Great Cappuccino and only £1.10

This place in Soho promised to be coffee heaven, filled with the promise of fresh beans and knowledgable staff able to describe the fine differences between a variety of beans.

This little shop has been trading since 1887, the walls are lined with beans and all type of paraphenialia associated coffee, almost like a coffee library. The staff, busy but approachable made me a cappuccino as good as any found at my favourite Australian cafes. There is no where to sit in this shop, but I would have stood in the street to drink this coffee. The icing on the top was the price, at only £1.10 made this a place I will return to again and again.

The place: Algerian Coffee Store, 52 Old Compton Street, Soho

Coffee: A delight and a treat for the senses.
Vibe: like an old time sweet shop, but instead of sweets, coffee.

Ahh the delightful warmth of consistency

Who would have thought that being back at work was a delightful thing. Ok, so being at work is not the reason I was so excited this morning, instead it was the knowledge that I could have a decent coffee. After the last three days I was starting to wonder if I would ever have a decent coffee again!

My local is Fratelli's at Oxford Circus. I can actually taste the coffee, the bean is smooth, the milk not overpowering and they make a consistently good coffee. I rate it as good solid coffee. The place to go when the world is falling around my ears and I need a pick me up.

Coffee:
Vibe: friendly, but not somewhere to spend daydreaming and solving the problems of the universe (Einstein - no, Paris Hilton - yes)

Lowering my standards doesn't reap good or even drinkable coffee

I was desperate yesterday after a harrowing three hours at the hairdresser. I now look like a mexican poodle. Imagine dark eyebrows and blonde blonde hair....disaster with pasty pale skin. I've decided I may not leave the house for a week at least. 

Anyway back to the coffee....it was because of this that I needed the warmth and comfort of a cup of coffee. The only place other than the big star that looked like it served coffee was Costa, so I folded, thinking how bad can it be??? Mmmmmm, I should have rethought that sentence.

Think milky, bitter bean, cold milk and burnt coffee. The boy making it took five minutes to produce this muck. I hate to think what he could have done had he had more time...

(note: when I left I noted with a sigh of relief that he had been replaced)

Coffee: undrinkable (tesco value)

Vibe: reminded me of andepartment store restaurant that my mum used to take me to when I was a kid.

Baker and Spice- Maida Vale

At the insistence of my friend I decided to try the coffee here as the coffee shop we were at couldn't make our coffee as their machine had blown up.

Walking in: you can't help but be drawn to the cookies, meringues and assortment of cakes and savoury items. The decor is warm and inviting, however this time it is a quick in and out with a cappuccino and a couple of cookies.

The coffee: burnt and the milk scalding hot. I can't even tell you whether I liked the flavour of the bean! Urrrrggghhhh......Please hire someone drinks the coffee they make!

The vibe: warm, inviting, somewhere to wile away rainy days
The coffee: will try this place once more and see if I can get a true indication of the coffee

Daniela's Lounge - Shirland Rd, London

I walked past this place this morning. It looked so enticing with its bi-fold doors and warm inviting interior. Somewhere I could sit and read the paper or chat to a friend for hours. so I went in and ordered a cappuccino.

The chocolate....ukkkk, it's bitter. Come on people if I didn't want the secret sweetness of the chocolate on top of a cappuccino I would have ordered a latte! The chocolate is like having a marshmallow surprise.

The coffee - average. The milk outways the flavour of the coffee. The bean is too bitter and the milk sloppy. It tastes like no care and attention has been given to this cup. Do they drink the coffee they make. Is it bad enough to walk away without drinking....nearly, but it is my first coffee of the day and I am desperate.....sad to say it almost reminds me of instant. As I take a couple of sips I get used to the flavour, ok maybe I was a bit premature about the instant coffee remark, but this definitely won't be a repeat.

The vibe: cool and funky 

The coffee: if you like a bitter bean and a milky coffee this is the place for you

It all started here

About nine years ago was the first time I tasted 'real' coffee, not that instant stuff that I drank in uni to keep me awake all night so I could cram for exams. 

It was 2000 and I worked in a lab in Brisbane. My colleagues would down tools and head to Merlos for an 11am coffee. Orders would start about half an hour before so that they were ready to leave dead on time. I was new and wanted to take part in this ritual, but my dislike of coffee was well defined and I wasn't willing to bend for anyone.

A couple of months passed and everyday I would join them for tea, but I would drink something other than coffee. One day one of my colleagues bought me a coffee and insisted I try it. I turned my nose up, but didn't want to appear rude so I took it, promptly sat down and took my first sip. 

Whoa........what had I been missing all of those years, it was warm and smooth, milky but not too milky. A delight to the pallet. I had always loved the smell of coffee, but it had never tasted like this. There began my foray into the world of coffee.......

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