Prov Blog | Our Summer Coffee Guide
For us, no day out, road trip or holiday is complete without a visit to a favourite coffee spot or the opportunity to scout out a new coffeehouse, roastery or café (open our saved posts on Instagram and saved pins on Google Maps, and you’ll find enough recommendations to fill all trips for the foreseeable). If we’re being completely honest, sometimes the day out is planned entirely around getting to a coffeehouse or a roastery that’s on our go-to list.
With Summer trips just around the corner, we figured it would be a perfect time to share some of the Team’s best coffee recces for caffeine-fuelled ventures outside of North Wales.
Brunches, beans, brews and banging spaces all feature in the list and span across the country so this is definitely one to save for your next trip.
Emily
Urbanity, Smithfield, Dublin - a small-batch roaster and speciality café. Single origin coffee beans are bought directly from the farmers and roasted on site. Urbanity have a seasonal and locally sourced food menu, especially great for brunch (highly recommend the seasonal scrambled eggs!)
East Village Cafe, Clifton, Bristol - Emily’s old local, a family owned, plant-based cafe, serving coffee from Triple Co Roast in Bristol. There’s a seriously fun drinks menu to choose from (we’re looking at the tiramisu latte and iced lavender lattes) and beautiful baked goods. Top recommendation? Cinnamon buns.
Foundation Coffee House, multiple locations, Manchester - Independent speciality coffee and brunch house which featured on multiple team members recommendations. Coffee beans are sourced by Origin Coffee Roasters and can be ground and bought to take home. Amazing spaces to work/study from and an iconic spot for Manchester visits - the French toast is a must. Get there early, a queue isn’t uncommon on busy days.
Ryan
Dark Arts Coffee Roastery, Hackney, London - Small batch speciality coffee roasters with a takeaway only offering of incredible seasonal drinks. My order last time I visited? A Gold Bar Honduras single origin cortado. Dark Arts have an unconventional vibe and distinctively twisted approach to coffee, saying it as it is and roasting wildly adventurous coffees.
Two Islands Cafe, Abersoch, Pwllheli - Serving B-Corp certified Coaltown Coffee, Two Islands are our friends from down the Llyn Peninsula (yes, this is North Wales but it’s just too good not to mention). I’ll happily order any coffee when I visit. Their small-batch ice cream, made on-site is the perfect base for a dreamy affogato.
The Roasting Shed, Finsbury Park, London - from humble beginnings roasting coffee in their garden shed, this is a super mellow spot. With small batch roasts and a focus on preserving the quality of responsibly sourced, raw coffee, each cup is carefully crafted. My recommendation is the Columbian single origin.
Ki
Takk, Tariff Street, Manchester - A mellow, Scandinavian inspired space, and self-proclaimed love letter to Reykjavik. Single origin coffees are rotated every week and the team are so knowledgeable and passionate so you can’t go wrong when asking for recommendations. The house Finca Miravalle El Salvador is banging but generally, I’ll always try whatever’s on batch brew. The Eggs Benedict is my go-to for breakfast any time I’m in Manchester.
Yorks Cafe & Coffee Roasters, Stephenson Street, Birmingham - Yorks’ speciality coffee is roasted inhouse and like their food, it’s inspired by the team’s travels. Their Kenya Duma Nyeri house espresso is bold but makes for a really smooth, approachable coffee. My last order? A delicious cold brew with coconut cream. Of all my recommendations, this is the menu item that tops them all; the signature Arabian Buttered Eggs. On top of their menu, everything about Yorks is memorable, from their beautiful street corner entrance and stripped back design to the always buzzing atmosphere inside.
Pavilion, Newquay, Cornwall - once a boathouse, Pavilion in Newquay is 1 of 7 locations, all inspired by their founder’s travels to Sri Lanka. With a bakery inhouse, a fresh speciality pastry (if I had to choose, their Cardamom Bun takes it) and coffee are a must. The handful of tables inside and out are always full with surf and sourdough lovers alike, the café space is airy and bright. Pavilion feels quaint but equally makes it’s mark with great coffee, an unbelievable bakery and a unique atmosphere that screams Cornwall (meets Sri Lanka). I defy you not to be charmed by this spot and it’s team.
Steven
Brew & Brownie, 5 Museum St, York - If you're walking from the impressively majestic York Minster toward Lendal Bridge, you'll come across Brew & Brownie. The design and art work choices are lifted straight from a page of coffeehop: 101, while the food is something else! Super fluffy pancakes or delicate, yet filling "Eggs Benny" are a must try, and they have many takeaway treats to keep you going through your exploration of
this amazing city.
New England Coffee House, 1 Digbeth St, Stow-on-the-Wold - The atmosphere really makes an impact. Situated on one of the winding streets of this beautiful Cotswolds town, the walls bend and lean with the pressure of many years, making the first sip of their delicious flat white (coffee supplied by Newground, Oxford) even more special. On top of this, the surrounding area was a massive inspiration for JRR Tolkien when he created The Shire!
Chalk Coffee, 24 Watergate St, Chester - You really are spoiled for choice in Chester, but out of all the amazing options, Chalk has to be my favourite. Not only is the setting impressive - nestled underneath Chester's famous Rows, giving a comforting, basement-like feel - but the coffee is top notch! They love experimenting with single origin beans and trying new things, as well offering a great range of cakes and light bites.
From the uniqueness of coffee served to the history in the bricks and mortar of the buildings their housed in, we all have our own take on what makes a coffee house, roastery or café memorable and special to us.
We hope our take on our favourite coffee spots comes in handy for your next cross-country trip or just makes for an interesting read. Narrowing it down to just three recommendations each was hard work so if you’re looking for recommendations for a location not on the list above, drop us a message or come and ask us next time you visit the Coffeehouse. Equally, if you have recommendations, we’d love to hear them!
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If you enjoyed this month’s instalment of Prov Blog, then check out some of our previous blogs; our Meet the Team Blog series is a great place to start.
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