As an espresso lover who’s been living in Birmingham for over two years now, I often find myself facing a familiar dilemma.
Yes, the city, especially the centre, is packed with coffee places. Many of them have a lot to offer in terms of presentation and substance, but if espresso is your favourite hot drink, your options quickly narrow down.
It didn’t take me long to realize that the coffee shops offering a delicious, properly made espresso were few and far between.
So many times, while I was out and about craving a good cup of coffee, I mentally mapped out “safe” places and places to avoid.
Sip after sip, I thought that perhaps I wasn’t the only one in this situation, and this spurred me to collect my insights on this website.
If, like me, you enjoy your espresso single, strong in taste, and rich in flavor, I hope my recommendations can be helpful.
Whenever possible, I provide some general context about each shop (ambiance, quality of other food and drinks, etc.) to offer a broader perspective. However, the ratings are based solely and exclusively on the quality of their espresso, nothing more, nothing less.
Please note that I’m just reviewing independent coffee shops or chains that have only one or two locations in the city. Huge chains that you can find at every corner of the street (Costa, Nero, Starbucks) will be grouped and covered in a specific post.