Tag Archives: CAFES

Best Coffee of 2019



Here’s another cup of my Best of 2019 lists. This time around I look at my favourite spots for coffee this past year. Reliable standbys and pleasant surprises in London, excellent barista led brewing in Cork and a roomy spread … Continue reading

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Best Breakfasts of 2019

Time for breakfast! But where’s the best? Continuing with my Best of 2019 series, I’ve got a couple of London faves to recommend and a few in the US and Ireland (Buffalo and Cork are awesome destinations for epic a.m. … Continue reading

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Coffee Lounge Pop-Up at Old Street Station | My Coffee with Melitta

To celebrate its 111th anniversary, premium coffee machine maker Melitta is launching its first ever pop-up. Look for it inside Old Street Station during the last week of March. Continue reading

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Unsung Cities | Köln, Germany

An ancient Roman enclave on the Rhine, Cologne is first and foremost a river town. That’s why the Romans set up shop here and why it grew to prosper during the Middle Ages as a significant hub of Catholicism. Roman ruins remain embedded in the cityscape and Cologne Cathedral towers over the town, celebrated as one of Europe’s best examples of Gothic grandeur. 

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Best of the Best of 2018

Another year, another roundup of what made it exceptional! I’m back to share one more post in my Best of 2018 series with an index of the categories and links to all the posts. Continue reading

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Best Breakfasts and Brunches of 2018

Welcome back to the Best of 2018. Here’s a plateful of hearty recommendations for breaking fast in London and elsewhere, and in this case elsewhere means San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country, Dublin, Edinburgh, Milan and Hiroshima.
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Best Cafes of 2018

Excellent coffee is crucial, particularly when I’m travelling. Having comfortable places to drink it is a big deal too. So are competent and affable baristas. If you can throw in reliable WiFi and an outlet to keep my laptop and phone charged while I drink coffee, you’re golden. This list of three London espresso bars and six more in Chattanooga (Tennessee), Greenville (North Carolina), Köln, Liverpool, Pittsburgh, and Zurich met all my requirements and shined the brightest for me in 2018. Continue reading

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Best of 2018

As 2018 draws to an end, I would like to share its highlights with a year-end roundup of the best food, drink, and travel related treats that I came across over the past 12 months. Continue reading

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Bronte Aurell of Scandi Kitchen | #TCTalks Episode 48

For episode 48 of tikichris Talks, I chat with Scandi Kitchen co-owner, Bronte Aurell. During our conversation at her café and shop near Oxford Circus, Bronte and I discuss the true meaning of hygge, how to enjoy a Scandinavian Christmas and what it’s like to be a proud immigrant. Continue reading

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Bronte Aurell of Scandi Kitchen | #TCTalks Episode 48

For episode 48 of tikichris Talks, I chat with Scandi Kitchen co-owner, Bronte Aurell. During our conversation at her café and shop near Oxford Circus, Bronte and I discuss the true meaning of hygge, how to enjoy a Scandinavian Christmas and what it’s like to be a proud immigrant. Continue reading

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Brunch with Bea Vo | #TCTalks Episode 16

For the 16th episode of tikichris Talks, I catch up over brunch with Bea Vo – the Managing and Creative Director of Stax Diner, Boondocks Restaurant, The Famous Flames and the newly opened Butterscotch Bakery. During our meal, we chat about business, baking and Bodak Yellow. Continue reading

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Brunch with Bea Vo | #TCTalks Episode 16

For the 16th episode of tikichris Talks, I catch up over brunch with Bea Vo – the Managing and Creative Director of Stax Diner, Boondocks Restaurant, The Famous Flames and the newly opened Butterscotch Bakery. During our meal, we chat about business, baking and Bodak Yellow. Continue reading

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Where to Dine in Dublin | The Pepper Pot Cafe

I had a phenomenal breakfast at The Pepper Pot Cafe and can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t find The Pepper Pot’s offer a delicious one. Continue reading

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Where to Dine in Dublin | The Rolling Donut

So donuts in Dublin are definitely a thing! And The Rolling Donut does them deliciously well.In particular, two of the more decadent creations from its menu made my taste buds swoon: the salted caramel pistachio and the maple bacon. Both cost about €3 and one with a cup of pretty damn good coffee (for €5) made an excellent breakfast. Continue reading

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Coffee | All Consumed Episode 1 | #TCTalks Episode 12

For this episode of tikichris Talks I’d like to share the first episode of another podcast I’ve been working on. It’s called All Consumed. It’s about food, drink and travel and is a collaborative effort between fellow writer Neil Davey and me.  Continue reading

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Coffee | All Consumed Episode 1 | #TCTalks Episode 12

For this episode of tikichris Talks I’d like to share the first episode of another podcast I’ve been working on. It’s called All Consumed. It’s about food, drink and travel and is a collaborative effort between fellow writer Neil Davey and me.  Continue reading

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Best of the Best of 2017

I hope the year was as fun and delicious for you as it was for me, and I look forward to sharing more amazing experiences with you in 2018. Continue reading

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Best London Cocktails of 2017

My quest for the Best of 2017 slurps on with sips of the city’s most interesting and delicious cocktails. Continue reading

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Best London Cafes of 2017

My look at the best of 2017 continues with a shot of the tastiest coffee and preferred coffee purveyors in London. Continue reading

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Best London Bars and Pubs of 2017

Having a drink in London is still a fine way to spend time. Here’s my take on the finest places to do so. Continue reading

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Best Bars of 2017 (Excluding London)

If your preferred mode of travel involves sidling up to a bar, you’re going to love this ‘best of’ list of bars visited during my travels in 2017. Continue reading

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Best of 2017

As the end of 2017 draws to a close, I’d like to take a moment to highlight the best food, drink, and travel related treats that I came across in London and around the world over these past 12 months. Continue reading

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Daisy Green Collective Launches Darcie & May Green

Daisy Green Collection has launched its latest venue: a pair of city barges moored outside Paddington Station and featuring vivid exterior designs by famed artist Sir Peter Blake (best known for co-creating the cover art for the Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album. Continue reading

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BLADE: A Unique Experience in Hairdressing

Blade has perfectly captured its surrounding energy and moulded it in it’s unique “hair clubbing” experience. The brainchild of Julia Olofsson and D.T. Stroo it’s a salon that combines a well stocked bar, an espresso bar and a great haircut. Continue reading

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#TCTalks | Episode 3 | #365LDNCafes

Did you ever wonder if it would be possible to visit a different independent café in London for every day of the year? It’s doable – and indeed has been done by Alexandra Kalinowski. I sat down recently with Alexandra for a conversation over coffee about her #365LDNCafes project and more. Continue reading

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#TCTalks | Episode 3 | #365LDNCafes

Alexandra Kalinowski talks about visiting a different independent London café for each day of the year, her obsession with Dirty Dancing and more. Continue reading

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Trieste: Cafes and Buffets | #FVGFlavour

My Flavours of Friuli Venezia Giulia tour wrapped up in the stunning and dignified little port city of Trieste – where fantastic regional flavours flourish with flair. For a city of only around 200,000 residents, Trieste has an impressive number … Continue reading

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On the #RutteRoute in Dordrecht

The opportunity to stroll about and get a sense of the tiny island town that Rutte has called home since the 19th century was a lot of fun and worth the trip in and of itself. Continue reading

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Salt Beef Bagels, Iced Coffee and More at Mercer & Co, Chapel Market

At £3.90, a recent late breakfast/early lunch of hand carved salt beef with mustard (I went with American) and a pickled gherkin on a bagel was minimal money went spent for a mightily meaty and thoroughly filling meal. Continue reading

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#CityStories | Index

I hope you enjoyed my City Stories posts and videos highlighting some of the best food and drink in and around Shoreditch – all within a short stroll of the newly opened Point A hotel on Paul Street. Continue reading

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#CityStories: Coffee

Need a caffeine kick in Shoreditch? Or, perhaps, somewhere chilled out to pause and reflect over a cup of something warm? You’ll love the recs in this third (and final) video instalment for my City Stories collaboration with Point A Hotels. Continue reading

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All Day Brunch at Over Easy, Marylebone

Across Duke Street from Selfridges, Over Easy is a stylish café for brunchy endeavours and caffeinated pit stops. Continue reading

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4 Great Cafes in Vienna (espressoCrazy)

Last month found me in Vienna for a week or so of work and sightseeing. To be sure, I made time to snoop around town for exemplary cafes that lived up to Vienna’s reputation as a famed coffee lover’s destination. Continue reading

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Plenty, Berners Street

Folks foraging for food in Fitzrovia listen up! Mediterranean and Middle Eastern eatery, Plenty on Berners Street, offers a tasty range of healthy options for breakfast and lunch at reasonable prices. Continue reading

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Wiener Demeanour: Cafes, Restaurants, and Bars

I had a delicious time in Vienna – a city that perhaps more than any other best exemplifies European café culture and presents visitors with a delectable array of food and drink options ranging from down-to-earth comforts to upscale innovations. … Continue reading

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