Guy Gold

Part coffee house, part osteopath, representing one of the most unusual combinations of café I have come across.

The dual nature of the offering means the space available for the café is tiny, with one or two tables to sit at.

The coffee appears to be carefully selected, they offer beans from ‘The Baron’ Espresso, Daterra Estate, Brazil.

I have tried them several times and personally always underwhelmed by the taste,  Very hot and excessively bitter even for my brutal palate.  They also have a tendency to only offer filter in the morning, I'm sure its all very purist but it further reduces my motivation to visit during the afternoon.

http://guygolds.com/

85 Jamestown Road
London

NW1 7DB

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Mikel Coffee

'Finally in London!' proclaims the electronic ticker outside the cafe, this being the first from this Greek-based chain.  "Maybe Its Knowledge Entering Life' goes their tagline.  Maybe its even more profound in Greek.

This appears to be a very welcome addition, as whenever I have observed it the place seems very busy.
Four filter options are available, and a very friendly attendant took the time to explain each one and give me a taste.  The guest single origin roasts were from Brazil and Ethiopia, with a light and strong blend available of each as well.

I was given a glass of water with my drink which is a nice touch and shows their continental roots, as this is something I cant remember seeing in London.

The environment is pleasant, although the seating area fairly small and packed with millennials on various forms of laptop.  It didn't strike me as a place conducive to do any work, I'd be interested to know what they are all producing.  Nearly everyone in there seemed to be Italian which is rarely a bad thing.  I think a few Greeks were also present.

If it was for the service, this place would possibly gain the highest score of anywhere I've rated thus far.  However, I'm rating for the filter coffee, and while ok it was actually unexceptional.  Overall though, I would recommend giving it a look. 

mikelcoffee.com
93 Tottenham Court Rd, London
★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Workshop - Fitzrovia Coffee Shop

I have enjoyed their coffee for quite some time, much of it from their sadly missed HQ on Clerkenwell Road.

A choice of three filters on offer, each explained by a knowledgeable and courteous barista.  I opted for the Colombian guest which was as described (caramel/chocolate notes).

The interior seating area is rather like a dentist waiting room, and a bit strange, but the coffee is some of the best on offer.

https://workshopcoffee.com/pages/fitzrovia-coffeebar

80A Mortimer Street
Fitzrovia
W1W 7FE

★★★★★★★★★☆

Coco Di Mamma (Tottenham Street W1)

"The Best Coffee in the City", proclaims the boards outside these cafes.  Something City AM has suggested, so I'm keen to test out the worthiness of such an outrageous claim.

No real gourmet option on offer, so no filter, just standard machine oriented Americano selection.  Based on this I was assuming a forgettable experience, however it must be said, it was indeed outstanding.  The roast they use is excellent, its a strong and flavourful taste, albeit too hot. If they introduced a filter option they would be even more memorable.

I don't endorse the claims of the city publication, but they appear to be on to something.

For what its worth I can highly recommend the pasta, as some of the best on offer from a chain.


http://www.cocodimama.co.uk/
★★★★★★★★☆☆

The Black Penny

Stumbled onto this one recently.  Somewhat larger than it first looks, with seating at the back.  An interesting mix of food and pastries on offer.

Now onto the coffee - an order for filter and they bring my own private mini-carafe. Now this is talking my language!  Excellent roast on offer, friendly staff and a very pleasant environment. Basically everything was alright - looked around and not a Mac in sight.  I have to say today was a good day.

★★★★★★★★★☆

http://www.theblackpenny.com/
34 Great Queen Street

Foyles (Charing Cross Road)

In an era of zombie capitalism, the death of retail and the expansion of Amazon into every walk of life, its great to see Foyles still making a stand for the physical.

The café on the 5th floor is elegant, bright and serves some excellent food.  It always appears to be very busy which is good, although one should be prepared to fight for any empty chair that may present itself.

A pity then, the coffee resembles one of the least impressive I've tasted in recent years.  I feared the worst when the server automatically converted my filter order to an 'americano' - hardly a unique failing but you would expect a literary ground zero such as Foyles to be capable of correct definitions.

Fairly tasteless, lukewarm Americano from a machine then. I preferred it when it had better coffee (and jazz) in the old location.

http://www.foyles.co.uk/bookstore-charing-cross
107 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0DT
★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

FCB Coffee (Blackfriars/South Bank)

A welcome newcomer on the south side of Blackfriars station, the brand has a few shops mainly around London and the South of England.

Excellent guest filter on offer, I had the roast from Papua New Guinea which was noteworthy.  Looking forward to seeing and tasting more from these guys.

www.fcbcoffee.com
Blackfriars station (south side)

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Pret (231 Camden high street)

Of course there are almost as many of these as there are atoms in the universe.  This particular branch is a newcomer on the high street, and is probably one of the best in the chain, with excellent seating options on two levels.

Remember I'm not here to discuss the food, merely the filter.  Pret is one of the few chains that know the difference between a filter and an Americano.  While not pretending to be gourmet, the filter on offer is solid and reliable, consistently a good temperature and actually is one the of the best value filters in London (sorry indys).

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

www.pret.co.uk
this variant:  231 Camden High Street London, United Kingdom NW1 7BU

Camden Coffee (Camden Market)

What's not to like?  hand picked coffee available in Camden Market, one of my favourite places. 
Unfortunately one of the most unpleasant roasts I've had in the past few years. very hot and bitter even for me.

I want to like it, really I do. I will return to this post in due course.

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

https://www.camdenmarket.com/food-drink/camden-coffee
Stables Yard, Chalk Farm Road, London NW1 8AH

Saint Espresso & Kitchen

I stumbled onto this relative newcomer in Kentish Town. They are of the same stable as the excellen Leyas in Camden Town.  Very friendly staff and great coffee on offer, the daily roast option (a real filter not Americano) an excellent Ethiopian.  Very good food too, if you were that way inclined.  MacBook count was uncomfortably high though.

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Saint Espresso & Kitchen

www.saintespresso.com

296 Kentish Town Road, London, United Kingdom NW5 2TG

Notes - Canary Wharf

This location was the tidy little booth in Canary Wharf station.

A note lets customers know they roast their own coffee in Kings Cross, which is a nice touch and adds an independent aura.  It has to be said though, the filter is so extremely hot its almost impossible to taste any subtle flavours that said roast may contain.

Still, overall I do respect their intentions.  As an added bonus, they serve outstanding brownies.

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
notes-uk.co.uk

Unit 5 Canary Wharf Station, London E14 5AB