When I first moved across the pond, I was eager to have some great English tea. And seriously, English tea might be the very best! But after a few months of heavier assignments and increased workload, sometimes tea just wasn't enough for a self-proclaimed caffeine addict...
Every now and then, a girl just wants a decent cup a coffee.
Much to my dismay, it is extremely difficult to find said cup of coffee in London. I'm not exactly sure where the English have gone wrong between being the DaVinci's of tea, and being COMPLETE CRAP at coffee, but Sweet Jesus! I don't think I've tasted so many horrible cups of coffee, on a consistent basis. Sometimes the coffee has been so bad that I take a sip, and promptly throw it in the trash. Believe me, I'm not one to ever waste caffeine, but there is only so much torture I can stand!
Sometimes the beans are overcooked. Sometimes the coffee is so weak you might as well be drinking water that's been dyed brown. And asking for a cappuccino in London? Fuggedaboutit! You will get a frothy, horrible mess of a drink I wouldn't recommend to my worst enemy (for those of you that know about proper cappuccinos, you know know that the foam has to be a certain consistency on top).
I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. This is because there a few places in London (and you gotta search for them) that actually know how to make a good cup of joe. Monmouth and Ginger & White are two places that are doing something right. And often, they will have signs saying, "We serve real coffee."
When a city has to label it's decent coffee as "real coffee," you know there is a problem. I am reminded when I visit other cities: Barcelona, Switzerland and Portugal all know how to make great coffee. London, get your act together and learn how to properly brew those beans!
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With that said, I CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE A CAPPUCCINO IN ITALY!!!!!!
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| I'm smiling, but the coffee still sucks. |
Much to my dismay, it is extremely difficult to find said cup of coffee in London. I'm not exactly sure where the English have gone wrong between being the DaVinci's of tea, and being COMPLETE CRAP at coffee, but Sweet Jesus! I don't think I've tasted so many horrible cups of coffee, on a consistent basis. Sometimes the coffee has been so bad that I take a sip, and promptly throw it in the trash. Believe me, I'm not one to ever waste caffeine, but there is only so much torture I can stand!
Sometimes the beans are overcooked. Sometimes the coffee is so weak you might as well be drinking water that's been dyed brown. And asking for a cappuccino in London? Fuggedaboutit! You will get a frothy, horrible mess of a drink I wouldn't recommend to my worst enemy (for those of you that know about proper cappuccinos, you know know that the foam has to be a certain consistency on top).
I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. This is because there a few places in London (and you gotta search for them) that actually know how to make a good cup of joe. Monmouth and Ginger & White are two places that are doing something right. And often, they will have signs saying, "We serve real coffee."
 |
| Above, an example of the right consistency for foam on a cappuccino. On the right, London's infamous nasty foam. |
When a city has to label it's decent coffee as "real coffee," you know there is a problem. I am reminded when I visit other cities: Barcelona, Switzerland and Portugal all know how to make great coffee. London, get your act together and learn how to properly brew those beans!
***
With that said, I CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE A CAPPUCCINO IN ITALY!!!!!!
Oh wow really?! I live in the UK and haven't had a problem with the coffee. Although I
ReplyDeleteprefer Costa Coffee's Flat White or any coffee by illy?
Halima
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I hate Costa! But to each their own. I suppose my question to you is...have you tried the coffee in other countries? I think the difference is highly noticable!
DeleteI don't drink coffee... but yeah that 'bad' coffee looks pretty bad. Ireland is a lot worse, I hear. My Mam has a nespresso machine and most of the time sticks to that!
ReplyDeleteYou know what? I still got better coffee in Ireland! London is the very worst!
DeleteEw, that sucks. Bad coffee is the worst (I had a few bad cups in Paris actually). Recently, I've tried Douwe Egberts coffee and it is fantastic! There are even a few restaurants that serve it too. You should definitely try it, if you're into brewing at home.
ReplyDeleteI have heard coffe really sucks in England! (When I lived there I didn't drink coffee so I wouldn't know)
ReplyDeleteI visited a coffee plantation this weekend and my oh my was that the most wonderful experience, and the coffee- pure enjoyment!
That's kind of really surprising that such a large metropolitian city has crappy coffee, but I guess it is the land of tea. My sister is a total coffee snob and definitely complained while we were in the UK.
ReplyDeletedrinking coffee in the US after having it in switzerland is so gross!!
ReplyDeleteEverything is good in Switzerland! Although, you're from the midwest. Another land of sucky coffee :P Cali has coffee down!!
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