Monmouth Coffee
Almond Croissant
Americano / Raisin Snail / Brownie
Unlimited Bread with Butter, Marmite, Honey and Jam – Strawberry, Blackberry, Elderflower, Orange Marmalade, Fig
Without a doubt spoiled by America’s artisan coffee scene and surviving largely on double espressos over ice from Starbucks during most of my days in the UK it was to Monmouth Coffee at the Bourough Market that I turned for the first half of my Saturday morning meal and featuring time honored roasting techniques with well-sourced beans it was finally one week after my arrival in London that I found something comparable to the best of what is available back home. Obviously a hit with both locals and tourists with a line extended out the door as early at 7:30am it was with a literature sheet in hand that I joined the queue and reading of the growing company’s history as I slowly inched forward my anticipation quickly grew; a reward after nearly twenty minutes found in the earthy aromatics of a light roasted Harrar with notes of fig and citrus lingering at the end. Ever cramped and short in seating with a veritable honor system overseeing a collection of pastries it was eventually on a trio of selections that I settled and additionally opting to indulge in the £3 tableside box of baguettes and housemade spreads a carbohydrate smorgasbord ensued, the golden twice-baked almond croissant without a doubt the best I found in London while both the pain au raisin and dense chocolate brownie proved respectable in and of themselves.
RECOMMENDED: Providing beans to some of the city’s best restaurants and roasting everything at their flagship store with prices no more expensive than Starbucks I only wish I’d have visited Monmouth earlier – a long line well worth the wait for the coffee connoisseur and all the more so considering the quality of the almond croissant.
AVOID: While certainly a deal at £3 for as much bread as one may want to eat the baguettes served in the tabletop box simply weren’t up to par with the pastries, a damned shame considering the quality of the jams – the fig and orange marmalade particularly impressive amongst the group.
TIP: Offering several brew styles including labor intensive pour-over plus beans ground to go suffice it to say that Monmouth is not a place for those in a hurry, least so on a Saturday morning when the market hits full stride at 9:00.
http://www.monmouthcoffee.co.uk/our-shops/the-borough
