New York-based Roasting Plant Coffee opened its first roastery/cafe in London this week, bringing with it Javabot – an automated roasting system that doubles as a sleek piece of cafe-theatre kit.
The London Bridge outlet is Roasting Plant’s sixth cafe and its first outside the US. The cafe has all the hallmarks that finicky coffee drinkers are apt seek in a central London coffee shop plus an elegant and stylish Javabot roaster as a centrepiece display.
So what’s a Javabot?
Javabot is a patented coffee roasting system created by inventor Mike Caswell that allows micro batch roasting to exact specifications designed by roast master to ensure fresh coffee made on site.
The system stores “green” (not-yet-roasted coffee beans) in a series of clear columns. When it’s time for roasting, the beans are automatically measured out by weight and then “whooshed” into the roaster via bursts of air through clear pneumatic tubes. After a quick roasting and cooling down, the beans sit for about 12 hours and then are whooshed again to a tube where they will be accessed by baristas and folks purchasing beans to take home. The entire Javabot process is on view to customers.
I dropped by Roasting Plant on its second day of trading for a look and a taste. Javabot was fascinating to watch – but also quiet and subtle. So don’t worry if you’re wondering if such a contraption might distract your meeting, out-of-office work session, or meditative coffee break. More pertinent to my pursuits, the coffee was exceptional, wisely sourced and roasted right. Service was friendly and swift as well.
I didn’t find Javabot to be gimmicky. It seemed to be a brilliantly realised way for consumers to enjoy coffee at peak quality level. I’m all for that. Prices were okay and inline with (and maybe slightly cheaper than) what I’d expect to pay around town. An espresso made with the house blend costs £1.85. An Americano is £1.85 for a small, £2.25 for a medium, £3.05 for a large.
You can upgrade your cup by choosing from a changing roster of single estate beans. If they’ve got it when you go in, the Jamaica Blue Mountain beans from Clifton Mount Estate are worth the extra price for the extra smooth flavour.
An assortment of pastries, sandwiches and breakfast items looked tasty and reasonable priced. I was coming from a big lunch though and didn’t try any.
Root around online and you’ll probably come across “Willy Wonka” to describe the Javabot. Maybe, I get it. But there’s no kooky magic involved with garish purple flourishes. Just unobtrusive but observable technology to pare down and streamline the roasting process in a pleasant setting. I can’t see it being too long before I head back for a drink.
Roasting Plant Coffee is located at 4 Borough High Street, SE1 9QQ. Find out more at roastingplant.co.uk.
