Too Much Coffee

Ziobeege,

Best coffee in York is by Gordon at Cafe Harlequin (using HasBean beans). My favourite coffee shop is Coffee Culture, a wonderful rickety old building with friendly smiles and great cooked breakfasts, but average coffee. Another option is a scarily evangelical church-run place called Gatehouse, serving Union.

Interesting what you say about Flat White. I've only been once and it was fine, so can't really comment.

jossy wrote:Regarding tube stations, I strongly disagree with most of the above: the best way for you to discover London's coffee shops without getting in a rush is to walk or, even better, to cycle between them.

Would agree - but
1. am too much of a pathetic wuss to cycle in London.
2. i have a wife and a 1 year old who are also keen espresso enthusiasts and we tend decend on mass, although the latter is restricted to babycinos for the time being

Ziobeege wrote:...and a 1 year old who are also keen espresso enthusiasts ...

Start 'em young!

By the way, what do people think of Flat White - has it become just a little contrived? I have popped in there a couple of times recently but now found it becoming just a little bit too "achingly cool", with antipodean staff high fiving eachother say "yeah, cool bro", bouncing along to music that is, well yes, "cool" - and loud. The consequence of this all coolness are forgotton orders and below standard espressos when reminded. It just seems espresso is not quite their raison d'etre anymore.

Maybe Cameron being away for 6 months has changed things somewhat, I had a coffee from there a couple of weeks ago that was less than the usual quality and I haven't been back yet to see if it was just a one off. Once you get to know them the guys there are generally really nice so hopefully it was just a bad day.

am too much of a pathetic wuss to cycle in London.
2. i have a wife and a 1 year old who are also keen espresso enthusiasts and we tend decend on mass, although the latter is restricted to babycinos for the time being

My 3 year old is the navigator on my bicycle rides between London cafes (http://www.weerideuk.co.uk/) and has become such a babycino expert that she complains when my Gaggia fails to produce the right sort of foam... High time I got a professional espresso-machine to satisfy her discerning tastes....

jossy wrote:...and has become such a babycino expert that she complains when my Gaggia fails to produce the right sort of foam... High time I got a professional espresso-machine to satisfy her discerning tastes....

GMRK wrote:If you want a quick caffeine fix somewhere closer Sacred have a kiosk outside the Torrington Place entrance of Waterstone's Gower Street branch, you can find it in the 'Locations' section of their website.

http://www.sacredcafe.co.uk/

I certainly would not make sacred the one coffee shop in london id visit. The kiosk maybe better than the shop but i had the most average cappa there when i was doing the coffee tour.

Dose was my favourite.

Thiskey wrote:Ziobeege,

Best coffee in York is by Gordon at Cafe Harlequin (using HasBean beans). My favourite coffee shop is Coffee Culture, a wonderful rickety old building with friendly smiles and great cooked breakfasts, but average coffee. Another option is a scarily evangelical church-run place called Gatehouse, serving Union.

Thanks Thiskey. Got a mate who is moving up there so will pass on this local knowledge

So I'm afraid I got no photos of my trip to London (wwell not the coffee shops anyway). I also failed to do as much as I wanted. On the Wednesday afternoon/evening it was pouring with rain. My plan was to visit Monmouth Coffee that day and Bea's on the way to the meeting next morning. As it was I failed to get anywhere in Monmouth, the place was tiny, and packed and a huge line of people along the counter with nothing happening, I wasn't sure where to queue, or who to approach, i desperately wanted to sit down but was it counter service or did you queue for a seat then order? Not sure and with so many people crowding the place I left, not wanting take out coffee in the pouring rain. So headed down the road to Bullet cafe, which was close by. However the Find Me Coffee iPhone app seems to be well out of date as there did not appear to be any Bullet cafe anymore. So headed for Caffe Vergnano in Charing Cross Road, which had amazing Elektra machines but served average coffee. The barista was more interested in chatting to her visiting boyfriend than remembering the order, despite the crowd that arrived after me.

So next morning I headed for my meeting, walked down Gray's Inn Road then headed for Red Lion Square. Bea's should be on the right past Gray's Inn field. Nope, missed it, must've been that tiny place that looked like a cake shop and anyway was running out of time, needed to get to Kingsway. So at lunchtime, I nipped along to Monmouth, bought some beans and got a take out Capp, was delicious, stunning and I really should have gone back and bought some house blend if I didn't have to get back.

I will try Dose next time I'm in London as well as a trip back to Monmouth Street.

Damn, I forgot about Espresso Room, will definitely visit next time.

if you went to that place on charring cross road you would have been all of about 45 seconds away from milk bar.

I do believe that Bullet still exists, it may not be obvious to find though as it is on the 3rd floor of the Snow and Rock. They used to put a sign in the road to say it was there, without which there's nothing obvious to say it is there. Last time I went there (a good while ago) the espresso was a little toasty.
As smoocher points out, you were very near to Milk Bar, which would have been a far better option that Caffe V. From there it is a short walk to any of the places in Soho, if you know where you are going. I have had far better shots out east than centrally in the past year.

I've been to the Bullet about 3 weeks ago and it was still there. The coffee was exceptional. They now have a second place in Clapham. Confusingly, the peg for the Snow&Rock Bullet in the Good Coffee Map had been shifted to Clapham and I shifted it back to its location off the Long Acre, so it should be correct now.

Visited Monmouth last Friday afternoon and got served a **dreadful** espresso!! I was quite shocked at how bad it was. Watery, bitter and sour all at once. I've had their espresso in the past and I don't remember it being that bad. Perhaps it was just their grinder having a bad day...

Gouezeri wrote:I do believe that Bullet still exists, it may not be obvious to find though as it is on the 3rd floor of the Snow and Rock. They used to put a sign in the road to say it was there, without which there's nothing obvious to say it is there. Last time I went there (a good while ago) the espresso was a little toasty.

Yep - they are still there. 3 minute walk from Monmouth. Agree with the toasty/burnt comment. Curious they bid themselves as having "hand roasted New Zealand coffee". Now wossat mean then!

goto monmouth on a thursday when its quieter , great filter coffee straight up , good atmosphere and a nice set up for brekkie , a real feeling of guys and girls at the top of their game , and you get bourough market to boot.