After a decade of coffees described as tasting of bergamot and regret, the most exciting thing on a good roaster's shelf this autumn is a dark, sweet, plain cup.
The first sip
There is no chalkboard and no neon slogan, just a short list and someone behind the counter who remembers what you had last time. In an era of over-designed drinking, the luxury of being quietly looked after is difficult to overstate, and it keeps people coming back through the winter.
Sometimes a person just wants coffee to taste like coffee.
Behind the bar
Prices are up nearly everywhere, and the reasons are not mysterious: harvests have been difficult, shipping is expensive and rents do not stop rising. Good operators are responding with shorter menus and better sourcing, and they are increasingly candid with customers about where each pound actually goes.
Last orders
The alcohol-free list deserves as much attention as the rest, which still counts as a pleasant surprise. Careful bars now treat these drinks as serious work, building bitterness and length with teas, ferments and shrubs instead of simply reaching for a syrup and an apology.
Go early in the evening if you want a conversation, and late if you want a story. Either way, sit at the bar. Good bartenders are among the last great public intellectuals, and most of them will gladly share a strong opinion along with a very small olive.
