I've been to going to Starbucks since I spotted them in Liverpool City Centre. The coffee is generally excellent and has that Starbucks taste I just can't get anywhere else. My favourite hot coffee drink is the Gingerbread Latte, it is a seasonal special so only seems to be available around ... Read review
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Advantages: Excellent coffee, relaxing atmosphere, delicious food and sweet treats Disadvantages: Over priced, lack of comfy seating, upstairs seating area closes before the café does
I've been to going to Starbucks since I spotted them in Liverpool City Centre. The coffee is generally excellent and has that Starbucks taste I just can't get anywhere else. My favourite hot coffee drink is the Gingerbread Latte, it is a seasonal special so only seems to be available around Christmas time (not long now). It's not too gingery and I would recommend it to anyone. They should serve it all year round.
The variety of coffee ... ...based drinks is always expanding. The range of cakes and sweets is very good and they are of excellent quality. The sandwiches are also very nice. A point to note it that the “eat-in” prices of most of their foods is significantly more than the take out price, so you may want to pull up a sofa and spend a good while enjoying your food and drink because take out is no fun.
The staff are efficient and friendly and know their stuff. They ... more
I've been to going to Starbucks since I spotted them in Liverpool City Centre. The coffee is generally excellent and has that Starbucks taste I just can't get anywhere else. My favourite hot coffee drink is the Gingerbread Latte, it is a seasonal special so only seems to be available around Christmas time (not long now). It's not too gingery and I would recommend it to anyone. They should serve it all year round.
The variety of coffee and coffee-based drinks is impressive. The menu of coffee based drinks is always expanding. The range of cakes and sweets is very good and they are of excellent quality. The sandwiches are also very nice. A point to note it that the “eat-in” prices of most of their foods is significantly more than the take out price, so you may want to pull up a sofa and spend a good while enjoying your food and drink because take out is no fun.
The staff are efficient and friendly and know their stuff. They gladly answer any questions you have about the coffee or the making of it. The café itself could be a little cleaner; I often sit down to a sticky table with several dirty cups on it. The staff do always seem to be cleaning up though.
The atmosphere is probably one of the best things about Starbucks. It is a nice relaxing change from the busy shops and grimy streets of Liverpool. There is usually some nice smooth jazz style music playing in the background. The air conditioning keeps the temperature just right and when the soft comfy sofa style seats are available you just want to spend all day in there. My longest visit so far is about 2 hours, seems crazy (and sad) but me and a few friends each got a coffee and a comfy chair in a nice secluded spot, talked, laughed and relaxed in comfort.
My main gripe about Starbucks is the prices. My usual Venti Latté costs £2.39, at home I could make this size coffee for about 40p on my Gaggia espresso machine, which makes better espresso than Starbucks in my opinion. My usual cappuccino muffin is £1.60 which is a bit pricey, although they are just about the nicest muffins I have ever had. If you’re lucky you might call in when they are giving out (miniscule) free samples of the cakes and sweets. On my last two visits the people in front of me in the queue have had to count out some extra change as their order had come to some unexpectedly exorbitant amount.
From memory the prices go something like this:
Venti Latté £2.39 (30p extra for a squirt of whipped cream) Venti Caramel Macchiato £2.99 Single Espresso £1.30 Double Espresso £1.55 Muffins £1.60 eat in Various cakes, slices & cookies £1.25 - £2.60 Grande mug to take home £5.95 Venti mug to take home £6.95 Sandwiches £ARM (£2.00+ for egg mayo) Toasted Pannini Sandwiches £LEG (£3.50+)
They also stock a good selection of hard to get bits and pieces for the keen home coffee maker such as espresso measuring glasses (£3), milk frothing thermometers (£7), stainless steel jugs (£12), etc.
I have also been to the Starbucks in The Trafford Centre, for some reason I don't like this one as much as the Liverpool branches, it doesn't have the "City" feeling about it. The balcony seats are cool though.
Whenever I think ahead I take my own food in. Marks & Spencer sandwiches are just as good and much better value. Trafford Centre Selfridges also do some delicious snacks in their Deli which they seal up for you; these also make an ideal accompaniment to your Starbucks coffee. Can't beat Starbucks cakes and sweets though.
Starbucks remains my favourite coffee shop and I indulge myself in some of their over-priced treats at the end of every Friday, at which time the upstairs in the Bold Street branch is closed off further reducing the amount of comfy seating available.
I definitely recommend Starbucks for anyone to try. It is a heaven for coffee lovers such as myself.
