Twentysix Cafe & Bistro Teignmouth

Twentysix is a cute, stylish, cosy little cafe just off the beach at Teignmouth. Terracotta tiles and lots of maritime memorabilia abound and they specialise in French peasant food. Croque Monsieur, French Onion soup and haricot potage fill the menu.

They also offer coffee. I plump for a flat white, and am pleasantly surprised with a fresh-tasting, smooth and well balanced espresso with some well steamed sweet and delicious milk.


There's skill and love at work here for sure.

Their coffee is a speciality roast designed exclusively for the cafe and is mild and smooth with a light crisp cocoa flavour. Very nice!

If you're in these parts, and you're in need of a hearty lunch with good coffee for a reasonable price - this is your place.

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Layne's Espresso

So, in its relatively short existence, Layne's has developed almost cult-like legendary status. I popped along to see what all the fuss is about.



It's a tiny space, inhabited by sleeve-tattooed hipsters and those who need to be "seen," but it's none the worse for it. It reminds me a lot of Stumptown in Portland.

The Wife was all coffee-d out by now, but I took a double espresso. Wow!

Ripe, citrusy and berry punch gives way to a juniper and quinine finish. I live in total awe of magicians like this who can make this happen from the seeds of an African shrub. The best coffee I've had since Matt Banbury at Joe the Art of Coffee in New York.

Leeds, it seems, lays good claim to being the best coffee town in the North. Disagree? Tell me what I'm missing!

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La Bottega Milanese

La Bottega's second site, in The Light, is that rarest of coffee house gems - somewhere which stays open late at night! It styles itself after a Milan espresso bar and its warm welcome and stylish design support that - although, having never been to a Milan espresso bar, I'm not in a position to confirm!
I took the wife for a coffee field trip and she loved the food, loved her mocha and was thoroughly impressed, describing it as "the best coffee shop I've ever dragged her to." I took the double espresso today - using their guest coffee, a Honduran light roast from York coffee. It's sweet and light flavour was delicious, and I loved the habenero spicy aroma it kicked out, but, as is the way with the heartbeat which is espresso, it's gone too soon!
I got chatting to the barista, and you can tell these guys are really serious about what they do. Beans roasted this week - 16g for the Honduras, 18g for the house blend (a closely guarded secret, with Brazilian arabica and high altitude Indian robusta - from Bolling.)
A fantastic surprise as I was about to set off was a complimentary shot of the house blend - outstanding! A little darker roast than the Honduras, with a dark chocolate speed bump in the centre of the palate.
Beautiful coffee from passionate baristas. Outstanding service and food and an absolute must for any coffee nut or gastronome visiting Leeds.




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Doddington Hall

Doddington Hall is a Lincolnshire
Stately Home, complete with requisite car park, visitor centre and farm shop/gift shop. There's a decent range of local produce; fruit, veg, cheese, plum loaf etc. This is a good thing. A very good thing. Lincolnshire is a magnificent farming county and its food is as good as anywhere else you will find.




Tucked away at the back is the cafe, a modern-looking canteen built as an extension to an old barn. It's dominated by a huge 3 group La Spaziale machine, so I'm having a double macchiato and let's see what it's like!




They're using a Cafe Direct blend, so it's Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance certified, which is good.

The crema is a dense golden layer with a rich sweet flavour an the sip is good. Rich and nutty with a smoky finish. It's undoubtedly a good espresso.
Unfortunately, what lets it down is the milk. They're still serving old school cappuccinos with stiff dry foam piled high on top of the espresso , and the macchiato is similar.

So this offers me a dilemma. I've had a good espresso, but I know they could be brilliant here with just a very little tweaking. But how will they know if I don't tell them? I don't work here, I have no place telling them how to improve their business. I'm no Gordon Ramsey!

My answer, of course, is to do nothing. They must have regular customers who like their coffee this way, so there's no incentive to change what's being done.

This brings me to the point (yes, there is one.)

Do you prepare your drinks the way you KNOW they should be, or do you do what your customers ask, expect or demand? I've heard stories of baristas refusing to use syrup because it ruins the flavour. Are they right or wrong?

I'd love to hear your views on this - where do you stand on this debate?

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