a stable username.

Moderation: Reviews are not edited. Users can delete their own. Authors are publicly attributed.

Community photos

Used for: the hero image on each cafe page. Uploaded by signed-in users, stored in Supabase Storage, attributed to the uploader.

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