About me
I'm from Melbourne and i'm now living in London. I moved here for work, and i'm a customer - just like everyone else. I buy things, I tell people about it. If I feel strongly about something, i'll tell lots of people about it - be that good or bad. I know how strong word of mouth can be. It's awesome.
Melbourne? All the way over in Australia?
Yep. We like to think our coffee is pretty damn awesome. Don't ask me why - perhaps it has something to do with New Zealand. The Kiwi's have embraced coffee culture, and not only do they drink it like water, they also make it well. A coffee revolution swept across Melbourne a few years ago - the quality went from dishwater to world-class. It's now a celebrated part of Melbourne culture, and has spread across the country. Or perhaps it was Aussie backpackers living it up on cheap Laos trips, discovering the French-planted area of the Bolaven Plateau.
What i'm not
I'm not a roaster. I'm not a connoisseur. I'm not even much of a foodie. Sure, I like quality, and appreciate great food and wine, but i'm one of those home-cooked meal types. I never owned a coffee shop, worked in customer service or really run my own business. So really, I don't even know what i'm talking about. Just like most people who go and buy coffee - perhaps even from you. But given the choice between a bad coffee and a good one - of course, we all want the good one. Some of us might even go that extra tube stop to get it.
So... why then?
After many terrible cups, it occurred to me that with the sheer volume of people living in London and proximity to the
amazing culinary delights of mainland Europe... there must be something better. I thought it'd be a new way to explore London - via the coffee places that fuel its people. Visit new places, chat to new people and see what keeps them going. There has to be many other people looking for a good cup in an unfamiliar city. You want to know about the places the local's go to, right?
What kind of places do you visit then?
It seems there's three kinds of coffee places:
- Biggest: They're on every corner in London. Many people love the diverse menu, flavours, convenience and customer experience of places such as Starbucks, Costa Coffee and Pret A Manger. Anyone can walk around and find these, you don't need me to tell you where they are.
- Medium: This is probably the bulk of cafe culture most people know of. You can take a seat, meet friends, spend 5 minutes or 2 hours there. They may have comfy couches, stiff chairs, or even be over multiple levels, serving coffee with a view over the Thames or some trash. I'll generally avoid listing places like these, because the coffee experience varies greatly. Barristers come and go and many staff aren't paid well, so it's just a job. Plus these places open, close and renovate all the time - we can't keep track of that!
- Small: The smaller the floorspace, the better. Its the kind of independent coffee house where the coffee machine is the hero. It feels crowded with only a handful of people in there. You can sit down on a wooden bench if you'd like, but really, you come here cause it smells great. The guy - or girl - behind the counter is probably the owner, or mentions their name as though they've been friends for years.
What if people get angry that their place isn't listed as being good?
I'll just list places where the experience has been great. Keeps it simple for all of us.
So what do you order then?
Regular Cafe Latte with 1 sugar. There's a reason, too. It's mid-range. Most people drink coffee with milk, and most will add at least a little sugar. You can't beat the flavour of an espresso. But dilute it with milk and the real treat are the places that have such good coffee that it works with the milk to bring out new flavours. Milk is another step in a surprisingly complex chain where everything depends on each other.
Espresso...really?
Do yourself a favour if you order the same milky coffee all the time. Get an espresso from time to time at a great place, and be blown away how good coffee can really taste. It's cheaper, too.
So what's the theory?
It comes down to floorspace. The smaller the floorspace, the better the coffee.
It's that one-on-one human interaction, spoken or felt. It's the fact that the owner is probably behind the counter, serving you and making the coffee. Think that this person had an interest in it for years earlier, then planned, networked, financed, searched, and opened their own business to serve a humble cup of coffee. One that they're proud of, and passionate about.
"Small feet, better coffee".
The smaller the floorspace, the better the coffee.
