Coffee Enquiry XLIX: Tap Coffee

You know, you're going along, you think everything's all right and all of a sudden you get that tap

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Mango”)

The other day while doing some errands I stopped by Tap Coffee in Fitzrovia. Not sure why but their shops are quite appealing to me, all the time I pass by they are inviting me in to indulge with coffee, maybe is the black facade with the huge number (No 114) and no mention of the name.

Coffee Time

3 Locations around London with the same feel and offer, a relax place to share a coffee while catching up with friends.

I got a macchiato and my better half a Flat White. The coffee was a light body with mild bitterness. Modest citrus acidity, some chocolate and tobacco notes.

Abstract Latte Art

Beans: Tap Coffee

Espresso Machine: Nuova Simonelli

Score: 3/5

Decent cup of coffee, lovely cutlery, and inviting place

Tap Coffee

Coffee House

Approx Damage: £5

Area: Fitzrovia

Borough: Camden

Twitter: tapcoffee

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Bean Review: Bonanza Espresso Blend

There's a George Bonanza to see you

Doorman (Seinfeld episode “The Watch”)

The last time I was in Berlin I took some time to visit and try their independent coffee scene. During my trip one roaster/place was the highlight, Bonanza Coffee Roasters. Independent Berliner retro innovative roaster, with a philosophy of roasting as little as possible to fully develop flavours and bring what makes the coffee distinct

Coffee Time

Bonanza's Espresso Blend is a mix of Irmas Pereira Brazilian with Ethiopian Limu beans from Seka Forest

Roaster: Bonanza

Medium Roast

Espresso Blend

Varietals: Acaia / Bourbon / Catuai / 74110 / 7227 JRI

Score: 5/5

I got a bag of their espresso blend thanks to a friend that lives in Germany and was kind enough to bring it back to London. The coffee has a medium body with long aftertaste and mild bitterness. Short but sharp acidity coming from citrus notes and cherries. To balance flavours some chocolate, caramel sweet notes, and a nutty touch from hazelnuts

Macchiato

Great for milk based drinks such as flat whites or macchiato as the milk highlight the sweetness and hazelnut flavours

The beans were grinded with a Rancilio Rocky grinder and the extraction made with a Rancilio Silvia

Bonanza
Coffee Roasters
Twitter: bonanzacoffee

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Bean Review: Algerian Coffee Store’s Velluto Nero

Yeah, see they like to sell their own coffee

Jackie Chiles (Seinfeld episode “The Maestro”)

Algerian Coffee Store is probably one of London’s oldest coffee traders established in 1887. Even though ownership have changed since they open they have kept some of the original features and they offer one of London’s cheapest coffee in Soho with a £1 for an espresso or £1.2 for a cappuccino

They have many blends and single origin but the one that took my eye was the Velluto Nero. A dark roast blend of South and Central America beans.

Coffee Beans

Roaster: Algerian Coffee Store

Dark Roast

Velluto Nero Blend

Varietals: Not specified

Score: 3/5

It’s a good coffee, definitely for espresso shots. A nice layer of crema, the dark roast is not as intense as in other beans I have tried, quite low bitterness, and a long aftertaste. Some floral notes but quite subtle. Milk based drinks as flat white it felt a bit one-dimensional.

Coffee Time

The beans were grinded with a Rancilio Rocky grinder and the extraction made with a Rancilio Silvia

Algerian Coffee Store

T: 020 7437 2480

Coffee Store

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A Coffee in Edinburgh VII: Kilimanjaro [On The Road: Edinburgh]

No, no. He's pretending he's got gonorrhea so med students can diagnose
 it

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Burning”)

Kilimanjaro is a nice coffee place in Edinburgh. Same owners as Wellington Coffee. Located near the University so expect to be full of a young student crowd. A noisy and packed café, vintage look with the obvious life in Kilimanjaro pictures. They are serving breakfast, paninis, soups for a bite, and for a drink a nice Square Mile coffee.

The place

We went at breakfast time, the place was completely packed, we got a couple Flat Whites. Really nice, strong coffee, great balance, creamy, and top latte art.

Flat Time

Espresso Machine: Synesso

Beans: Square Mile

Score: 4/5

Kilimanjaro Coffee

T: 0131 662 0135

Coffee Place

Approx Damage: £5pp

Area: Southside

Edinburgh

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A Coffee in Edinburgh VI: Wellington [On The Road: Edinburgh]

Now I remember, as I jumped over the hole I heard like a jingling sound

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Pothole”)

Wellington Coffee is another lovely hole in the ground kind of place in Edinburgh. Located in New Town, small, cozy, and warm. You can get cakes, brownies, scones and a lot of coffee.

Downstairs

I got a Flat White, creamy, top latte art, sadly a bit mild and unbalanced, the coffee was a bit over the edge on bitterness. Probably a bad extraction as all the reviews and posts praise the place. 

Flat White

Espresso Machine: Synesso

Beans: Square Mile

Score: 3/5

Wellington Coffee

T: 0131 225 6857

Coffee House

Approx Damage: £5pp

Area: New Town

Edinburgh

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A Coffee in Edinburgh II: Castello Coffee [On The Road: Edinburgh]

I’m queen of the castle

Elaine Benes (Seinfeld episode “The Contest”)

Castello Coffee is a small independent coffee place on Castle St, lacks a bit of atmosphere but the coffee is just great and perfectly executed. Soups and sandwiches complete the offer.

Castello Time

We got a couple Flat whites, they were amazing, the coffee is perfectly extracted, top  and flawless latte art, strong, a good balance with sweetness and some bitter notes, definitely a great coffee.

Coffee Time

Espresso Machine: La Marzocco

Beans: AllPress

Score: 5/5

Castello Coffee

T: 0131 225 9780

Coffee House

Aprox Damage: £4pp

Area: New Town

Edinburgh

Twitter: CastelloCoffee

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Coffee Enquiry XXXVII: The Artisan

Well, what does he do? Is he an artisan, a craftsman, a labourer of some sort?

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Stakeout”)

The other location for Artisan is in Stamford Brook. Same as in Putney the place has a rustic wooden decor, light bites as soups and sandwiches, cakes, pastries, and of course coffee.

Artisan Wheel of Fortune

We got a Flat white and a macchiato, nice and strong coffee, full bodied as you would expect from Allpress beans, a right bitter kick, and nice latte art.

Flat White

Espresso machine: La Marzocco

Beans: AllPress

Score: 4/5

Macchiato

Really nice coffee as in Putney. Good to see how the two cafes are serving high quality coffees

Artisan

T: 020 3302 1434

Coffee House

Approx Damage: £5pp

Area: Stamford Brook

Borough: Hammersmith & Fulham

Twitter: artisan_coffee

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A Coffee in Edinburgh I: Brew Lab [On The Road: Edinburgh]

I wonder what actually happened in that lab

Elaine Benes (Seinfeld episode “The Non-Fat Yoghurt”)

I went for a coffee excursion in Edinburgh. Looking for a perfect cup in a rapidly multiplying options of independent coffee houses. I had a bit of help (lot of actually) to choose the right places thanks to local blogger Edinburgh Coffee Lovers. My first stop was Brew Lab, convenience located nearby my hotel, just by the university. A rustic meet industrial kind of place, alternative decor and full of character, probably by the beautiful Slayer coffee machine.

The place

We got a macchiato and a flat white, strong with some bitter notes, nice balance, really good coffee, latte art almost there.

Coffee time

Espresso machine: Slayer

Beans: Has bean

Score: 4/5

Brew Lab

T: 0131 662 8963

Coffee House

Approx Damage: £4pp

Area: Southside

Edinburgh

Twitter: BrewLabCoffee

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Coffee Enquiry XXXIV: Dolce Crema

You can't put a limit on my cafe lattes, it says so right here. And I don't want to get dirty looks when I come in here. If I want a cafe latte, you give me a cafe latte. And if I have any problems I'm going to get my lawyer Jackie Chiles down here and your going to be in really big trouble

Cosmo Kramer (Seinfeld episode “The Maestro”)

I have been flat hunting these days, so while in the process I bump into this nice Italian Gelateria in Barnes. Dolce Crema is a small Italian place that opened in 2011, offering tempting gelato, paninis, focaccias, and of course coffee.

Coffee Time

I got a flat white and it was great, completely unexpected, creamy, nice depth flavour of the coffee, and top marks with the latte art. Go visit if you’re in the area, in summer I will for sure get some ice cream.

Espresso Machine: La Spaziale

Beans: Agust

Score: 4/5

Dolce Crema

T: 020 8127 0988

Coffee / Gelateria

Approx Damage: £5pp

Area: Barnes

Borough: Richmond

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Coffee Enquiry XXX: Tina I dearly Salute You

What about that Bavarian cream pie joke I told you? There's no truth to that. Nobody with a terminal illness goes from the United States to Europe for a piece of Bavarian cream pie and then when they get there and they don't have it he says, Oh! I'll just have some coffee. There's no truth to that

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Soup Nazi”)

One of the landmarks on independent coffee places is definitely Tina We Salute You. The corner coffee shop in Dalston. Tina is a small, cool, cozy, and irreverent artistic coffee hub in East London. Started as a cupcake and coffee stall in Bricklane UpMarket, now an established coffee place and quite soon growing with a second location in Stratford.

The place

Inside

I got to the place with Sarah, chilled out for a while, and got a couple flat whites. The coffee was spot on, creamy, strong, and with great latte art.

Coffee Time

Espresso Machine: La Marzocco

Beans: Square Mile

Score: 5/5

Sign

Perfect latte art

Perfect score for Tina, They will be refurbishing the place and opening back on January. Also the Stratford place should be ready around April next year.

Tina We Salute You

T: 020 3119 0047

Coffee Shop

Approx Damage: £4pp

Area: Dalston

Borough: Islington

Twitter: TinaWeSaluteYou

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