The Coffee Compass

Your Guide for Craft Coffee

England

Three Great London Cafés I Found Mostly By Accident

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When I first starting blogging about coffee, specialty coffee shops were few and far between, often in far flung places well off the beaten path. These days, it seems like you could throw a rock in any global mega city and hit a pretty decent coffee shop. In rare form, a recent trip to London saw me mostly visit coffee shops I happened upon (rather than meticulously — one might say obsessively — researched ahead of time). But even though I found these cafés by chance, I dare say they’re worth planning a visit to next time you’re in London.

Frequency

If there’s one thing about the shared economy that has us ready to return to conventional hotels, it’s the absurd hoops one has to jump through sometimes to get the key to an AirBnB. Thankfully, the mile walk between our key pick up location and apartment …

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You Probably Need Blue Crow Media’s London Coffee Map

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London Coffee Map
I began my lifestyle blog with something that is pretty central to it; and that is coffee. Being a stimulant, I find that coffee easily becomes a catalyst for conversation, creative thoughts and ideas.

Especially over the past year or two, I’ve had a bit of reawakening for the drink. It’s gone from the necessary morning wake-up routine, to a soothing break midway through an afternoon. But I’m obviously not alone with this thinking – and when you have a city like London, populated with citizens and travellers who all demand a coffee that ticks a number of boxes that other coffeehouses can’t, a problem arises. This is where Blue Crow’s London Speciality Coffee Map comes into play….

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Cafe Review: Upshot Espresso in Sheffield

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Upshot Espresso Sheffield

Good coffee doesn’t happen by accident. Intentional farming practices, skillful roasting, and precise brewing are just a few of the mind boggling number of variables that must be in place to produce a delicious cup of coffee. As such, we don’t usually find great cafes by accident either. Most coffee shops we visit were either recommended by trusted friends or renowned in the specialty coffee community. This makes our first visit to Upshot Espresso all the more serendipitous….

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From Mexico to Brighton: Watch This Video about Small Batch Coffee Company

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Small Batch Coffee Brighton

For American and Canadian coffee drinkers, Mexico is the closest place producing specialty coffee (Hawaii not withstanding). This is not so for Small Batch Coffee Company in Brighton, England- but that hasn’t stopped them from building a direct trade relationship with Finca Muxbal in Chiapas that’s now 3 years strong. According to Small Batch,

 The farm is outrageously beautiful, situated high above the city of Tapachula in Chiapas and straddled by the Mexico-Guatemala border. More importantly the farm is run in the most professional and socially responsible manner I have seen anywhere at origin.

Small Batch recently produced a video with FatSand Films about their long-term partnership, and it has us wanting to pull out our passports and visit our neighbor to the south. After that, a holiday in Brighton may be in order. Watch the video below then scoop up some coffee here. Recommended brewing soundtrack? The Who’s Brighton-based rock opera, Quadrophenia.

Cafe Review: Store Street Espresso in London

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Store Street Espresso outside

The Cafe You’ve Been Looking For

Every urban dweller is searching for the perfect side street: a quiet oasis one step removed from the hustle of the city. Store St. in the heart of Bloomsbury, London might be that perfect side street. It’s home to a handmade bicycle store, plenty of foliage, sidewalk seating, and, most importantly, Store Street Espresso.

Store Street Espresso machine

The stark white interior and the naturally-finished wooden tables lend Store Street Espresso a certain tranquility. It’s the kind of coffee shop where you can chat with a friend, read a book, or, if you’re the guy at the table next to me, practice your calligraphy. The baristas stay busy serving customers, but I found …

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London Coffee Crawl: Five Proper Shots of Espresso

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TAP Coffee London

Photo by Ben Willis

London Calling

The English may stereotypically be tea-drinkers, but in recent years London has emerged as a coffee powerhouse with few rivals. Since London hosted the World Barista Championship in 2010, the cafe scene …

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