Best coffee out?

[MagistrateMolly]

Where do you get the best coffee from? I haven't bought coffee for ages, instead using my cafetiere at home.

So, is it Starbucks, Costa, Pret, local independent, or where?

The best I ever had was in Sicily on holiday, nothing ever came close.

I drink loads of different types and quality of coffee (never instant though I don't like the taste)

These threads are always going to be full of people insisting the chains are rank and coffee dust. So become useless tbh.

I often grab an iced oat latte from tesco cafe. It's surprisingly good!

Where I am we have two pretty good independents. Of the chains I would say Cafe Nero is the best coffee (their serving system is REALLY annoying though, followed by Starbucks. Costa is easily the worst.

I base this all on the flat whites. You won’t get anything that recreates a cappuccino like your get in Italy unless you happen to have an actual Italian trained barista in one of your local shops.

Herrick that's what makes this thread so interesting... I am a real coffee 'snob' ... there are only a few places where I will drink coffee and even after 30+ years of marriage I don't trust my DH to make my coffee just how I like it. At work I always make my own coffee and whilst happy to make it for others ... much prefer to faff around with my individual filter, fresh ground beans etc myself.

To be fair, my DH much prefers to make his own tea ... as I don't drink tea I never seem to make it right.

I have only ever had one cup of decent coffee out, and it was a few years ago at the Haagan Daz cafe in Leicester Square (now gone)

These 'barristas' twat about with coffee for ages and my OH's instant coffee lattes are still better

Gail’s is nice.

We have several local independents (including a chain of about 8 independents) and a wankerish independent who I would like but they don’t do dairy and are so hipster and snobbish that I’ve vetoed them now.

Small independents are always the best.

Of the chains Starbucks is suprisingly, to me, marmite. I am one of those that can't stand it.. and I think I am relatively unfussy. I like a good coffee, but will drink mediocre ones. My choices go: independents, McDs, Cafe Nero, Costa. Lots of others, will not drink Starbucks.

What we need is a thread of independents that serve stupendous coffee.

Chains

Not keen on costa or pret
Nero - ok (free w Vitality so I’ll take the freebie thanks although I do find it a bit bitter)
Starbucks - prob the fave of the chains cos I like it milky!!

We have some good independents pretty locally so lucky in that respect. I’d rather support a local but it has to be decent brew.

Personally I like a milky coffee, but reasonably strong, not bitter.

Ps: I had a coffee from Leon recently which was pretty decent.

Agree with all of this. Though I always ask for a single shot in Nero. We have some great independents locally who really know their stuff in terms of the beans they use etc

I avoid all the chains. You pay a lot for mediocre coffee at best. Independents are usually better but to be honest I often just bring my own in a small flask.