... Costa is one of the more common coffee bars on the high street at the moment, and rightly so! I'm here to admit that I'm having a flirtation of sorts with Costa.
This is only a problem because I used to be hopelessly devoted (as the song goes) to Coffee Republic when in my home town of ... Read review
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Advantages: Great coffee, nice atmosphere, etc... Disadvantages: Not quite as widespread as some others...
...of the alternatives out there. Costa is one of the more common coffee bars on the high street at the moment, and rightly so! I'm here to admit that I'm having a flirtation of sorts with Costa.
This is only a problem because I used to be hopelessly devoted (as the song goes) to Coffee Republic when in my home town of Reading. This situation has changed just recently, and now I am being shamefully unfaithful to my coffee bar partner. ... ...about this. The branch of Costa I've started frequenting is just across the road from Coffee Republic, meaning I have to look at my long term love whilst I'm with my bit on the side. Coffee Republic holds a huge amount of happy memories for me, but I'm drawn to Costa for one very simple reason - dare I say it? The coffee's better!
It all started like this. Costa had a branch in Reading a long time before Coffee Republic did, when I ... more
Oh, the joy of dreadful puns in my titles - sorry about that one, I couldn't resist!
So, I've already graced you people with my opinion on the coffee giant that is Starbucks, so I thought I'd start looking at some of the alternatives out there. Costa is one of the more common coffee bars on the high street at the moment, and rightly so! I'm here to admit that I'm having a flirtation of sorts with Costa.
This is only a problem because I used to be hopelessly devoted (as the song goes) to Coffee Republic when in my home town of Reading. This situation has changed just recently, and now I am being shamefully unfaithful to my coffee bar partner. The incredibly sad thing is that I actually do feel guilty about this. The branch of Costa I've started frequenting is just across the road from Coffee Republic, meaning I have to look at my long term love whilst I'm with my bit on the side. Coffee Republic holds a huge amount of happy memories for me, but I'm drawn to Costa for one very simple reason - dare I say it? The coffee's better!
It all started like this. Costa had a branch in Reading a long time before Coffee Republic did, when I wasn't a coffee drinker (yes, readers, there was a day when I didn't *shudder* like coffee - but be reassured, this was a very long time ago...). The start of my coffee drinking days bizarrely coincided with the opening of a brand spanking new shopping centre in Reading - the wonder that is the Oracle. Hidden away in a corner of the Oracle (just inside the Waterstones book shop, to be precise) was a coffee bar - Coffee Republic. The layout was modern, there was a big exciting menu, the staff spoke in bizarre abbreviations like "cap" and "e". It reminded me a lot of my first love in the coffee bar world - Starbucks. I was sold! I spent a horrendous amount of my time in there, once even travelling the 10 miles into Reading just for a coffee to ease my hangover. Another Coffee Republic opened - a bigger, better branch, on the main shopping street. This one came with comfy seats and stairs - everything a girl could want in a coffee bar, I thought. All the while, Costa was sitting across the road, looking on enviously as Coffee Republic poached all the customers.
This all changed in a flash one day when I was meeting a friend in Reading station. I'd arrived there 10 minutes before her, tired and irritated (I despise trains with a rather large proportion of my heart). I decided a coffee was in order, and, as Costa is the only sit-down coffee bar in Reading station, I settled on Costa. I ordered my usual (tall latte, if you're offering...), and took a seat. First thing I noticed - this is cheaper than Starbucks (about the same price as Coffee Republic). Another thing that pleased me greatly is that they serve their coffee in proper coffee cups *with saucers* - none of your mug nonsense here! Also on the first impressions front, Costa has a much more continental feel to it than the 'American' styled Starbucks and Coffee Republic. I don't know if it's deliberate (probably not!), but they seem to have a large number of Italian staff. As you no doubt know, Italians make some of the best coffee in the world, and they certainly don't disprove that in this place. I used to be put off by the fact that the menu in Costa doesn't appear as extensive as those of Coffee Republic and Starbucks, but in reality it probably is. Whatever your coffee vice, they cater for it here, and they have as great a range of non-coffee drinks as any other coffee bar you care to mention.
Down to the important stuff - the coffee! This coffee is amongst the best I've ever tasted. There is next to no bitterness, and it is, without exception, incredibly smooth and it tastes just stunning. Now if you've ever come across me before, you'll probably know that coffee is number one on my list of vices - it comes way above alcohol and even make-up (!), so my approval is a huge compliment to Costa's coffee - I'm a true addict.
The smallest size of latte costs £1.75 in Costa branches nationwide - in truth, the smallest size isn't actually all that small - it's about the same size as an average mug (possibly a little bigger). Prices in Costa don't go above about £2.50 per cup (as far as I remember), which is about the price range of all the other big name coffee bars I've been to (and believe me, that's one hell of a lot!). I'd certainly recommend trying Costa if you haven't been there before. The atmosphere is relaxed and european - a revelation for those of us who are used to the all-American feel of many other coffee bars; the coffee is second to none; and the prices aren't too bad either. Come on people, embrace the caffeine!!
As for my relationship with Coffee Republic? We're working it out, slowly but surely. I think it may have to be an open relationship from now on, mind...
