Category: coffee

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That’s why I don’t go to Starbucks

I was charging my car when I walked over to my local Starbucks. This branch has a drive through, but also space to sit down. As I was waiting, I decided to drink in. I was going to have an iced drink, but they had no ice.

I ordered a flat white.

I thought it was well overpriced at £3.74. I know we have excessive inflation, but I think £3 for a coffee in London is expensive. I suspect that they use the same pricing structure as Starbuck branches on motorway services. This Starbucks is next to a petrol station but is in Weston-super-Mare and not on the motorway.

It did look nice, but it wasn’t in my opinion a really good coffee. I remembered I am not really a fan of Starbucks coffee. 

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Coffee at the Rada Cafe

coffee

Close to the Adagio Aparthotel in Brentford, one of the regular places I stay in London is the Rada Cafe. Though I have been staying at the Adagio for a few years now, I have never been to the Rada Cafe. The main reason was that either I arrived late at the hotel or left early to catch a train. Usually though I would have coffee in the apartment, as they have an Nespresso coffee machine.

The other week I arrived at the Adagio early afternoon and my room wasn’t ready. So I popped over to the Rada Cafe across the road and ordered a cortado. I do like it when ordering coffee in a cafe, they let you sit down and bring it over. Not quite table service, but so much better than hanging around a counter waiting (and in some cases it feels like fighting) for your coffee.

This was a lovely coffee, well made, and delicious.

When I left the Adagio later that week, I had some time before my train home, so I went for another coffee, and another excellent experience. 

I think next time I stay at the Adagio I will make the time to pop to the Rada for another coffee.

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Making the Leap

I was up around the Gloucester Road and needing to kill some time, decided to go for coffee. There are plenty of places to get coffee on the Gloucester Road around the Zetland Road area. One place I had been meaning to try for a while was Future Leap. The Future Leap Hub was opened on Gloucester Road, Bristol, in 2019, using the site of the old Tandy shop, and was the first carbon neutral co-working space of its kind in the UK.

The place looks very different to when I remember it as Tandy, it has been completely refurbished. There is now a welcoming sustainable feel to the space, lots of wood and plants.

I was given a warm welcome and I ordered a cortado. I took a seat and the coffee was delivered to my table.

I had intended to take a photograph of it before I drank it, but my phone was playing up, so had to restart it.

half a cup of coffee

I really liked the smooth coffee taste and enjoyed it. 

The food menu looked interesting and tempting, I nearly had some soup. Certainly a place I would go again.

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At the Boathouse

boatyard

I have passed the Boathouse Bar and Bistro at the Uphill boatyard many times, but most of the time I have, it has been in the evening, and it has been closed. It usually closes at 4pm and 5pm at weekends.

So on a recent stroll around Uphill I decided I would stop for a coffee and try the Boathouse out.

It was quite busy and bustling when I arrived late morning, there was no queue though. I ordered my flat white and then took a seat at a table. They do, what I always prefer, to bring my coffee over to me, rather than wait at the counter until it is made.

The Boathouse is in a building which use to be a yacht chandlers, there are still signs of that in the place.

It wasn’t long before my coffee arrived, it was a well made flat white and tasted great. I spent time drinking my coffee and working on my phone. There is no wifi, and to be honest not much of a phone signal either. I think next time I will take a notebook and a pen and work in that way.

Overall a really nice coffee, good service and a pleasant environment.

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Nice Coffee at Coffee #1

Bridge

We were up in Clifton Village and I quite liked the idea of a coffee. I had planned to go to Spiller & Cole as I had enjoyed my coffee there last year. However I got sidetracked and we ended up at Coffee #1.

I had a flat white which was really nice. It was expertly made and tasted great. I was quite tempted by the pastries and the cakes, but in the end I went with just the coffee.

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Cardiff Castle Arcade Flat White

We were in Cardiff and having visited the castle we headed into the city centre.

We walked down Castle Arcade and stopped at Coffee Barker for a drink. 

Coffee Barker is a lovely place for coffee, I have been here before when I have visited Cardiff. I like the environment, the drinks, and the service. The mix of wooden furniture, leather chairs, and soft furnishings, give the place a warm calming experience.

We were given a warm and welcome and I placed our order. I had  flat white.

This was a really excellent coffee, well made, and delicious.

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Cortado at the Services

cortado

I will say I am not a fan of coffee at motorway services, but sometimes needs must. So, it was with a little trepidation that I stopped at the Reading services on the M4 for a coffee.

I had a cortado from costa and to be honest it wasn’t too bad, quite nice all in.

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Another Artisan Cortado

Another Artisan Cortado

Having enjoyed my cortado at Artisan Ealing, it wasn’t too much of a surprise when I was back in Ealing, having some time to, and needing a place to check some work stuff, and I wanted a coffee, that I found myself back at Artisan Ealing.

Another friendly welcome, the service was quick and efficient. Once more I was tempted by the cakes, but I resisted temptation. So I went with a cortado.

Took a seat and enjoyed my coffee.

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Artisan Coffee

Artisan Coffee

I was in Ealing and decided to have a coffee. There are quite a few places to get a coffee, both the big chains and independents. I had originally gone to Caffe Nero, but there was a big queue and only one barista making coffee. I then remembered across the road was an independent coffee place, Artisan Ealing.

It was quite busy, but there wasn’t much of a queue, so I didn’t have long to wait. I was quite tempted by the cakes, but in the end I went with a cortado.

After getting my coffee I took a seat. I liked the environment with the wooden floors and furniture. The paintings added to the ambience, and I liked the paper bag lights.

The coffee was excellent.

This was a really nice place for coffee. Good service, great coffee, relaxing environment, and a nice selection of cakes.

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Dulce de Leche

I was at a conference in March in Liverpool and before the conference started I went for a walk around the docks area.

On my way back to the hotel. I stopped off in the Royal Albert Docks for a coffee. I went to Rough Hand Made which is one of a few places to eat and drink in the docks.

I ordered a coffee and a marvellous looking Dulce de Leche croissant, well I should say a rather large marvellous looking Dulce de Leche croissant.

I was a little disappointed that the coffee came in a paper cup. I have mentioned before that when drinking coffee in a coffee place, I much prefer having coffee in a proper cup. Having said that, it was a nice coffee.

The Dulce de Leche croissant, was a delicious fresh croissant, flaky and buttery, it was filled with smooth sweet dulce de leche. A little extravagant and rich, a bit of a guilty pleasure, but it was delicious.