Comments on: London 2009: 200 Channels and Nothing But Cat

By: can my coffee be better? // The Other Black Stuff

can my coffee be better? // The Other Black Stuff — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:32:02 +0000

[...] Coffee Angel, even grab a cheap flight (volcano permitting) over to London and visit a few of the many excellent coffee bars [...]

By: Will Corby

Will Corby — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:42:05 +0000

Whiilst in London a month ago I did partake in a similar tour, I enjoyed many varied espresso based drinks. Being extremely partial to a filter coffee I ordered one along my route…..a mistake I was shocked at its quality. I’ve got to say given the queue in front of the espresso machine, they obviously had a great offering from the groups! I’m not saying that you could pick up anything better in Cardiff, I suppose I just assumed that quality and a broader selection would be available!
I am most definatly looking forward to my next trip!

By: James Hoffmann

James Hoffmann — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:55:35 +0000

I couldn’t agree with you more! We’d desperately love to see more brewed coffee being served across London. Things are starting to change, and I know more people are interested in doing it and just need to jump some logistical hurdles. James at Dose now offers aeropresses of various coffees, Taste of Bitter Love will do individual press pots and I know Gwilym really wants to do more brewed coffee too.

The whole brewed coffee things is one of the main inspirations for us opening a retail location in the next year. I really want to present coffees in a variety of ways, and as it is my favourite way of drinking coffee it would likely be my favourite way of selling it. I agree you’d need an espresso machine in there too – espresso drinks are great, fast and versatile – but I’d very much like a brew bar where things are a little slower and you can have as much or as little coffee geekery and information as you’d like.

Back to the other bits – glad you had some great espresso. Personally I love the range of shots served by the different cafes, and I can totally understand how people become enamoured with lever machines – they do do something different, but they aren’t the easiest things to work!

By: Lawrence Brown

Lawrence Brown — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:08:14 +0000

For a while now John Gordon and I have been talking about a filter brew bar, it would probably have to have an espresso machine there as well – if it was only an economical function of being able to serve enough drinks in a day to keep the business ticking over.

One of my favourite shops in London is Tea Smith, I just love the long bar and sitting down, talking about the teas and trying new things from the menu. Imagine this done with coffee, 10 on the menu from around the UK (roasteries) and a range of brew methods.

I know this can be done, I guess it’s just about price point – will consumers pay £6 for a vac-pot of coffee because its unique?

A venue offering this is the next step for me. Someone do it and I promise I will buy a coffee a week from them.