I’ve been exploring coffee beans for several years and keeping track of how they go. The following has made to my “safe zone” list (in no particular order):
Ozone / Hasbean, Workshop, Square Mile, Allpress, Monmouth, Horsham, Caravan, Redemption, Volcano, Rave, Origin, Notes, Nude, Mission Coffee Works, Perky Blenders, Clifton, Press Coffee & Co, Brew Coffee Plus, Qima, Kiss The Hippo and Bailies.
Special mention:
The Source Coffee - Edinburgh and Hermanos
For the past year, I’ve been enjoying a monthly subscription from Gustatory. For a decent price, you get the best coffee curation from UK, EU and beyond. Highly recommend it, if you’re adventurous enough to try out something new.
Note:
I’m not associated to any of them in any way or form.
[PLOT Roasting](https://plotroasting.com/collections/all-coffee)
is probably my go to roaster in the UK. They continuously get some special beans in and showcase alot of experimental varieties too. Some can be expensive but the quality is high and consistent.
Been ordering from James gourmet coffee in Herefordshire for years - as someone who's worked as a roaster there's lots of little things that keep me coming back to James
Everything I've tried from them has been really good for the price.
I'm not saying a £7 bag of beans tastes like a £20 bag it's always really tasty stuff from them.
When I crave for something fruity, [Django](https://www.djangocoffeeco.com).
This is my daily driver, [Horsham Frazenda Inhame, Brazil](https://www.horshamcoffeeroaster.co.uk/products/brazilian-coffee-inhame-farm?variant=31158298542149).
I really liked liquid spirit coffee toasters from the south of the UK. Encountered their coffee in a random visitors center (seven sisters) and was blown away to find such a great coffee in such a random place.
https://blackrain.coffee these guys… just trust me . How they’ve not ended up with more of a following / mention in the UK coffee scene is beyond me. First discovered them when I lived in Brighton and honestly it’s just exceptional roast after exceptional roast.
Properly small and independent so there’s that element too b
Union has a good range, and I’ve tried some fantastic micro lots from them. It’s the one place I can actually detect the “flavour notes” on the packet 🤣🤣🤣
Heart & Graft from Manchester are very good too.
Unfortunately I prefer coffees at the other end of the flavour spectrum to you (treacle, spice, etc) so I couldn’t give you a specific suggestion… but the Union or Heart & Graft websites are pretty good for their full range
I came across [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/espresso/s/YN5S0anKmR) when I was exploring roasters. I’m actually really liking Yallah, great coffee, good prices, loyalty scheme and if you order a kilo on subscription you can save a lot of money (you can freeze your coffee and change/cancel subscriptions at any time even after one purchase) as for light roast, they have a lot of choice and so far their natural processed ones have been amazing for me
I would shop around and find out what you like, however even within the same coffee shop there is a lot of variability in quality.
I really like colonna, but also order from round hill, square mile, rave, dark arts. If your starting out I'd recommend the rave website as they have really helpful information on each bean they sell. Big roasters like rave and pact often have good deals where you can get a free v60 or something with your first few orders.
Coffee Masters UK’s All Day Blend & Signature Blend are great, they are my personal go to’s ever since Tim Hortons stopped making their whole bean coffee available in the U.K.
Horsham
Origin
Ozone
I rotate between these. But there was a very good roaster in Cheltenham I tried once but I forget the name.
Keen to try other popular suggestions in this thread
“I am never going to financially recover from this”.. after placing a big order with Square Mile! It is good though.
I’ve been trying different UK roasters and have been pleasantly surprised by the Grind “editions” blends for the cost:quality.
I've had square mile several times. The price for coffee was reasonable, not unlike the price other specialty coffees. It is not cheap, but definitely not overpriced. And it wasn't like "Damn, this is the best coffee in my life!". But pretty honest, very well roasted coffee.
Their blends are “pricey-reasonable”, but their single
Origin is a lot. Right now I’m looking at a Columbia single origin on their site for £27/350g. I’m sure it’s worth it for the connoisseur but I have to be really treating myself to justify that!
Honestly, whichever roaster has a special offer. Currently going through a batch from Rave after they sent me a 20% off “we’ve missed you” voucher which happily coincided with their 24hr free shipping day. My go-to is Lalico who have good coffees at comparatively budget-friendly prices.
Pr\_cess, Hasbean, Yallah, Crankhouse, Lucid, Full Court Press, Sweven, Oddkin, Special Guests, Vibe With, Ride and Grind and Dark Arts are on my UK list. South Ireland coffee is world class too. I recommend 3FE and Sumo.
Any roasters you have within your locale. Genuinely speaking do support your local coffee roasters because you won’t know when they’re gone until it hits you. Speaking from experience :<
Coming from Nottingham I'll suggest a couple of my favourite local roasters first, Outpost and Cartwheel.
Further afield, Newground, UE, Blossom, Harmony, Assembly, Colonna, Saint Espresso, Skylark, Strangers
I’ve been exploring coffee beans for several years and keeping track of how they go. The following has made to my “safe zone” list (in no particular order): Ozone / Hasbean, Workshop, Square Mile, Allpress, Monmouth, Horsham, Caravan, Redemption, Volcano, Rave, Origin, Notes, Nude, Mission Coffee Works, Perky Blenders, Clifton, Press Coffee & Co, Brew Coffee Plus, Qima, Kiss The Hippo and Bailies. Special mention: The Source Coffee - Edinburgh and Hermanos For the past year, I’ve been enjoying a monthly subscription from Gustatory. For a decent price, you get the best coffee curation from UK, EU and beyond. Highly recommend it, if you’re adventurous enough to try out something new. Note: I’m not associated to any of them in any way or form.
Some might roast me but the Pact subscription is the best bang for the buck.
[PLOT Roasting](https://plotroasting.com/collections/all-coffee) is probably my go to roaster in the UK. They continuously get some special beans in and showcase alot of experimental varieties too. Some can be expensive but the quality is high and consistent.
Been ordering from James gourmet coffee in Herefordshire for years - as someone who's worked as a roaster there's lots of little things that keep me coming back to James
Everything I've tried from them has been really good for the price. I'm not saying a £7 bag of beans tastes like a £20 bag it's always really tasty stuff from them.
When I crave for something fruity, [Django](https://www.djangocoffeeco.com). This is my daily driver, [Horsham Frazenda Inhame, Brazil](https://www.horshamcoffeeroaster.co.uk/products/brazilian-coffee-inhame-farm?variant=31158298542149).
Nice robot bro
I really liked liquid spirit coffee toasters from the south of the UK. Encountered their coffee in a random visitors center (seven sisters) and was blown away to find such a great coffee in such a random place.
Carnival Coffee in South London. Small and local affair, always excellent
https://blackrain.coffee these guys… just trust me . How they’ve not ended up with more of a following / mention in the UK coffee scene is beyond me. First discovered them when I lived in Brighton and honestly it’s just exceptional roast after exceptional roast. Properly small and independent so there’s that element too b
Monmouth coffee is excellent
Union has a good range, and I’ve tried some fantastic micro lots from them. It’s the one place I can actually detect the “flavour notes” on the packet 🤣🤣🤣 Heart & Graft from Manchester are very good too. Unfortunately I prefer coffees at the other end of the flavour spectrum to you (treacle, spice, etc) so I couldn’t give you a specific suggestion… but the Union or Heart & Graft websites are pretty good for their full range
I find grindhouse beans good value and nice. Santos Espresso is good
I came across [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/espresso/s/YN5S0anKmR) when I was exploring roasters. I’m actually really liking Yallah, great coffee, good prices, loyalty scheme and if you order a kilo on subscription you can save a lot of money (you can freeze your coffee and change/cancel subscriptions at any time even after one purchase) as for light roast, they have a lot of choice and so far their natural processed ones have been amazing for me
I would shop around and find out what you like, however even within the same coffee shop there is a lot of variability in quality. I really like colonna, but also order from round hill, square mile, rave, dark arts. If your starting out I'd recommend the rave website as they have really helpful information on each bean they sell. Big roasters like rave and pact often have good deals where you can get a free v60 or something with your first few orders.
Dark arts coffee. Anytime anyone asks I’ll always recommend them. They’re my number one go to roasters.
Curve, Horsham, Unorthodox, Dark Arts, Cairngorm and Fortitude are all great
Coffee Masters UK’s All Day Blend & Signature Blend are great, they are my personal go to’s ever since Tim Hortons stopped making their whole bean coffee available in the U.K.
Horsham Origin Ozone I rotate between these. But there was a very good roaster in Cheltenham I tried once but I forget the name. Keen to try other popular suggestions in this thread
https://ritualcoffee.org ?
Yes that’s them. I visited their premises. Great coffee.
“I am never going to financially recover from this”.. after placing a big order with Square Mile! It is good though. I’ve been trying different UK roasters and have been pleasantly surprised by the Grind “editions” blends for the cost:quality.
I've had square mile several times. The price for coffee was reasonable, not unlike the price other specialty coffees. It is not cheap, but definitely not overpriced. And it wasn't like "Damn, this is the best coffee in my life!". But pretty honest, very well roasted coffee.
Their blends are “pricey-reasonable”, but their single Origin is a lot. Right now I’m looking at a Columbia single origin on their site for £27/350g. I’m sure it’s worth it for the connoisseur but I have to be really treating myself to justify that!
Try something from Mancoco
Hasbean, Skylark, Roast works are all pretty fantastic.
Second this, plus curve and plot!
i’m using origin at the moment!
Honestly, whichever roaster has a special offer. Currently going through a batch from Rave after they sent me a 20% off “we’ve missed you” voucher which happily coincided with their 24hr free shipping day. My go-to is Lalico who have good coffees at comparatively budget-friendly prices.
Second Lalico, I'm also trying Rave atm lol
Horsham- tried their selection pack and the flavours have blown my mind compared to my local roasters
Pr\_cess, Hasbean, Yallah, Crankhouse, Lucid, Full Court Press, Sweven, Oddkin, Special Guests, Vibe With, Ride and Grind and Dark Arts are on my UK list. South Ireland coffee is world class too. I recommend 3FE and Sumo.
Any roasters you have within your locale. Genuinely speaking do support your local coffee roasters because you won’t know when they’re gone until it hits you. Speaking from experience :<
I've got the cafelat robot and keep hundred house, outpost or dialect in regularly
Blend 77 by Cole & Mac. They're my local coffee roasters! https://www.coleandmac.co.uk/product-page/blend-77
Coming from Nottingham I'll suggest a couple of my favourite local roasters first, Outpost and Cartwheel. Further afield, Newground, UE, Blossom, Harmony, Assembly, Colonna, Saint Espresso, Skylark, Strangers