Somewhere in between renovating a house, marathon training, working shifts, writing reports, oh and giving the odd bit of time to my lovely girlfriend, I managed to get over to Liverpool with Sophie as my coffee companion for my second coffee tour.
Who said men can't multi-task?
Liverpool isn't really known for its coffee community. However, I felt the need to go explore it and see what there is to offer. After receiving my own copy of the 'Northern Independent Coffee Guide' there were three particular shops I wanted to visit.
So lets get underway.
First on our agenda, Root Coffee. No more than a 2 minute jaunt from Liverpool 1 you will find Root Coffee snugly placed below Premier Inn just off Hanover Street. Sleek glass exterior, with an open and airy seating arrangement inside. The continuous bold counter covered with colourful wood to give you that traditional feel. You will find crates from the Liverpool Marina used as coffee tables to keep you in the sense that you are in Liverpool and that it is part of this shop.
It was a great atmosphere which was finished off with French music although Siri had no idea who the artist was, typical.
The coffee was very smooth and wonderfully balanced. Both myself and Soph went for our favourite drink. The flat white. Fantastically strong flavor from the coffee, leaving a dark chocolatey taste in the mouth.
After a short walk not far from Liverpool 1 you will come to Bold Street Coffee. Expressed as one of the originals in Liverpool for independent coffee in my book so we had to visit.
It has a rustic exterior look with a very unique Banksy themed art work next to their window.
Inside, everything was lined with oak which kept the place bright and gave it a quality feel. There is a huge world map on the wall opposite the counter which shows you the very important coffee band (which is reducing all the time, damn climate change!).
They have a La Marzocco PB machine which is always a winner. However I opted to go for an Aeropress brew method with their seasonal Kenyan beans. Deliciously sweet and fruity. It was a pleasant change from the usual espresso blends.
On to our last coffee house which is called 92 Degrees, also another long-stander in Liverpool's Coffee history. This time we had a good 20 minute walk out of the centre towards the theatre area. A fairly modest and subtle outside, nothing to shout about, but inside is what they focused on.
Inside it's almost like walking into a gallery with huge paintings hanging from all the walls. Long top to bottom windows filled the gaps in between the artwork which flooded the area with light.
It was a just a macchiato for our final stop in the tour because by now I was brimming with caffeine. Like always one more never harmed anyway. It wasn't my favorite espresso, harsh on the flavour but some people enjoy that. Hey, who am I to judge?
Once again my coffee explorations were a success and the specialty coffee shops never disappoint. It doesn't matter where you go, the ambiance, character and quality this community projects is expressed throughout. You have satisfied my coffee addiction and given me a boost for the drive home.
Thanks for reading! Life is crazy at the moment. So bear with me all is in hand (or six).