Urban Coffee - Birmingham ☕️ ☕️ ☕️ ☕️

Pros: Direct trade, staff, atmosphere, Wi-Fi

Cons: Little snack offerings (that I could see), would loved to have had a darker roast option

Cards: accepted and contactless

I visited Urban Coffee located close to the city centre, I had done a little research online before I went and there are two located in Birmingham; one located in the Jewelry Quarter and this one located in the Colmore Business District. I walked on in and was immediately taken with the aesthetics, it had lots of natural light and had a lovely, just put together feeling.

I cast my eyes on the drinks menu and was immediately acknowledged by a member of the team, despite the fact she was making up several drinks, I appreciated this and it was a nice touch. It sounds like, the obvious thing to do is greet customers as they walk in, but I’ve been in cafes and shops where that just doesn’t happen. It didn’t take long for another member of the team (who was equally pleasant and lovely ) to take my order. The team member had a great sense of humor, personable and really made the experience for me. The wi-fi password was visible and clear by the counter and was also fast and reliable, but being in the middle of town I found 3G/4G more than fine for my needs.

I asked about the beans being used and I snapped this:

It is direct trade coffee and was chosen (I was told) because it has a mild taste that appeals to majority of customers. It is a light roast from Origin (origincoffee.co.uk). I was curious about the caramel profile I saw on the packaging, I ordered it black (as always) with some coconut milk on the side.

If you are feeling adventurous you can choose your own brew method (Aeropress, V60, Cafetière etc).

I ordered a large americano which was £2.65 and a chocolate brownie (for research I swear).

The coffee initially smelled quite smoky and stuck in my nose, which I was fine with. I took a drink and let it coat my tongue. First thing I noticed was a sweetness which I’m guessing where the fruit notes and in terms of texture it was quite watery, however, when I added some coconut milk and took a second drink it turned into a caramel-esque texture, it thickened up considerably and was much more pleasant to drink. It hugged my tongue and was incredibly smooth. After a few more tests the chocolate notes really came through and the drink overall reminded me of a breakfast blend tea. As I added more milk it became equivalent to a milk chocolate drink and concluded that this is actually a perfect early afternoon coffee that gets you through that hump, it was over way too quickly and the after taste never left a bitterness, which can happen with lighter roasts, it also never left coffee breath which if you drink a lot of coffee, can often be a hazard.

I took a walk in the autumn sunshine, coffee in hand and my experience of the cafe stayed with me.

The brownie was equally delicious, you get to pick your own (so naturally I went for the largest), it was soft and was a perfect accompaniment to the coffee. They do have a brunch menu and I saw lots of food being brought from the kitchen. It all looked tasty, and I’ll be trying food with my next visit.

If you’ve walked into a Starbucks during lunch, it is insane, and like herding cattle. Lunch time at Urban Coffee was a different experience, my whole experience was aided by great customer service and a really nice coffee. The best thing is, it isn’t coffee I would have immediately picked – I tend to stay away from light roasts and milk, but I’m happy to be proven wrong.

I will be back again to sample more of their offerings.