A not exactly safe place for coffee? (4)

I believe the answer is:

cafe

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'coffee?' is the definition.
(I have seen 'French coffee' mean 'cafe' so perhaps 'coffee' could also mean 'cafe')

I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.

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(Other definitions for cafe that I've seen before include "A small restaurant of French kind" , "Alate" , "A small restaurant as in France - face up to it" , "Small tea shop or restaurant" , "in which one had a meal?" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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