By the looks of this photo you wouldn't think it, but we've been pleasantly surprised on returning for short stay in London again how the Antipodeans have made it possible to get a decent coffee pretty much wherever you are in London now. Gone are the days I used to actually search out Neros' for a cappuccino figuring they were actually the best of a bad bunch.
To list all the places we've had good coffee this trip would be too much of an exhaustive list. However, a few places to check out are Climpson and Sons on Broadway Market, Hackney, Caravan on Exmouth Market, Clerkenwell, St Ali at Smithfields, of course Monmouth; particularly their roastery at Malthy St Market, London Bridge, that opens as a coffee-shop saturday only, Federation at the new Brixton covered market (well worth checking out if you haven;t been yet),Flat White and Foxcroft and Ginger on Berwick st in Soho and Department of Coffee and Social Affairs and Prufrock's on Leatherlane, Clerkenwell. Sorry, if the list is a bit centered in central London, it's just where we've been staying and hence where I've been charging up.
I wouldn't say I'm overly informed on coffee, but I do like to drink it so I reckon I know a good coffee when I taste one. When I was working in Istanbul I was up to having about 4/5 a day until Theresa came to visit and told me I better stop as it was sending me crazy; always the way, you never notice yourself, you just think you're getting a lot done.
Finally, why does it take the Kiwi's and Aussies to come over to show us what good coffee is? Sad, but true. I've been quite fancying a trip over there now after having met and liked so many of them. Beats the old Tea Shops with the lace curtains and tablecloths that my Mum used to take us to in Cambridge when we were kids. At that time you (quite honestly - many won't believe me) couldn't get a cup of coffee out that wasn't instant. Sometimes I hanker after a taste of Englishness in London which has changed beyond all recognition since I first came to live here. But then everything is in constant change and at least you can get a proper cup of coffee whilst contemplating the impermanence of everything now.
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