CoffeeRail - Part 2

The next stop after Scooterworks was Flat White(17 Berwick Str). On their web page Tyler Brûlé, the editor of my favourite magazine Monocle, says that Flat White serves "the best coffee in London". I totally do agree.

(Some information for the ones who don't know it yet. I lived a year in Auckland, New Zealand and there I found my passion for coffee. I'm always looking to find Kiwis to chat with. Kiwi who knows how to make make some coffeee, even better.)


Flat White is run by a few Kiwis (and Aussies, not sure) and they know how to pull that sweet elixir of life, espresso. They use Square Mile's coffee, Mazzer grinders and two Lineas. Nice!

The espresso was propably the best one I have ever had. Optimally fresh, at least I guess so. Taste was just unbelievable. It felt like the coffee almost exploded in my mouth. Acid, fruity and sweet. That's all I've written in travel diary. Just increadible experience.


NZ-style latte was also great. Nice, strong double shot shot topped with perfectly steamed milk. And look at that Latte Art! That's a serious Rosetta. In my opinion, the best café in London.


This is from Portobello Road, a place I was told about. Espresso served in a paper cup and totally over-extracted and bitter. Nice staff, though.

Whitecross Street Market (Open every Thursday and Friday from 11-17)


This is one of the two coffee carts Gwilym Davies, World Barista Champion 2009, works at. Unfortunately, he wasn't at work when I visited their cart and I didn't have another chance to visit Whitecross St. Anyway, the espresso was great; fruity, adic and sweet. If I understood correctly, 80% Colombian and 20% Brazilian, roasted by Square Mile Coffee. Definitely worth a visit but beware, you'd better arrive early or otherwise there'll be a loooong queue!

From Whitecross St. we went to Borough Market. I first visited it when I was in London with my family in autumn 2006, I think. Here the old and clicheéd saying can be used: I fell in love at the first sight. The place is just amazing. (I know this isn't coffee but everyone who understands coffee should show some enthusiams for food, too.) Full of vibrant smell, colours, noices and food. All kinds of it - veggies, fish, meat, game, chocolate - you name it. I could cry when I see those passionate farmers telling people about their product regardless what it is. Farmers come from all over England to sell their product. This one man farmed only tomatoes, big and fleshy, small and juicy - tomatoes for every purpose one could ever think! I really like their attitude towards what they are selling - it seems that they like their jobs and are happy with them. Something similar in Finland? In your dreams, buddy.


Monmouth Coffee Company has a shop at Borough, a nice one actually. Espresso was alright (compared to other good ones in London). (It's actually quite funny that I have written in my travel diary that all espresso were "fruity" and "acid"... I hope I have improved my tasting to be a bit more specific than that =b ) Monmouth has its own roastery and their espresso blend was composed of Colombian, Brazilian and Guathemalan coffees.

Double shot for the price of single, nice!

I also visited their shop at Covent Garden (27 Monmouth St ). Small and crowded so I had to sit on the pavement outside the shop, nice though. Espresso blend was the same and the only espresso they had. Well brewed but a little bit boring.

That's it for London, I'm affraid! Don't worry, dear reader. London makes about half of all cafes I'm going to write about... My conclusion on London: today's Coffee Capital of the World.