For those of you reading this, I assume you know that I have a thing for coffee. And it's not a grade-school, puppy-love kind of thing, it's is full blown passionate love for something that I know will never be able to love me back. But I'm okay with that, as long as I still have access to it. While I was on campus, there was a Starbucks literally a minute away on foot. I could roll out of bed in the morning, swipe my student ID, and have my stainless steel travelers mug (I do my part to be green) full of that hot black and strong goodness.
Now all of that has changed. The Starbucks establishments in London don't accept my student ID as a legitimate form of payment, so now I have to factor my daily fix into the already tight budget that I'm working with. However, this has not prompted me to call it quits with my love. I am fortunate enough to have very considerate family members, so I arrived in London with about $45 in Starbucks gift cards, which have definitely made this transition period easier. But unfortunately, Starbucks are not nearly as ubiquitous here as they are in the states. They actually have (gasp!) competition, and being the self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur that I am, I decided to give them all a try.
Pret a Manger: A good cup of coffee, but nothing to call home about. Not particularly strong and it took forever for them to make it. TANGENT: Except for Starbucks, all of these establishments make coffee by the cup. So technically, none of it is truly brewed coffee. Everything (well, the only thing I order) is essentially an Americano - hot water and espresso.
Cafe Nero: A delicious cup of coffee. Full bodied, multiple layers of flavor, an all-around wonderful coffee experience. HOWEVER, apparently everyone in London knows about this because whenever I go in it is PACKED and it ends up being a fifteen minute transaction. No thanks. Also, their "regular" size, or medium, is actually 12 oz., which is the same as a tall at Starbucks, and costs 20p more. Like I said, secret's out.
Cafe Canova: This place is my favorite for many reasons. 1) There is never a line in this hole-in-the-wall cafe just around the corner from the London Center. My slowest mornings in there are when I don't give exact change. 2)Speaking of exact change, the coffee is only ONE POUND. It makes me happy every time I give the girl who works there that one little coin. And I know, one pound here is like $1.60 at home, which is still as expensive as Starbucks coffee, but let me revel in this little bit of glory. 3) The coffee is good. Bold flavor, but not too strong, and it's always the right temperature when I go to drink it. I know the establishment probably has nothing to do with that, but still, it's a perk.
Needless to say, Starbucks will never lose me as a loyal customer, but it's always good to have alternatives, especially once those gift cards start running out.
Mhm Coffee
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