There’s certainly one thing that kept me sane through lockdown and that’s coffee. Lots of it. From pods to drip filters, I’ve been drinking caffeine by the litre load and here some of my faves…
Caravan
We all love Caravan restaurants for their avo on toast and baked eggs but it’s their coffee they’re really known for. They take an ethical standpoint to source ‘green coffee’ supporting local communities like the Twa people of Burundi, a landlocked country near Rwanda. The resulting beans, once fully washed at the Businde washing station, offer notes of vanilla, black cherry and Lady Grey tea of all things. Caravan, we love you!
Cru Kafe
These Nespresso compatible pods come in gorgeous recyclable packaging which feels super fancy and at £20 for sixty capsules (their Discovery Pack) it’s thoroughly decent value. Cru Kafe source their 100% organic and fair trade certified coffee from all the world, like India for flavours of chocolate, cedar and whiskey and Colombia for blackcurrant, apple and hazelnut.
Gentleman Baristas
Each pack of Gentleman Baristas coffee tells you the varietal, region, altitude, process and suited to. In this case, Bourbon, yellow Caltuai from Brazil, 980-2,200m, washed and best for AeroPress, cafetière, espresso and stovetop. These beans have subtle notes of marzipan, chocolate, blueberry and my favourite, Bakewell tart. You can buy online or from one of their many cute cafés.
Grind
These Nespresso compatible pods from Grind come in a refillable, pretty-in-pink tin which you’ll want to keep out on your side. The pods are filled with the same Soil association certified 100% organic coffee you’ll find in their shops/restaurants and they’re fully compostable. We’ve noticed that Soho House has started using these pods in all their hotel rooms. Good taste.
Black Insomnia
If you like your coffee strong, then you’ll love this one. Black Insomnia is ‘The World’s Strongest Coffee’ and when you drink it, you’ll see they ain’t lying. Although it certainly packs a caffeinated punch (a single cup contains 1105 mg of caffeine per 12 oz.), the flavour from the Arabica & Robusta beans feels well balanced and rounded, whether it’s their fully compostable pods, beans or pour over bags.
Lola’s Coffee
What’s that I hear you cry? What the hell is a pour over bag? Well, I hadn’t heard of them either tbqh, but it’s like a tea bag which you place in a cup, pour over hot water, leave for a few minutes, take out and bam!, you’ve got a cup of coffee. The result is really delicate with a tea-like consistency. Definitely worth a try. This one from Lola’s is the best I’ve tried.
Monmouth
Something about Monmouth in Borough Market, with its 6 mile long queue and always smiling baristas, makes me happy. Roasting and retailing coffee since 1978, Monmouth has grown over time from a basement roastery in Covent Garden to a five arch conversion in Spa Terminus, Bermondsey. They source beans from single farms, estates and cooperatives and the result is a generous selection of beans from Bolivia and Ethiopia to Guatemala and Nicaragua.
Nespresso
If you’re a Nespresso snob then you’re not a real coffee lover. There, I said it. Nespresso pods have been part of my extensive home coffee selection since the beginning and I really do love a short Firenze Arpeggio before heading off in the morning. Of all the pods on the market, here you’ll find the biggest range of flavour profiles and if you order 100 pods online, you get free next day delivery.
