2015 London Coffee Shop Crawl

This blog post is about my trips around the various independent coffee shops of London.  For most of these, I had a flat white to compare them equally. I chose this drink as it tests the coffee bean flavour and the espresso extraction including the water used, the grind, brew ratio and extraction time. In conjunction to this, it judges the barista’s skills with preparing milk to be smooth and silky but not too frothy as well as pouring effectively over the espresso including creating latte art.  Latte art to me shows the skill of which the barista has, as well as their love for coffee (but also this comes after the taste, which has to be the priority!). If a barista has mastered the espresso and the taste of the coffee, they can practice the aesthetics, and good latte art shows a lot of experience.

For most of the coffee shops visited, I have rated and written about the taste and look of the coffee in one part, followed by the overall feel and atmosphere of the coffee shop. This includes looks, size and how friendly the staff are which a large part of visiting a coffee shop is! 

This Blog is just my opinions on the coffee shops I visited, all of which I enjoyed and would recommend a visit, though some more than others.

I hope you enjoy!

Full Stop
202 Brick Lane, E1 6SA

The first stop was Brick Lane where I went to Full Stop.  The entrance wasn’t majorly appealing, but as you walk in there is something special about it.  It feels like a secret bar in the back, with stools as you walk in and sofa’s further back.  It has quite a vintage feel to it, almost like an old pub or bar, with a modern twist.  For the actual coffee shop and atmosphere, I gave it a 4.9/5 as it was also a bit dark although had a nice atmosphere. 

The coffee was quite strong, giving a nice fresh punch and had strong fruity flavours from the Square Mile coffee beans they use.  I gave this a 4/5 rating for coffee, as it was about as good as most of the coffee drank (though this is still very good!)

For this coffee shop, I also had some food and beer.  They offer a nice selection of craft beers which are locally brewed.  I had a Gamma Ray beer which I loved, partially for the name and can design (being a physicist, I enjoy this kind of thing).  It had almost a fruity, ginger flavour as it is a pale ale, but was a nice addition to the place.  They also open late, having cocktails for all day including an espresso martini which would be a great start to the day!  The food offered here was the typical fancy coffee shop food, but tasted really good.  This was one of my favourites.

 (Gamma Ray Beer)

Nude Espresso
26 Hanbury St, E1 6QR

The second stop was Nude Espresso, Hanbury Road.  The inside was nice with benches and seats around, though wasn’t anything breath-taking.  However, it is nice that it is just across the road from their roastery, showing that the beans used would be very freshly roasted.  The staff here were very friendly. For the overall place, I gave it 3.8/5 as it didn’t feel majorly special, though had some funny signs up.

In 2014, I did also visit the Nude espresso, Soho Square branch.  I prefer this branch for feel, as it has some great quotes behind the bar as well as on signs outside and on the wall.  I remember there also being paintings on the wall, which gave it a nice feel.  The staff were also lovely there too.  I would give this branch a 4.2/5.

However, the coffee was obviously extremely fresh from the intense flavours.  I picked out berries and a fruity flavour, and this flavour hits you wonderfully.  I could imagine it being the perfect stop off place on the way to work in the morning, being a strong flavour.  I rated the coffee as 4.6/5 because of its freshness. 

 (Pictures from Nude Espresso, Soho Square)

Bar Italia
22 Frith St, W1D 4RF

The next stop was Bar Italia.  This felt like a really friendly Italian bar, with an amazing atmosphere.  It almost felt like the place the mafia would go for an espresso, and is definitely an experience to try!  They had a wonderful selection of amazing looking cakes, with a great lemon cheesecake.  It also sells some food and wines, which would be a nice place to go to in the evening.  Also, being open 24 hours, it would be an incredibly useful place to visit after a night out.  The machine used is a lever machine, which adds to the authenticity feel of the bar. I gave this a 4.7/5 for the great Italian feeling atmosphere.

However, the espresso wasn’t anything majorly special.  Having been to Italy and sampling a lot of espresso’s there, it just didn’t have the amazing amounts of flavours that it could do, and tasted rather bitter and possibly over-extracted.  It was still a great coffee which I enjoyed a lot, but only gets a 3/5, but I would still love to visit again as I have a feeling it was just a dodgy shot! (I have heard a lot of good stuff from friends about this place.)

Flat White 
17 Berwick St, W1F 0PT

The last stop for that day was Flat White.  This Australian coffee shop is one of my favourites for coffee, as you can tell they know what they are doing! By the menu’s, there are various definitions for different coffee’s, and inside is nice, though a little dark and boring at times.  However, the atmosphere is still really nice, and you can almost feel their culture in it.  The staff were all very friendly, and had a great coffee chat to the barista, who also recommended some other stops to try! I have rated the place overall as 4.2/5. 

Their coffee has always been brilliant, having visited in 2014 too.  They always produce great latte art, getting my first wave/heart coffee back in 2014.  This one also had the best milk poured I have yet to have, being perfectly silky and smooth as well as producing a perfect shine and colour definition.  I was incredibly impressed with that coffee, pictured below! The taste of this coffee is also quite strong, giving fruity flavours also, though not quite as intense as nude espresso.  For an afternoon coffee, or late morning one this is perfect.  It is also always produced amazingly, with some talented baristas! I have rated the coffee 4.75/5. 

Perfect shine!

Make Coffee
Haggerston Tube Station, 

The next day, I found a small coffee cart outside Haggerston tube station called make coffee.  This was a lovely and friendly cart with a slight hippy feel to it, which was nice.  It was different to what I have seen before, as it just seems like a local person with a love for coffee.  You can tell that she takes time and cares about the coffee, from weighing the coffee, and making it in front of you.  I rated this 4.5/5.

The coffee was well made, but tasted like possibly over-roasted (which ofcourse, isn’t the coffee makers fault).  However, after a bit, fruity flavours came through mildly, giving it a score of 4/5.

You could tell definately that the coffee was well made! 

Friendliest place!

Climpson's and Sons
67 Broadway Market, E8 4PH

The next stop was Climpson’s and sons, of which make coffee used.  The place as you walk in is a little plain and boring, with nothing really that stands out.  However, the staff were really friendly, giving me directions back, and they also ask for your name and call your name out and bring the coffee to you when it is done, which makes up partially for it being quite plain.  I scored this as 4/5.

I enjoyed the coffee, but not as much as some of the others on the trip.  It tasted a little ashy and over-roasted at first, but that might be my taste or just a not quite as good batch as normal. (these things happen, everyone has bad days!).  However, as the drink went on, I tasted some more fruity notes which managed to be drawn out well.  I scored this also as a 4/5.

Foxcroft and Ginger, Whitechapel 
69-89 Mile End Rd, E1 4TT

Foxcroft and Ginger was the next stop in Whitechapel.  This stop was partially for food, which tasted good and had decent portions.  The actual building was a bit like an industrial building or possibly a factory, and seemed quite nice with a good atmosphere and possibly a modern twist.  However, the staff weren’t as friendly as some of the other places visited, but still were nice.  They also served a few local beers, and I rated them 3.8/5.

The coffee was quite mellow and a little nutty at first, however got a little bitter afterwards, suggesting the espresso was a little over-extracted.  It also tasted a little less fresh than it could have, but still was a decent coffee, scoring 3/5.

The Department of Coffee and Social Affairs, Spitalfield's Market

The last stop of that day was The Department of Coffee and Social Affairs in Spitalfield’s, which is quite a new store, being open a few months.  This was very friendly and looked nice from the outside, having a nice market environment.  The staff were incredibly friendly, and were very interested in coffee and my blog, also giving me advice for jobs and other coffee shops to try out.  They were also knowledgeable about the surroundings and the coffee, so I rated them 4.5/5.

Having gone there very near their closing time, I was expecting my coffee to be less than on par.  However, the coffee which was served was very smooth and a little nutty with slight hints of lemon, but they did also seem tired.  This is a great sign being able to make a coffee that tastes that great with little energy! I scored that 4.3/5. 

Notes, Trafalgar Square
31 St Martin's Lane, London WC2N 4ER

Tuesday’s first stop was Notes in Trafalgar Square. This was a more open, brighter space which was quite nice, but with also a slight vintage feel to it.  The staff were also quite friendly, and served high quality food, toasties etc though the portions were small.  The beer selection however was quite extensive, all being locally brewed with some being interesting.  I had a wheat beer that was brewed through rhubarb which was a good one to try and very refreshing! I rated this 4.77/5.

The coffee had a nice multi-layer tulip which was made well and looked appealing, and tasted very mellow.  It would have been best for an afternoon coffee, and didn’t have quite the kick I was hoping for the morning. It had a natural flavour with hints of cocoa, scoring 4.15/5.

The Department of Coffee and Social Affairs

 St Martins Court, Covent Garden

The Covent Garden branch of Department of Coffee was very nice looking, with a modern feel having glass walls, and it all being quite polished up which was nice.  A lot of the coffee shops visited were quite vintage feeling, so a modern branch was a nice change.  The workers there were really friendly and chatty, and also suggested me how to get a job in a coffee shop if I managed to stay in London!  They were very helpful, and brought out menu’s and the coffee and cake, almost like a restaurant which was a nice touch, feeling like you can just laze around.  This made it feel relaxing, making it easier to enjoy the surroundings and cake.  It’s also situated well, right opposite a flower shop, so sitting outside is lovely with a smell of flowers wafting over.   I gave this branch 4.7/5. 

The coffee had a prominent citrus flavour to it, with lemon – I forgot to ask for their Stargazer roast, but bought a bag so will post what it is like once I have tasted it! It also looked very attractive with a multi-layered tulip heart, getting a 4.6/5.

Tap 193
193 Wardour St, London W1F 8ZF

Tap 193 was one of my favourites from the moment I walked in – they were very friendly, coming up to me when I came in, and talked to me about the blog, and roasting the coffee.  From the outside, it almost looks like a bike shop, but transforms to a café inside.  They had the roaster on show at the back, which was a nice touch, though I apparently just missed the actual roasting.  It was designed really nicely, having a natural, almost forest feel to it, with tree trunks for some of the tables, and all made of wood.  It also had windows on the ceiling, letting some of the light in, and a mini garden around the side for bamboo to grow.  This all made it feel relaxing and natural.  There was also a really nice atmosphere, and a wonderful tea selection as well as coffee.  This was given 5/5, being a favourite. 

When you walk in, there is a sign outside saying “better coffee”, and they didn’t disappoint! The coffee was also very well made, with nice art and starting with cocoa and nutty flavours.  As you carried on drinking it, it became more citrus, though none of these flavours were overwhelming and they were perfect for the afternoon.  I have rated the coffee 5/5 also, and at the time it was a clear favourite. 

Workshop Coffee
1 Barrett Street, W1U 1AX

As you walk into Workshop Coffee (Barrett Street), you notice it is quite plain but still with a nice atmosphere, being shredded down and all focus being on coffee. There are bright benches and vintage style lights which add a nice touch, as well as a pastel blue machine, obviously custom made. It is really friendly as soon as you walk in, and the food really good. They mix the flavours of their sandwiches really well, and I have rated it 4.2/5.

As I started to drink the coffee, it tasted quite nutty with a hint of fruit, and the fruit flavour got stronger as you finished the drink. The coffee had some nice art on it, and was great quality.  It is obvious that they know a lot about coffee and take a lot of care over making it.  The coffee was rated 4.8/5. 

 

Kaffeine
66 Great Titchfield St, London W1W 7QJ

The next stop was Kaffeine.  As you walk towards it, you notice the sign with coffee related quotes – well done for getting out of bed today, which was quite fun, making you feel proud and want coffee even more!  It was very busy inside, showing that it is popular and good.  It seemed a little cramp inside, because of the amount of people who visited, making it not so easy to take notice of the inside, which did seem a little plain.  They were not extremely talkative this time, though that is understandable when you have to serve lots of people! When coming here in 2014, they were very friendly, and chatted for a while about new places opening and general coffee, and I have rated it 4.7/5.

The coffee was poured well, with a tulip heart that was defined well.  The first sip was very strong and packed a bit of a punch, which was great for waking up.  However, it didn’t taste as fresh as it could have been, and was a little bitter at times, though I still managed to get the citrus tastes around the end.  I rated this 4.65/5. 

Sharps Coffee Bar
9 Windmill St, London W1T 2JF

Sharps Coffee Bar was the next stop.  This had a great look, being a hairdressers at the back (which also do beard and moustache trims, which is cool). This could also be extremely useful if my hair gets out of control, which it often does but also haven’t had time for the morning coffee.  It had a vintage feel inside, reminding me somewhat of Grease (The musical), though not quite sure why.  The machine also does add to the appeal, looking pretty awesome! In addition to this, by the window, they have herbs growing, which is something very different and adds something.  Overall, Sharps is a very unique coffee shop, and I rated it 4.8/5. 

The coffee came with an appealing tulip on, and could tell that there was a dark crema (which is always good!).  There were strong berry and citrus flavours all the way through, suggesting a well roasted, fresh bean which has had every little bit extracted.  The coffee also left a gorgeous aftertaste, of lemon which helped make it even tastier! I have rated this 4.9/5, as it had so much flavour, and definitely had the best aftertaste out of every coffee I have tried. 

 Caravan Coffee, Kings Cross
1, Granary Building, Granary Square, London N1C 4AA

The last stop of my trip was Caravan Coffee in Kings Cross.  It is in a gorgeous place, next to the Art College, and right outside pretty fountains.  As you walk inside, you notice the restaurant at the front, with a vintage feel and wine along the walls closer to the bar.  As you go past the bar, you notice the roaster, which I sat by.  It was a really nice atmosphere, with the smell of fresh coffee beans adding to the feel.  It is the perfect size, and has a student atmosphere to it – and it would be a great place to get some work done! I have given this 5/5 for the whole feel and friendly workers.

The taste of the coffee was very intense, with a lot of citrus, fruit and berry coming through, showing it is all freshly roasted.  It also had a triple layer tulip on top, adding to the effects.  The coffee got 4.9/5. 

 Awards!

Now for a few little awards! (well the award is the satisfaction for being the best at that part).

The best aftertaste and most original shop goes to Sharps Coffee Bar.

Most Authentic bar would have to go to Bar Italia, for its Italian feels. 

Favourite atmosphere for me would be Caravan, Full Stop and Tap 193 (all equal)

Best Quotes to Kaffeine and Nude espresso.

Friendliest has to be Make Coffee!

I would recommend every coffee shop I went to, and they all were great experiences.

I shall review all of these and caravan when I have tried them!