Almo Senior Member Joined: 23 May 2004 Posts: 10 Location: Durham, UK Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Espresso Evolution Grinder: Bodum Antigua Roaster: I wish....
Posted Fri Jun 4, 2004, 11:23am Subject: Decent Cafés / Specialist Shops near Sheffield?
Hi all,
I've only been living in Sheffield for about a year, and I'm even newer to the art of appreciating decent quality coffee. I've finally invested in a half decent espresso machine (Gaggia Espresso Evolution) and a burr grinder, and I'm working my way around the different beans. One thing that the local area seems to lack is a decent specialist coffee shop - does anyone have any recommendations for somewhere fairly local? I don't mind making a day trip if it is worth my while! Also, people's opinions on the best cafés in town would be good - I am getting sick of the inconsistent results from Starbucks, Costa et al. I am a fan of cappucino so somewhere which produces consistently dense microfoam would be brilliant!
Posted Tue Jun 8, 2004, 12:36pm Subject: Re: Decent Cafés / Specialist Shops near Sheffield?
Hi Almo
It's been a few years since I lived in Sheffield, and I hadn't really caught the coffee bug when I lived there. Consequently I don't know too much about local roasters. However, there is a thriving on-line market in the UK, both in green and roasted beans, and if I wasn't fortunate to live right next to one of the best independent roasters I'd have no reservations about buying on-line. Ken Wilson, who posts on alt.coffee has a very useful site for UK residents. Here's a link to one of his pages.
Regarding good coffee shops in Sheffield, have you tried Nonna's on Ecclesall Road? It's authentically Italian-owned and run (I think), but, again, it's been a while since I've been there. There's a couple of Sheffield residents on this forum, so maybe they may have more ideas.
Almo Senior Member Joined: 23 May 2004 Posts: 10 Location: Durham, UK Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Espresso Evolution Grinder: Bodum Antigua Roaster: I wish....
Posted Wed Jun 9, 2004, 1:52am Subject: Re: Decent Cafés / Specialist Shops near Sheffield?
Hi Bainsey,
Thanks for the reply! The link you gave was really good, I'll be sure to check out some of the places mentioned there. I've also "discovered" alt.coffee, looks like a thriving group to me.
I went past Nonna's yesterday in the car - before I read your post - and it looks nice, I'll pop in there when I'm next in the area. Thanks for the tip!
Any other Sheffielders (past or present) got any recommendations? I'm in Leeds quite a bit too, also the Peak District, Lincoln and Nottingham! (Have car, will travel <g>)
Ol Senior Member Joined: 17 Mar 2003 Posts: 7 Location: Sheffield Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Pavoni Professional Grinder: Rancilio Rocky Vac Pot: eSantos, died and not... Roaster: Alpenrost
Posted Sat Jun 19, 2004, 4:41pm Subject: Re: Decent Cafés / Specialist Shops near Sheffield?
Almo,
I'm currently living in Sheffield and unfortunately have found no decent local/regional shops for buying coffee, I get all my beans through the mail, or from friends when they visit London.
With regard to places to drink coffee, then the only place really worth consideration is Nonna's. They have changed from Lavazza to Laucaffe in the past year or so as they were unhappy with the Lavazza quality. The Laucaffe is a definite improvement, although they have lost the best of their baristas.
In town , the Lions Lair pub opposite Cole Brothers serves Illy, although their staff do not know how to prepare it. Still it tastes better than anything at Costa. The espresso coming out of the Showroom cinema cafe/bar is normally drinkable as well.
I must admit to not having tried the places around West Street, mainly because they have appeared since I learnt how to make decent coffee at home. One of the smaller ones around there might be worth a try. If I need coffee, I now just take a thermos flask to work.
When I'm in Leeds I normally just resort to the Cafe Nero option, although I seem to remember a nice smelling coffee retailer (Pollards?) in the Victoria Quarter.
If you do find anywhere good locally please let me know. In the meantime, if you get completely stuck for beans e-mail me and I'll increase my next order. (Tinned Illy is the best of whats available at the local supermarkets, I use this as my last resort if a bean shipment has been delayed.)
Almo Senior Member Joined: 23 May 2004 Posts: 10 Location: Durham, UK Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Espresso Evolution Grinder: Bodum Antigua Roaster: I wish....
Posted Sun Jun 20, 2004, 6:33am Subject: Re: Decent Cafés / Specialist Shops near Sheffield?
Hi Ol,
Thanks for the tips, it's nice to hear from a fellow Sheffielder! I really must get myself over to Nonna's, it's just a shame it's out on Eccleshall Road as I don't go that way very often. I have heard very good things about them before though, so I shall be making the effort in the near future! I'll give the others a go as well: I've not been by the Showroom yet, but as a linguist I really ought to get myself to one of the European films on offer.
I've been to F.O.B on West Bar and seem to remember that their Mocha was pretty nice, although the service was really slow. The Cafetières on offer at Coffee Revolution (Union Building) are ok as well. As for beans, I went up to Betty's Tearooms in Harrogate last week and tried their "Continental Italian" blend, with some quite good results in my Gaggia - it's certainly a big improvement on the Whittard beans I used to buy. If only my local supermarket stocked a greater choice of quality beans...
flimbag Senior Member Joined: 24 Nov 2003 Posts: 174 Location: Liverpool Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Euro2000 Jr. Grinder: Minging Mazzer Mini Vac Pot: Cona Jr. Drip: I know you are, but what am... Roaster: Prima Popcorn Popper
Posted Sun Jun 20, 2004, 7:24am Subject: Re: Decent Cafés / Specialist Shops near Sheffield?
Oh, I was in Sheffield last week. Missed the M6 on my way back to Liverpool from London -- realized at Nottingham/Derby and didn't want to wait until I got to the M62, so I thought I'd go Sheffield/Snake Pass/Glossop/Manchester.
What a mistake *that* was. It was 11.30pm at night, I'd been out since about 8.00am and visibility was about six foot on the Snake Pass. I couldn't see far enough to be as terrified as I knew I should have been.
Anyway, the two closest reputable bean roasters to Sheffield would be Roberts, at Mawdsley in Lancashire and Has Bean, in Stafford.
You're best off with the post. Order online one day, and they'll be with you in a day or two at most. I had a batch come from Has Bean yesterday, just roasted and gushing with crema.
Or you could buy a popcorn roaster, some greens and start roasting your own. It's easy, cheaper and a lot of fun.
Almo Senior Member Joined: 23 May 2004 Posts: 10 Location: Durham, UK Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Espresso Evolution Grinder: Bodum Antigua Roaster: I wish....
Posted Sun Jun 20, 2004, 8:48am Subject: Re: Decent Cafés / Specialist Shops near Sheffield?
Snake Pass? BIG BIG mistake, bet you won't do that again. Better to go through Longdendale to Mottram for reference :-)
Thanks for the advice - I think I'll go for postal ordering then. Apparently there's a roastery in Lincoln somewhere, does anyone know anything about them? Might be worth a trip if so as I am often over that way.
Ol Senior Member Joined: 17 Mar 2003 Posts: 7 Location: Sheffield Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Pavoni Professional Grinder: Rancilio Rocky Vac Pot: eSantos, died and not... Roaster: Alpenrost
Posted Mon Jun 21, 2004, 12:59am Subject: Re: Decent Cafés / Specialist Shops near Sheffield?
Almo,
I'd almost forgotten about Betty's, despite some very good memories of Jamaican Blue Mountain from there back in the 80s. I don't often end up in those parts of Yorkshire these days.
I tend to avoid Coffee Republic, as it tends to smell better than it tastes (at least it does on ecclesall road), and it doesn't normally smell that good, but then again it can't be any worse than the Interval if it still exists.
Please post details of the roastery in Lincoln when you find them, as I have a friend over that way who is overdue a visit.
I was at University in Sheffield in the 80's, and that was the way I always used to drive. Sheffield, Glossop, Stockport, Manchester, M62 to home. Unless it was closed - which it often was.
However, I did it during the day -- never at night.
To the more essential question of beans though, I've had very good experiences of buying online from:
Which doesn't mean that the latter are bad to buy from online, its just that I've never done it.
I've also got an order in at the moment from: James' Gourmet Coffee but as I've never bought from them in the past,I have no idea how they might perform. Both Has Bean and Hill and Valley delivered wonderful coffee within three days of placing the order. It almost always arrives on the second day. (ie, not the next day, but the day after.) Which implies that they process your order as it arrives, and then either drop off their orders at the end of the following day, or someone comes and picks 'em up, depending on how big the operaton is.
The only one I'd be reluctant to buy from online is Monmouth, because they have a minimum delivery charge of seven quid, no matter how little you buy. At that price, you'd have to buy an awful lot of coffee to make it worthwhile, and as coffee doesn't keep, it makes far more sense to buy a little, often, than to buy a load less frequently.
Unless you are buying beans for home roasting. All of the above will also sell you greens, though Monmouth don't shout out about it, and it's hard to imagine ever being able to roast as well as they do at home. If you're ever in London though -- they are well worth a visit.
Regarding your Lincoln roaster, I assume you're thinking of Lincoln and York, who I understand are one of the biggest independent roasters in the UK. However, I don't think they do retail sales.
Almo Senior Member Joined: 23 May 2004 Posts: 10 Location: Durham, UK Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Espresso Evolution Grinder: Bodum Antigua Roaster: I wish....
Posted Tue Jun 22, 2004, 8:58am Subject: Re: Decent Cafés / Specialist Shops near Sheffield?
I've placed an order from HasBean - they're doing an offer on a selection of six different beans, a "try before you buy more" situation, so I've done that to see what they're like. If they're good (and their site does look impressive, I also like that they are SCAE members) I'll go back there! I also fancy trying Hill and Valley to compare the two. Thanks for the recommendations, I'll let you know what the result is with my order...
The place in Lincoln I've had mentioned is Imperial Teas and Coffees on Steep Hill - from re-reading my info I have a feeling that they are just a retailer rather than a roastery, but I've not been so I don't know. Anyone?
Betty's was nice - I enjoyed an interesting coffee from the Galapagos Islands while I was there, and the service was impeccable, too - a refreshing change from the kind of thing you get in Starbucks or Costa! The staff really seemed to know their stuff, even the waitresses in the tearoom gave advice on the choices available. Well worth a visit if anyone is passing the area!
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