Whether I visit the centre of Reading to browse the CD shops or pick up some groceries, my journey is never complete until I have revitalised myself with a coffee in one of the ever-increasing number of coffee shops springing up in the town.
Although I have visited most of the outlets at some point in the past, only three or four have had the benefit of my custom in the recent weeks. I consider myself to be a regular in just one of these few.
I discovered Good Bean's existence by chance when visiting Blackwell's bookshop, inside of which it is situated. Despite not being slap-bang in the centre of the town, it still manages to attract its fair share of customers.
Every credit must go to Good Bean for the excellent customer service provided. The staff treat customers as individuals, and are always polite and friendly. Genuinely friendly, that is; if they were to say, "have a nice day," you could be sure that they actually meant it.
Good Bean do not let their standards slip with their coffee. My usual, a regular cappuccino to drink in, is made with the same basic ingredients as many other coffee shops (a good quality espresso, steamed milk and frothed milk), but with added helpings of time, care and attention to detail. Unlike some outlets' offerings, the flavour of the coffee is not lost out to the milk and the froth.
The drinks menu is given depth by the inclusion of not only a superb range of coffees, but also teas and cold drinks. A vegan friend pointed out to me the other day that soya milk is an option on their extensive list of beverages. Prices are always reasonable, especially when you take into account their loyalty scheme, which offers the tenth drink free for every nine purchased, if I remember correctly.
No review of Good Bean would be complete without a mention of their choice of food. Sandwiches cater for every taste, and even the most down-to-earth of fillings such as cheese and pickle is packed with flavour thanks to carefully-chosen ingredients. The selection of cakes is not only pleasing on the eye but also delicious to taste.
The only slight let-down about Good Bean is its location. Admiring the shelves of computer books does not have quite the same appeal as watching the world go by from Coffee Republic or Costa. This, however, is a small price to pay for the outstanding coffee and food, and customer service which is, in my honest opinion, far superior to any other outlet in town.
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