Ristretto: Penny University

Pics are courtesy of the NY Times

Another great coffee company in London is Square Mile Coffee Roasters, who recently opened Penny University- their first ever coffee bar. Located in hip Redchurch Street, just off Shoreditch High Street, this is a very small place, consisting of a burnished wood counter with six stools in a warm if austere room. The decor is limited to a framed map of the world on the wall and the scuff patterns on the floor.
You will also notice that there’s no espresso machine, so if you want a cappuccino you’d better go around the corner : Penny University only offers brewed coffee. Yea, that's right. The concept of Penny University is to serve only brewed coffee, as owners believe that "brewed coffee has unjustly been overshadowed by espresso". Moreover they explain that "we will be asking guests occupying our mere six seats to appreciate the drinks served in their simplest, cleanest and most clearly articulated form." I personally love my brewed coffee, so I found Penny University fascinating! I dare you to try it out!

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Monmouth Coffee Company

Next time you are in Covent Garden, you have to walk down Monmouth Street. Once you are done with all the shopping from the street's lovely boutiques, stop for a coffee at Monmouth. Operating since 1978, the company has been roasting and retailing coffee at this very same shop in Monmouth Street. From Brasil to Colombia and from India to Kenya and Costa Rica, the Monmouth Company roast coffee from single farms, estates and cooperatives from all over the world. This is one of the best places in London to buy coffee for your own use at home or simply enjoy a great cuppa in the store's warm and vintage environment. If you can't find a table inside (and the weather is nice), I suggest you take a seat at the bench outside the store and have your coffee while watching the area's cool crowd passing by. Moreover Monmouth has also opened in Borough Market (2 Park Street, SE1 9AB).

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