La Marzocco Strada – From Coffee With Love

September 30, 2025

I was at Voyage Coffee, Beijing, China

Last month I was invited to attend a China Arab Expo in Yinchuan, a city about two hours flight west of Beijing and although I didn’t find any coffee shop there, using my aeropress for my coffee fix, I knew that Beijing would have more to offer. So, before my trip I used google to search for best specialty coffee in Beijing and guess what, Voyage Coffee came up.

So, on my second day in Beijing, I made sure that my first stop in discovering the city or should I say finding good coffee, was at the art district, 798 751 Park , where Voyage Coffee was located. Initially I was a bit apprehensive as I completely underestimated the size of this venue and not having WIFI, I panicked. However, upon entering from the main entrance, which is a pedestrian district, I saw a sign pointing to Voyage Coffee on my right… hey presto!

I found out that the main entrance was in a kind of cul-de-sac, so I had a mini adventure.

Upon entering, you are greeted with Nihao (hello in Chinese) and with a Scandinavian style interior with light brown wood and concrete – urban Nordic chic is what I call it.

They have a La Marzocco Strada with Mazzer grinders and the menu has Chinese on one side and English on the other. The café was busy with both locals and expats with some working on laptops and enjoying their coffees.

I noticed their Probat 12kg coffee roaster housed in a glass enclosure for all to see. I found out from their barista that they roast every Tuesday. I went for a flat white using their Black Forest blend, even though it was late afternoon, having not had espresso-based coffee for days and a NY style cheesecake.

Yummy. Hints of chocolate and dried fruit around the edge of my tongue and the cheesecake was one my wife would have approved off.

Before finishing my coffee, Cody, the top barista came over to offer a Kenyan cold brew coffee.

I think she noticed that I was a bit more serious than other customers when I was asking questions about the coffee earlier, plus she spoke the best English as the others were a little puzzled when I started asking about flavour profiles.

I liked it so much that I wanted to buy a bag of beans and Cody was so excited that she rushed to the back to get me one, BUT sadly they had run out. I opted for her second recommendation, an Ethiopian Mansa, because it was a natural processed.

Cody pouring latteart

I took some videos for my Instagram reels and left.

Highly recommended when in Beijing.

I wandered around the art district as someone asked to check another coffee shop, which I didn’t find but I tried Manner coffee, which was okay and I saw %arabica, which had a cool décor but I find their beans to darkly roasted for me, so I didn’t bother.

Find them at China, Beijing, Chaoyang, 酒仙桥路4号北京798艺术区内邮政编码: 100102

August 25, 2025

Drinking Coffee in London Summer 2025 Edition

Yes, I was back in London last month in July after a family holiday in Morocco and I can’t wait to share with you my London specialty coffee adventures, especially as there were lots of new coffee shops opening and who said that opening coffee shops was a passing trend…. Hmmm! In summary, there appears to be a trend, where coffee brands from overseas like Dubai (previous post), Nairobi (yes, from Kenya, Africa) Asia and Europe are opening branches in London. I also got to revisit some of my faves, especially as they were very convenient on my way to explore London and visit friends.

The Barn Café, 36 Charlotte Street

Recently opened on Charlotte Street, just a few minutes’ walk off Oxford Street (Tottenham court road end and close to Goodge Street), Barn Berlin have decided to open a branch in bustling London – called The Barn Café (not Barn Berlin). A cozy escape, the décor is urban chic with exposed brick, with a natural feel, decked with wooden furniture and flooring to match I guess, their coffee bags too, reminding me of my coffee shop in Cape Town. They sue a La Marzocco two group linea machine with Victoria Arduino grinders. There’s some seating outside, which was perfect for the day I visited, as it was a warm sunny 30C day in London. However, I sat inside because I wanted to take pictures and videos and chat a little with their friendly staff, which I did. As I hadn’t had milk-based coffee that day, I ordered a flat white using their blend.

Well balanced.

They sell lots of their coffees, so you can drink and buy.

Spring Valley, 24 Camden Passage, Islington

I was excited to see this new coffee shop open in London just prior to my visit, but why you may ask. In short, I’ve known about this Kenyan coffee brand since 2018 and the prospect of an African brand opening in one of London’s most prestigious neighbourhood signaled to me two things, that an African F&B company have the bravery to open up in London and that a full on coffee shop will be offering Kenyan coffee on a regular basis. So, I went with my daughter on a very rainy Sunday and I was surprised about how busy the area was. More impressive, was the size of the shop. Decked with all the best gadgets that I had seen in Nairobi, like a La Marzocco Strada and Swan grinder.

I opted for a cappuccino with their dark roast, although I must confess, I would have preferred their medium roast but they had sold out already and that was at 11:30am. They also offer lots of merchandise to buy from Africa, of course and I can see them becoming a hub for the locals and British Africans too.

Frequency Specialty Coffee, 13 Camden Passage Islington

Not far from Spring Valley was what looked like a tiny coffee shop. However, as we entered up the stairs I later found out that Frequency has seating across 4 floors including a garden patio too. However, on a rainy day, we sat on the second floor as I downed my Brazilian cortado – tingling notes of dark chocolate on the outside of my tongue.

So good, that I bought a bag of their espresso beans to take back to Dubai too.

I went back later in the week with my brother and guess what, it was raining again but this time I had a V60, which was good too.

Zero to One, 19 Widegate, near Liverpool Street Station

We know that Vietnam is now the second largest producer of coffee in the World, but I’ve never been nor seen a Vietnamese specialty coffee shop before, until now – a stone throw away from Liverpool Street tube station – the hub of bankers, lawyers and the people who create wealth in London. My daughter actually recommended this spot, so I dropped by with my wife to try it out. Decked with a Kees van der Westen spirit espresso machine, operated by a friendly lady barista, I knew they meant business.

So, I opted for a cortado, using…. Guess what? A medium light roasted Vietnamese specialty robusta natural coffee bean, fermented with kefir (usually used to ferment yoghurt) – yes, a mouthful, but yes, a mouthful of goodness too. Yum!

They roast and sell their beans too, so if you fancy something different, then try them out.

So, where else did I go?

Well, I stopped over at some other tried and tested places, which I have written about before, like.

Kiss the Hippo on Margaret Street, near Oxford Street, which was actually my first specialty coffee stop. I had a well-balanced fruity V60 using Colombian Pink bourbon Arabica beans.

Urban Botanica Kennington to have a cortado, using a Rwanda natural brewed on their Kees van der Westen spirt espresso machine.

WatchHouse (Fitzrovia and Bond Street branches) to have delicious banana bread and batch brew and on another occasion, a flat white. I love the interiors and the attention to detail by the staff at this brand and you can usually can’t go wrong when you visit them. Did I mention that they have a loyalty customer app too?

The Shed at Clapham South underground station, who now use Assembly coffee (previously it was Caravan) for a quick cortado.

2 Love to Coffee House (St Johns Road, Clapham) Two for my last coffee fix, which was a flat white using their espresso blend – a delicious end to my London coffee adventures.

May 31, 2025

I Was at Calico Coffee, London

Prior to my short London trip last week, my daughter mentioned that she wanted to take me to a new coffee shop she thought I’d like. So, after peeling myself off my bed on a Sunday morning, the last day of our 4 days trip and after a hectic few days, I went to meet her at Waterloo at Calico Coffee, 101 Lower Marsh Street, about 5 minutes’ walk from Waterloo Railway Station.

Upon entering, you are greeted with a fairly open space, giving you room to look at their coffee menu and their pastry offerings in a glass counter (very Nordic). Their brew bar in front of you is decked with a La Marzocco Strada and to the right-hand side, they offer coffee beans to take home or you can have them ground by them too.

As you walk along the left-hand side, you notice wooden shelves with magazines.

The feel for me, was very Japanese with its minimalist feel and décor that reminded me of modern Japanese restaurants, decked with high stool seating at the back next to the counter, where they brew filter coffees. At the back there was a nice looking one group espresso machine with Maxim label on it and when I enquired, they said it was a Chinese made espresso machine (with a French name).

Walking back, I noticed that one of the baristi must have won this…

Yes, third place in the UK Brewers championship in 2023.

After reviewing the coffee menu and quizzing the barista about their blends for milk-based coffee and the cup size for their flat white (a typical trait of mine, sorry), I opted for their house blend when I heard “Kenya”. My daughter went for the americano.

A nice cup with hints of berries (typical Kenyan profile) around the edge of the tongue.

So, who or what is Calico?

In short, it’s the first outfit owned by two Chinese entrepreneurs and from what I noticed, they seem committed to showing London that Chinese inspired (or was it Japanese) décor, decked with an extensive brew bar, lots of staff, pastries and a chill out vibe is a space they are willing to fill in the London specialty coffee scene.

Will I go again ❓

Sure, because I also need to try their filter brewing skills.

We met a pleasant barista, Maria, of Portuguese origin, who told us about the shop, which only opened about 3 months ago.

Before I left, I went over to their coffee retail shelf and after reading many labels and being encouraged by Maria, opted for an Ecuadorian Anaerobic coffee from a Parisian based coffee roaster, Tanat, with its bright orange packaging. Looking forward to brewing this at home soon. ☺️

If in London and near Waterloo, please check them out and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed but rather… you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Visit them at Unit C, 101 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7AB.

August 31, 2024

I was at CAFE ARTEA, ABU DHABI

Earlier this week I took my wife on a staycation to Abu Dhabi and discovered that one of the coffee shops I have always wanted to visit was only 9 minutes’ drive away. So, after a massive breakfast and chilling for a bit, we decided to pop over to Coffee Architecture. To my dismay when we arrived, we saw a note on the door apologizing for not being there and they would be back at 5pm – it was 2 pm on a very hot and humid afternoon. I almost cried in frustration, and I could see my wife with a look like “okay its closed and its very hot, let’s go back to the hotel”. Never one to be defeated in search of good coffee, I noticed that when I was searching on google maps I saw another specialty coffee shop was nearby.

So, off my wife and I went and thankfully it was literally about 2 minutes’ walk on Turquoise Beach. Pronto! Café Artea.

As we entered and were greeted by smiling barista and a concrete looking block with cakes on top, I was struck by not one but SIX Anfim espresso grinders to my right. Almost in front of you behind various concrete blocks was their La Marzocco Strada espresso machine.

I walked around, took some pictures as the café was empty and quizzed the main barista as to why they had six grinders. He explained that they had six types of coffees (they get their coffee from archers) to offer for espresso and milk-based drinks. They have a Mahl Konig EK43 for filter as well as various black coated V60s for their pour over options.

I opted for a cortado (which was not on their menu) BUT when it’s really hot, I prefer a stronger cup of coffee with less milk. What struck me on first sip was the temperature of the milk – I’m guessing it was around 55-60C. I asked the barista and he confirmed this. It’s very rare to get this temperature in your espresso-based milk drink as some times the milk is too hot (I’ve sent back coffee a few times because if this). I recall reading a James Hoffmann post many years back (before his YouTube fame) where he suggested that 55-60C is the ideal temperature for milk and I believe this is the competition range too.

Pleasant to drink and well prepared by barista Ali.

So, if you happen to be on Saadiyat Island, Mamsha District and want a good specialty coffee place to go (other than Coffee Architecture), check Café Artea too.

April 30, 2024April 30, 2024

I was at HERMOSO Coffee, Abu Dhabi

Towards the end of last year, I was invited to be a keynote speaker at a cancer conference in Abu Dhabi and upon having the hotel booking confirmed by the organizers I knew had two other pertinent tasks to fulfil – ask my fellow coffee nerd, Naveed where to get good specialty coffee and pray that it was near the hotel. You’ll be happy to know, at least for me, that these two tasks were delightfully met as Naveed recommended Hermosoand my hotel was located about 8 minutes away by taxi.

So, on the last day before we headed back to Dubai, I popped over to Hermoso coffee roasters.

It was a bit quiet when I visited on a Sunday morning but I think that’s normal for a city Iike Abu Dhabi, which seems to come alive in the late afternoon/night. Another challenge I discovered with this city is that it is very spread out, unlike Dubai. In Dubai you can almost get to any good coffee spot or restaurant within a 15 minutes’ drive, so whilst Hermoso is located near to the Cornice area and some top hotels, many other spots were like about 30 minutes away, so not close at all to my hotel.

Upon entering through the side of the café, you are met with a cove of coffee to choose from including merchandise, as you move further into the coffee shop towards your left, you will see their brew bar decked with a La Marzocco Strada for their espresso machine and a brew bar with lots of Hario V60s as well as other gadgets like their cold drip system.

I popped upstairs briefly to see their soon to be finished coffee brewing school, where they plan to host events in the future. I learnt too that they partner with coffee supremo Costas of Sweden who mentors them on their coffee roasting style and visits them occasionally to ensure quality – great. Their roastery section is in full display in the main area of the café, where they use American made Loring – I liked the idea of using the coffee tasting wheel as décor just above the roastery.

I was greeted by a bunch of friendly staff and a barista, Rico, hailing from Burma. After a few questions around their coffee offerings, he offered that I try one of their unique espresso blends for my flat white.

After enjoying this, I walked around and took some shots and a video for my Instagram reel, see below

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lameen The Coffeepreneur (@fromcoffeewithlove)

Rico kindly offered me, not one but two different cups of their cold brews to try.

I was of course tempted to buy coffee and opted for a Yemeni Hajjah Anaerobic coffee for filter brewing at home and one of their espresso blends, which I enjoyed later upon my return to Dubai.

So, if you visit AD and happen to stay near the Cornice area, where the tallest hotel in Abu Dhabi is, the Conrad, or the Grand Hyatt of the famous Mandarin Oriental Emirates Palace, as well as the Edition, which is next door, I encourage you to visit Hermoso for your specialty coffee fix, pick a few bags and have breakfast, lunch or dinner if you are hungry too.

Hermoso are located at 57 al Quffal Street in al Bateen.

April 25, 2023April 25, 2023

Dubai Coffee faves: Milk Bar Dubai

When asked by my friends where we should go to for coffee on a Saturday morning during the Dubai Winter (20-25C), MILK Bar, located in Wasl 51 on Wasl Road near City Walk, easily rolls off my lips.

Located in the newish development of Wasl 51, which hosts a Michelin gourmand restaurant (Orfali Bros) together with a host of trendy cafes and breakfast spots, MILK, fits in with the upmarket feel of new places to hang out in Dubai.

As you enter, you are greeted on your left with a ladder (quirky) and an L-shaped serving and brewing bar, dominated with a La Marzocco Strada . As you walk further into the shop, a host of delectable cakes, pastries and sweets present themselves like they are saying, “don’t look, just order” – it reminds me of my display cabinet at my coffee shop in Cape Town back in 2011, which was based on the strategy, “people fall in love with beauty first”. Now, if you make the mistake of walking into MILK without sitting first, the temptation to order a cake or something sweet will be unbearable because they not only look great, they taste nice too. This is based on previous experience. Cheesecake below…

You’d be more impressed to know that MILK also bake their cakes and of course, as with everything in Dubai, you can order it home for that special occasion too.

But that’s not just it. Let’s talk about their food too.

I’ve been here with my family and friends too for breakfast many times. Not only do they have an exciting and not overly complicated breakfast menu, their prices are good value for money too. As someone who loves coffee and food too, especially breakfast, I confess that I must have tried at least four different items on their breakfast menu, from béchamel spinach poached eggs, Turkish eggs, pancakes and my current fave, the cornbread eggs benedict, below.

Although Milk actually opened a few years ago, I didn’t go until September 2021, when after having breakfast at a popular breakfast spot nearby, I went to MILK afterwards to get a cortado. First time, below;

Although they haven’t necessarily committed to just one coffee roaster, you’ll find that their coffee preparation is up to par. So, at the moment they are sourcing their espresso based beans from Grandmother roastery (one of my faves) and the filter blend using April from Copenhagen. I usually visit in the mornings and so opt for their espresso milk based drinks… or should I say, their cortado.

Taste profiles tend to be chocolate with hints of almonds, hazelnuts and milk chocolate. Favouring a more intense taste, I rarely order their cappuccino or flat white, but my fellow coffee nerd, Naveed, usually orders them.

A few months ago they underwent a renovation, which from what I could see, expanded the seating area and now gives you a window view into the kitchen. See video below.

Why go?

Good breakfast, relaxed seating, delectable cakes, friendly staff and off course coffee that won’t disappoint. Need I say more? Check them out.

Sweet endings!

July 16, 2018July 22, 2018

Drinking Coffee in Doha, Qatar

I know it’s been a long time since I blogged and trust me I’m very embarrassed.Sure I can give excuses like I’ve been mad busy but surely I should have given myself a bit of “coffee me” time to share my exploits and thoughts on my latest coffee adventures, so here we go.

I had the opportunity just 2 weeks back to have an 8 hour stop-over in Doha, Qatar on my way back from Kenya and took the chance to meet up with friends that I hadn’t seen for a long time. Naturally, before I set out on my journey I searched on the web for coffee shops in Doha and found one – Flat White (not related to the coffee shop on Berwick Street, London) – more about that later.

Karak Mqanes , La Croisette, Porto Arabia 23, The Pearl Qatar

On meeting my first friend, he suggested we visit the famous Pearl Island and have a Qatari breakfast and I thought “why not”. As we entered the first place, Karak Mqanes, I noticed a sign “Try our Specialty Coffee” with a picture of latte art.

At first I was dubious, as on many occasions I have seen coffee shops trying to trick customers with pictures of latte art. Neverthless, I thought, let’s see what they have. I allowed my friend to order for me and then when he insisted I have tea instead of coffee, I had to be a bit firm as I really wanted to try their coffee. So I asked for a cappuccino before my meal and here it was,

No lies about latte art as you can see, but what about the taste. I must confess with milk it had an intriguing taste, almost like burnt orange and caramel – I can sum it up as a cross between caramelised nuts with with citrus lining. All in all, I would recommend it. About the food it was a bit unusual for me; sweet egg dishes and their version of shakshuka (scrambled eggs with tomatoes) but a place favoured no doubt by the locals. If we had a bit more time, I would have tried their espresso to ascertain the taste profile. So, in summary, my first coffee experience was of to a good start.

Next, my friend asked, where else? Having used the free wifi at Karak Mqanes, I noticed that flat white was not too far away – almost 3-4 minutes walk, so off we went in 38C of heat.

Flat White Unit 346 , La Croisette 27 Porto Arabia – The Pearl Qatar

On entering Flat White, it was similar to the video on their website – a strong focus on coffee with all the gadgets – cool drip, Anfim coffee grinders, relaxed feel, dangling light bulbs, cakes on display, mix of concrete and wood and of course a La Marzocco Strada.

The serving set up was different – you order from the bar and they call you – something unusual for the locals of the richest country in the World. Naturally I ordered a flat white and walked around to check on the barista prep style. After a few minutes, I chatted to him about the place and after informing him that I wrote about coffee and started naming all their gadgets, he looked up intriguingly and gave me an espresso on the house to try – bright citrusy. I also enquired about their beans as it said on their website that they were roasting but apparently they had experienced a few hiccups and hadn’t started using/selling their beans yet – they were using Barn Berlin (a famous roaster from Berlin). My flat white;

I must confess, I’m not a huge fan of citrus based coffees mixed with milk but nevertheless I know it was well prepared. I noticed the place was mostly populated by expatriates – I detected a few Australian accents – this was in contrast to Karak Mqanes, which was populated by Qataris.

So, there we are – in just a few hours.

Before departing for the airport I had lunch with a good friend I hadn’t seen for about 15 years and found out that he is also into coffee. He knew about flat white but suggested that I should have tried out “sweet moments” another specialty coffee shop run by a husband and wife team, selling great sweets and coffee. I guess this will have to be for another time insha’allah but if you are reading this and are planning on visiting Doha for a few hours or more, try them out and let me know what you thought about sweet moments, located Sweet Moments The Boutique, Al Muntazah, Tamar Mall.

And here The Pearl Qatar from above

November 30, 2017

Drinking Coffee in Bath and Bristol, England

I just noticed that I hadn’t blogged in November, which has been a bit of a blur, having been on the road for about half the month. So, where were we, Bath Part 2. My previous post on Colonna and Smalls highlighted not just the “star” of Bath but also one of the starts of England and if you follow sports, you’ll notice some common threads – great players tend to inspire those around them to greatness too – take Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls NBA (basketball) in the late 1980s, Pele in the Brazilian national team of 1970 World Cup (football) and more – so it is with coffee in Bath. I was pleasantly surprised with the number of quality coffee shops in such a small town (city in England because of the Cathedral). To be honest if I visited Bath and there was only 1 or 2 shops of the quality I saw I would have been happy.

Cascara

So, first off, as soon as we got off the train and dumped our bags at the lovely boutique hotel we stayed at, I was already on the coffee hunt. Right at the top of Upper Borough Walls, was Cascara, a small unassuming place, decked with a La Marzocco linea, serving Bath based coffee roaster, Roundhill coffee together with many healthy food options, vegan based and more. I was craving milk-based espresso, so I ordered a flat white, had a quick chat with the owner and was off to catch up with the family, who had failed to see me pop in. I mentioned to the owner (a lady whose name I’ve sadly forgotten) if she knew of Colonna and Smalls and of course she had, lauded them and didn’t even rank her coffee anywhere near theirs. I assured her that her coffee was good, to which she was pleased and then I was off again. Afterwards I saw that on google she’s ranked 4.7 out of 5, so don’t just take it from me, visit Cascara.

Hunter and Sons
Almost around the corner from Cascara is Hunter and Sons – recommended by a retailer and some others in the city, located at 14/15 Milsom Place in a mini outdoor mall style setting with restaurants like Jamie and a steak house – very chic, but easy to miss.

I found out later that Maxwell, owner of Colonna actually started here before he decided to part company and start his own coffee emporium. Decked with a Synesso and very posh-hip looking with designer beers on offer at one end, it’s coffee corner is unassuming with a little menu for both coffee and food. It was empty when I visited in mid-morning but I’m sure on the weekends and evening it is packed. Being mid-morning, I ordered a flat white in a glossy green cup,

Fruity based but I forget the roaster and easy to drink for most coffee drinkers.

Society Coffee

When we were pushed for time, I accepted defeat in my quest to visit Colonna at least once a day, and quickly goggled coffee shops in Bath and realised I was next to Society Coffee at 19 High Street, very close to Cathedral and heart of the city. As it was late afternoon, I needed a pour over.

I quickly glanced over at the brew station and ordered some coffee and even had time to sit once I convinced my wife and daughter to order hot chocolates and a brownie. I found out later that Society have another coffee shop, which I just had to visit on our final and last hour in bath a couple of days later. On my second visit to the branch, I bought Roundhill coffees, had a chat with the barista as they poured this lovely cappuccino

Took a pic and literally rushed off to catch our train back to London.

Full Court Press, Bristol

I thought it opportune to mention that we took a day trip to Bristol as my daughter wanted to look at the university there. Located about 15 minutes train ride from Bath, it’s a much bigger city, where you can shop more and indulge in West England’s largest city, recently voted best place to live in the UK. As usual, I was thinking about my coffee fix and haven “goggled” best coffee in Bristol, this came up and lucky me, praise God, what do you know, it was on our path from the train station to the university. So I took the opportunity to pop in for a quick flat white.

The owner hails from Bristol, studied out of the city and was back to share his love of coffee with its residents – very generous. It’s quaint and with the grinders by simonelli and a La Marzocco strada for espresso, you can tell the focus is coffee with used coffee bags framed to decorate the wall.

They’ve got cakes, sarnies (sandwiches for non-Brits) and menu options for coffee, espresso , filter and guest coffee roasters.

so if you’re smart enough to get into the University of Bristol check this cafe out and some others I didn’t have the time to check out.

April 17, 2017April 18, 2017

Cafe Le Marche: A New Coffee Shop in Vienna

Towards the end of last year, I was rushing to a charity event with my daughter opposite the Votivkirche, Schottentor, when I thought I walked past a new coffee shop. Of course I did a double take, walked back and went in, spotting a La Marzocco I said”I’ll be back….”.

and so I was, on that occasion to try out an espresso…

After downing this joy of an espresso, I was so thrilled to find another third wave style cafe in Vienna that I left without paying – my daughter was like “daddy did you pay?” With a quizzing gaze, I looked back at her and said”of course I did”. As I turned to look back before exiting I noticed the staff looking at me strangely with a bill in tier hadn’t. Embarrassingly, I apologised and paid.

A few weeks back, I went to try out their coffee again and their latte art skills to accompany a light lunch of organic quiche and got the best table for this beautiful pic (above), which kind of captures a kind of “je ne sais quoi” in that you could be in a French bistro by the sea. The decor lends itself to darker colours with a black ceiling, grey patterned tiles on the floors, industrial lighting, white subway tiling on the back wall and coffee bar, decked with a La Marzocco Strada in customised black and exposed piping on top a black marble top, decked too with Scandinavian glass display and cake displays – but there’s so much light coming in from the shop front that if they opted for light colours it would be blinding in there.

It’s not very big with about 4/5 tables sitting no more than 10-12 people but on a nice sunny day like when I went they had a few chairs out front – very European and French.

Their menu is very French Bistro “light” with sandwiches and quiche and some exotic sweet breads like blueberry banana, which I hope to taste next time. I guess the latter was popular because I guy walked in and just ordered that to go. They also offer breakfast with the traditional avocado toasts topped with poached eggs, home made granola and more. If you visit Vienna and want the type of breakfast you’ll find in a typical London third wave cafe, then come here as the menu will be familiar and you can get good coffee to wash down your grub too.

I found out that they get their coffee from someone I know – Charlie Fuerth, whose kids and mine attended kindergarten together a few years back. On the taste it was fruity with a bit of plum and knowing Charlie I’m sure he insisted that if they wanted his coffee they not only had to be properly trained but had to get a la Marzocco espresso machine. They also have some tools like one the latest tampers , which was tempting to buy but I guess I only need one.

Check out Cafe Le Marche in off-centre Vienna at Wahringer Strasse 6-8 in the Ninth District (1090), Vienna.

August 29, 2016August 29, 2016

Drinking Coffee in Lagos and Abuja (Nigeria)

Drinking coffee in Lagos or for that matter Abuja – and where’s that ? Nigeria. Africa’s most populous and largest economy and I’ll let you on another secret, my ancestral home. So, this summer, I decided to venture to my ancestral home with the family to show them where I grew up, at least until I was 12 years old. After all the visits and endless dinners, and even though I took some coffee with me to brew on my aeropress, I still had the pangs for espresso based coffee or at least to see what was on offer.

Hans and Rene, Radisson Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos

We ventured into this cool, really, I mean it, cool establishment, apparently frequented by celebrities, located at one of Lagos more plush hotels to try their gelato, informally given the title of the best gelato in Africa. It’s rather hip with a well thought out decor – even the toilets are decked with Molton Brown hand wash and great for taking selfies, ask my daughter.

After downing my gelato, I noticed – okay, I lie, that’s the first thing I noticed, a La Marzocco GB5 2 group machine with matching La Marzocco double grinders behind the gelato counter. A bit sceptical, like I always am, I quizzed the barista about the machine and his skills – family looking away in embarrassment – and decided to take the plunge and order an espresso. I’m not sure if my inquisitiveness made the barista nervous or whether he was very dedicated to puling a great shot, but after about 1 or was it 2 shots, he wasn’t happy and kept on trying to get a great shot, and voila, here it is again:

Even before I tell you about the other places I visited, this was definitely the best espresso coffee I had in Nigeria, so well done Hans and Rene. I didn’t get the chance to try out his milk frothing techniques as I ran out of time, but if they are as good as his espresso shots, then we might be in for a winner here with a good flat white or cappuccino. If you’re reading this and live in Lagos, Nigeria, please check it out and send me a pic.