Coffee is a big part of my day, and I’m sure it’s just as important to many others. Where do you like to go for a coffee in London?
Gabi, 20, Elephant and Castle
“If I want to study, I found this really good place in Soho called ‘TAP coffee‘, I found it recently and it has a really nice vibe. I also like to go to “Louie Louie”, I go there because it’s close to my house, for when I am feeling lazy, but they do have pretty good coffee…also any coffee shop in Brixton is fine.”
Ernesta, 22, South London
“Usually I like to get a good coffee, but I do struggle to find places. Mare Street market has a pretty good place, the interior is really nice there and they do a really good coffee.”
Neelam (c) Sofi N.
Neelam, 20, East London
“I like to go where I work because I get it for £1, and I drink about three coffees a day. Depending on who is serving me, I sometimes don’t even get charged for it.”
Alex. (c) Sofi N.
Alex, 25, Dalston
“I tend to go to Kaffiene. It’s close to my place of work so it’s very convenient and they do a good flat white.”
Dave. (c) Sofi N.
Dave, 23, Northampton
“I like Auguste handmade because the smell of the shop reminds me of when I used to fix my bike with my dad. The coffees are very good, they are never burnt. It’s reasonably priced, all of the bikes in there are super nice and the guy who runs it is very welcoming.”
Yellow Bourbon Coffee Roasters is a small, local coffee shop in my hometown – Northampton. The shop is located at 15 Angel st, Northampton, NN1 1EW. Their Instagram is @yellow_bourbon.
At Yellow Bourbon, they select some outstanding coffees from around the world. They roast the coffees in store, upstairs at the back. They then serve them either as drinks, or in bags for you to purchase and take home to brew at home. All of the staff are highly trained and extremely helpful, they are always more than happy to share their expertise with you – to help you chose the right coffee for you, and how to brew it at home to its best advantage. They also hold brewing classes every first Saturday of the month.
(c) Sofi N. Pricing – There has been a slight price rise on retail drinks and snacks which was put into place on October 1st. For example, a flat white has gone from £2.50, to £2.70. The pricing of wholesale and beans has not changed – these are still from £6-£9 per 250g.
The shop has a small outside seating area – bench and a table which is perfect for the summer. Upstairs is a larger seating area, it’s also where you can find shop owner Steve’s rescue dog – patch. who hangs around occasionally, sleeping on his coffee bean bag bed (and sniffing out your sandwiches).
(c) Sofi N. Patch taking a snooze.
At Yellow Bourbon, they sell a large variety of coffees. These are directly sourced from coffee farmers. The staff visit farms around the world. Some of the places they have visited that I know of are El Salvador and Brazil. On their latest trip to Brazil, one of the staff members visited Daterra – a farm that is working hard in order to produce sustainable coffees, from the region of Minas Gerais. Elle – who visited Daterra, which is one of the most highly regarded coffee estates in the world, even helped to plant a coffee tree there.
“Daterra is all about sustainability and care which is shown through their equipment, how they treat their workers and the family feel you get across the farm even with 600 people working during the harvest.”
– Elle, Yellow Bourbon worker.
When the staff have the opportunity to visit farms across the world, they like to keep their customers very updated on what happens there. They share photos/videos as little insights into how the coffee goes from farm, to your cup at Yellow Bourbon. For example, coffee drying patio at Fazenda Serra Das Tres Barras – part of Mantiquiera De Minas estate, where the coffee that they serve comes from.
(c) Sofi N. The coffee roasting area upstairs.
They have a variety of dairy alternatives available to customers. Due to the fact that veg milk is more expensive than dairy, they have a 25p subcharge. Although, if you bring your own reusable cup – they give you a 25p discount, which in my eyes in a win-win! They also have freshly squeezed orange juice on their menu. The oranges are bought from the local market which is just a short walk away.
(c) Sofi N. Coffee plants are sold in store.
The shop owner Steve has over 8 years of technical experience in coffee, from roasting and quality control, through to sourcing, brewing and training. So, if you appreciate expertly crafted coffee, friendly staff and a chilled out environment and atmosphere – and you are in/around Northampton, then Yellow Bourbon is the place to be.
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