Germany's Barista Championship

I went to the Kaffee Olympiade in Hamburg with the gang from Godshot to check out the Barista Championship and Latte Art Contests.  We were all decked out in our matching multi-colored t-shirts but none of us competed.  I'm not eligible, since I've been in Germany just short of 2 years and the rest of the guys are top-baristas although not the most competitive bunch. I have high hopes for a Godshot team next year. 

Our friend Marcel was participating in the Latte Art Contest.  He kicked ass.  He teaches a Latte Art Seminar with Kai at Godshot and has one of the steadiest pairs of hands I have ever seen.  He got 2nd place but was only .5 point away from the 1st place winner.  The whole competition was close.

The Baritsa competition was also a nail-biter.  The guys from Radical Coffee inundated the competition with highly-skilled baristas and the top three finalist were all from this gang.  They all showed amazing team spirit and sporttsmanship.  It was obvious that they supported each other throughout training.  Thomas Schweiger was the eventual winner and will go on to represent Germany at the World Championship in London in 2 weeks.  I will be there to cheer him on and finish my London Coffee Tour. 

Map of London Coffee Tour

I will update as I visit locations.

View London Coffee Tour in a larger map

Tapped & Packed

I got to Tapped & Packed a few days after they opened their doors.  Everything was shiny, the staff was standing at attention and I was the only customer which was a welcome treat after being one of the herd at Lantana.  I was tipped off by the gracious owner of Bou Tea but I'm sure that Tapped & Packed won't be a secret for long. 

They were the only cafe besides Monmouth that seemed to make a serious commitment to filter coffee and having single origins.  In fact they had the only vac-pot (siphon) I saw on my tour, and also offered other brew methods; aeropress, filter and cafetiere.  Their equipment is all state of the art.  They are the only cafe I know of that offers coffee from the Union, Square Mile and Climpson & Sons making them the go to place if you wanted to taste all these offerings under the same roof.

All that and their Australian barista was the most interesting to look at. The espresso in the hopper was Climpson but they said they would be changing that often so you have to ask.  The owner seems to have a real commitment to art (the walls were already buzzing with it) and the perfect cup.

I'm sure they will have kinks to work out.  Keeping so much in stock and beans from three roasters fresh will be a challenge.  They are entering a crowded corner of soho and smartly offer what none of their neighbors have.

They get the newbie award.  It is the place to go to if you want to taste it all, all day long while looking at cute staff.

Tapped & Packed

26 Rathbone Place, Fitzrovia London  W1T1JD

Monmouth

Monmouth started roasting coffee in 1978 and exist now as the old guys that have somehow kept up.  They dominate as roasters in the high-end coffee houses in London and have the busiest retail exchange of beans that I have ever witnessed.  Their success is inspiring.

Since they roast their own, their cafes are on the forefront of filter coffee offerings in London.  Filter Coffee is no where as far along as in the US and only a few cafes in London even offer it. Most will give you an Americano instead.  To feature their single origin beans, Monmouth uses ceramic filter which enables them to offer a by the cup coffee to order experience similar to the quality of a french press and cheaper than a Clover cup.  Since I come from a land in love with single origins and I am personally in love with a vac-pot, this was great to see.  Each location offers a plethora of single estate coffees and their espresso blend.  They also customize espresso blends for their many wholesale customers.

They are skilled roasters but tend to stick to a medium to dark roast.  Lighter roasts are tricky, and have only recently gained traction with its development by Cafe Vivace and perfection by Stumptown and Intelligentsia.  Monmouth is not there yet and their struggle will be to meet the new roasting challenge.  With the new players in town and the Third Wave obsession with freshness and innovation, Monmouth's years are a brand disadvantage but an expertise advantage.

They bypass the Fair Trade stuff and trade with farmers directly which often works out better for the farmer. The coffee beans at the stores is kept in open containers during the day but it goes so fast that it is the only sensible way to store them.  They tend to have La Marzocco Lineas but generally the baristas are too busy to talk.

The Convent Garden store was really to small to sit in.  The Borough Market location was an experience, esprecially on a sunny day with it's garage style door that results in an open air, covered store.

Monmouth is definitely the destination if fresh, single estate coffee your thing.  They know what they are doing.

Monmouth Coffee

Covent Garden - 27 Monmouth Street London WC2H 9EU

The Borough - 2 Park Street London SE1 9AB

Kaffeine

This was definitely a highlight of my tour and if I could teleport myself somewhere right now, it would be into Kaffeine. It seems like the best of London's coffee comes from Australia and New Zealand. The folks from Kaffeine seem to have pulled off the most sophisticated result.

The coffee was super. I happened to be there the day after they received their delivery of the new spring espresso from Square Mile Roasters so I just had straight shots. I was blown away. It was not pretentious. There were a flock of workers behind the counter that seemed like apprentices if for no other reason than their humility. The Synesso machine was beautiful. The result was that I had a little slice of heaven that morning.

After checking their site, I found that they had some of the strictest standards that I've heard about for baristas. "Our Baristas have at least three continuous years experience behind a professional espresso machine. They are continuously in pursuit of perfecting the art of espresso making."

I drool when I think of this place. If you could only go to one place in London for coffee, Kaffeine would be it.

Kaffeine

66 Great Titchfield St Westminster, London W1W 7QJ, UK

Bou Tea

Bou Tea is in the theater district so I was able to run to it before catching a show.  I stayed so long I had to take a rickshaw to catch to show on time.  It was not what I expected. It was super laid back and hip but gave me serious service and coffee. 

The owner happened to be there and perked up when I started in with my questions.  She was friendly and community-oriented and gave me 3 more great recommendations for my tour. 

The art and style was very DIY and expressive. The barista was kick-ass and on a constant search for the perfect roast.  They are currently using Monmouth, a favorite for independent, high-end cafes.  Since I had Monmouth so much on this tour (and afterwards since I brought all the beans that I had in London back to Berlin with me to check them out in the lab) I was tempted to try the teas although I was pressed for time.  

From the Yelp reviews and blog posts seems I missed an opportunity to try some wonderful tea.  Given that tea is obviously the focus, it is good to see that they are not ignoring their coffee.  It is comfortable, convenient and one of the more affordable places on the tour. 

Bou Tea 

22 Wellington St., Opera Quarter Covent Garden London WC2E 7DD

Lantana

Lantana is another Australian import, bringing great coffee and food to London. The vibe is more like a restaurant than a coffee bar though and they have a full, widely celebrated menu of Aussie brunch food.

Some die hard coffee geeks believe that you have to choose between a full kitchen and awesome coffee.  So far Lantana has a dedicated owner who is  proving them wrong.  It was the only place on my tour with a full kitchen and the coffee was superb.  They use Monmouth beans and pour good Latte art. I was not blown away but I enjoyed my cup. I did not try their food. They have a dedicated barista who seemed tired and grumpy but skilled.

The waiters come meet you at a table which threw me off and the place is not set up for standing at the counter and witnessing your coffee happen or talking to your barista.  It is tiny and widely popular, so not very relaxing.  I felt like I was in the way with my meager coffee drinks and bothersome questions.  I was overwhelmed by the people and restaurant environment.

I'd recommend it if you wanted a meal and solid espresso but not if your main goal is to drink coffee. Lantana is sandwiched between Kaffeine and Tapped & Packed and, for coffee, it is not the best of the three so there is no need to stand in their long line for your coffee fix.

Lantana
13 Charlotte Place Fitzrovia, W1T 1

LJ Coffee House

I did not have to leave Soho to find the gem that is LJ Coffeehouse.  I was lucky enough to find the owner, David, behind the bar and excited to hear his story.  David gets it.

While I love the new energy and innovation flowing bubbling up with coffee's Third Wave, the focus on the perfect cup sometimes misses the point.  Coffee, Coffeehouses and all of the huppla that surrounds it is about creating an environment where people can connect with each other and hopefully experience something spectacular.  The point of it is people. David is in the people business and coffee is a part of that. For many, it is more about the coffee than the people.

In keeping with this focus, LJ's does things a bit differently.  They offer 3 sizes in coffee drinks that range from 8 to 16oz. You can get your soy, decaf, and skim milk here all prepared  well on a La Marzocco GB5 with Union Hand Roasted beans.  I love the purple packaging and name of the "Revelation" blend but I was not so impressed with the taste. It is definitely in the ballpark of a good roast but never quite closes the deal.  Like Climpsons, it is safer/milder than I like it and lacks an element in the blend that serves to highlight and transform the base into something extraordinary. 

LJ  Coffeehouse is very LGBT friendly. Everyone can feel comfortable here. The chairs are all soft and the coffee keeps you coming.

LJ Coffee House
3 Winnett Street Soho London W1D 6JY

Fernandez & Wells

After a few days in London.  I developed a rhythm.  I would wake early and hit at least 3 spots on my list before the rest of the city waked up.  I kicked off this pattern with a stop at Fernandez & Wells.

They are unapologetic coffee snobs.  This is not an insult and I loved it.  You won't be able to find skim milk or decaf here.  Just take a look at their lean menu of no more than 5 coffee drinks. Don't worry about the lack of options, what they do, they do well.  They are the coffee store equivalent of the record store in High Fidelity minus Jack Black.

The barista, Rowan aka Mister Barista does not disappoint. He knew his stuff.  Although I could not buy their blend, which you can only experience in the store on their shiny Synesso machine,  I knew by my first drink that it was something special.  I had a Stumpy and was instantly intoxicated by the small, unlikely shop I found my groggy morning self in.


The abundance of baked yummies, the random crates of fruit in the corner.  The weekend morning shuffling of customers and deliveries.  The sun shining through the front window and bouncing off the machine to fill the narrow shop with light. 

This was a highlight.  The Synesso is not an easy machine to get consistent results on unless you know what you are doing.  It allows for a lot of manual play.

I will definitely be back.

Fernandez and Wells  

73 Beak Street London W1F 9RS

Climpson & Sons

Like almost all West Indians,  I have an aunt that lives in London.  I did not expect to have any good coffee when passing through her neighborhood.  So I was surprised when across the street from her house I saw the newly opened Climpson & Sons.  While I was happy to stumble across a place on my coffee destination list, I also recognized the changing (read gentrification) of my aunt's neighborhood, a hint that she may not be able to afford her flat in a few years time.  But this blog is not about urban migratory patterns and how they are affected by capitalism and class, it is about coffee. 

In the London coffee shops of old, (which means most coffeeshops that I tried to avoid) people would sprinkle cocoa on your espresso while making a cappuccino.  Leaving the poor populace with the impression that a cappuccino was some sort of chocolate coffee drink. I unfortunately encountered this practice at Climpson & Sons.  I will say that when I visited in January, the barista did not do this and since it was Easter Monday there was a replacement barista but this cocoa stuff coming between me and my cappuccino is just madness.  Can someone start a campaign to end this?

I could not buy beans at this store so I had to get them at a store later in my tour that carries their beans.  Generally, Climpson & Sons is highly respected as roasters on the London scene.  There was always a good flow of people and I bumped into Cameron, the barista from Flat White, on my way out the door.  People who know and love coffee go to Climpsons. I had a chance to taste their coffee sans cocoa and found it to be mellow but loosing its stronger elements when served with milk resulting in a laid back effect.  It is a solid blend but it does not take many risks. That said, I have a lot of respect for them and how they have helped to raised the bar in UK coffee.  Check out this video about their humble beginnings.


The Hackney store is small and sports a spare style.  The seating and counters are made from milk crates and corrugated tin as well as other salvaged materials but still comes off as clean and intentional.  There is an unexplained radio station set-up in the corner by the door.  My favorite nook however was the back corner where you could look over the backyard and shed through the huge old-fashioned window.

Climpson & Sons

63 Wilton Way, E8 1BG 

67 Broadway Market, London, E8 4PH

Flat White

I could not have picked a better first stop for my London Coffee Tour than Flat White, the Australian coffee invasion of London.  Serving up their own blend of Square Mile roasted beans with a passion on 2 La Marzocco Lineas  are two serious baristas.  The most passionate barista I've met in a while, Cameron, is a New Zealander who talks about coffee the way others talk about a lover.  He got really excited when we started talking about coffee from Papa New Guinea and his accent got super strong and started to escape my American ears but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

The coolest thing beside the coffee at Flat White is the friendly staff which was a bit of welcome culture shock for me after living in Berlin.  I felt like I was at home.  That's Claire behind the counter, Eric whipping up sandwiches, the afore mentioned Cameron and another mysterious barista who only talks through the delicious drinks he makes.

Flat White is obviously not a secret because there was another crazy coffee customer who made a special pilgrimage to the store and was animatedly asking about the mechanics of the espresso machine. I visited on Easter Sunday and Flat White was open and busy.
After my awesome experience there, I am not surprised.

Flat White, 17 Berwick Street W1. Tel 020 7734 0370