The last visit to Monmouth Coffee (Review 1) was quite educational but not overly exciting, but thinking back I had too high an expectation? It is fairer to explore all types of coffees from the same shop and to monitor it over a longer period to come to better conclusions, and it is more useful to have enough drinking experience elsewhere to form reference points to compare. I think I am changing my stance as I found Monmouth Coffee much more enjoyable this time around. It is not perfect but overall it is the type of soothing café that I would love to visit regularly as a customer, rather than as a coffee snob too indulged in extracting the best floral aromas from coffee, when you’re probably going to do much better by Aero Pressing you Tea Leaves instead!
The Monmouth Coffee at Borough Market, London -
Single Origins via Hand Drip Pour-over,
or their Monmouth House Espresso or the Organic blend.
It’s easy here.
If you want Espressos order either that or milk coffees, but be warned milk coffees here are weakish. If you want black Single Origin coffees order just that, which has been roasted to suit that method.
Some Lovely Home Made Sweets -
Panela Sugar -
Perfect partner to a coffee if you like it..
I often wonder what use it is to those of us who don’t add sugar to coffee. May be I should 1 day!
The Drip Station -
The method used to make Pour Overs here will have many Baristas give you a funny look.
The dosage here is on the high side and so is the cup’s volume, but it is poured pretty fast, unlike those into delicate pours.
Finca El Mirador, Colombia – Pour Over
This was enjoyable but in a 2 Dimensional way. It seemed a little rushed in the pour, but the taste was still somehow clean. Slightly herbal with a balanced plum sweetness and a hint of animal fur, with a nice fruitiness background. Sometimes, I drink a lot of black coffees which have very interesting characteristics but they are not always balanced or have sharp drop-offs or bitterness. The one here was more the opposite. It was soothing enough all the way. If I had to pick one which showed both peaks and flaws, and one which was so drinkable and balanced I would probably pick the latter. But obviously any cup that has the best of all worlds is always the best. ~ 7.5/10
Finca Las Lajas, Costa Rica – Pour Over
I have had this before and in some previous instances, this could be super zingy sour. But this cup was more simple with a raw blueberry and honey note, which was equally soothing as the above but has more fruit sweetness overall. Still quite enjoyable. ~ 7.5/10
Espresso Station -
Monmouth House Blend – Espresso, La Marzocco Linear
Brazil Fazenda Santa Ines, Colombia Café Vereda Matituy and Guatemala Finca La Perla forms this constantly updated blend. Not surprisingly this tasted almost exactly the same as the ones I drank in Monmouth before (As covered in previous review). The tasting note says this is medium-thick body but to me this is quite thin in body and crema. It still has that Apricoty Orange note and is again a very soothing drink but also balanced. I think Monmouth Coffee’s style can be quite enjoyable in it’s own way, although many other London Cafes and Baristas try to distant themselves from this style ~ 8/10
Monmouth Coffee is different in it’s Cupping Qualities -
It is approachable, but in a very refined and elegant way.
From a coffee enthuasist’s point of view, it might not stand out and wow you in the face.
Yet sometimes when you just want to sit back and relax, this is exactly what I need to have!
Price: British Pounds £$6 – $8
Coffee: ♕♕♕♕ 1/2 to ♕♕♕♕♕ 1/2
Opening Hours -
Mon to Sat 7.30am to 6pm
Address: 2 Park Street, The Borough, London SE1 9AB
Ph: 44(0)20 7232 3010
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