Whenever coffee comes up in conversation here, I’m frequently asked, “Which is the best coffee chain in London?” For the Melbourne readers, this is an entirely valid question in a city of ‘high street’ shopping where brands dominate everything from retail fashion, packaged sandwiches and ‘Italian’ restaurants and the independent barista is hard to come by. So, I have chosen to review the three most prevalent coffee chains in London: Starbucks, Costa and Caffe Nero. Which one is the best?

Starbucks: I remember my first experience of Starbucks at 17 years of age with a black filtered coffee on a United Airlines flight to the US. I came back to Australia thinking I was really onto something. After arriving to live in London some years later in 2005, and having developed a taste for coffee from our wonderful cafes in Melbourne, it was the only coffee I could rely on in the high street. The staff are clearly well trained in Starbucks as the quality is consistent with the milk always at the right temperature, there are no lattes with an identity crisis of a cappuccino (too foamy), and the espresso and filtered coffee is never bitter or over extracted. The staff are friendly and efficient and have that “the-customer-is-always-right” attitude about them. Personally I find Starbucks too bland however with no ‘wow’ factor in the taste, and it’s very weak in a latte or cappuccino.

Costa: Costa has to be one of the most variable in terms of quality. At best it is bearable in standard if you keep the take away lid on and try to ignore the giant bubbles that are sometimes synonymous with their ‘lattes’, and on other occasions it has provided notes of dishwater. When I decided to write this review recently, I visited the Costa at Waterloo and there were coffee granules spilt over the work bench, used coffee still sitting in the portafilters and dried milk on the outside of the jugs (a poor indication of cleanliness and general pride). Afterwards I had the sudden urge to brush my teeth to cleanse the aftertaste. I am informed by a friend, however, that the paninis and muffins are the most delicious out of the chains. Costa was set up as a roastery in 1971 by two Italians. My question is: what has happened since?

Caffe Nero: Amongst coffee lovers in London that I have met, this is the chain that we generally seem to agree on. Though not quite as consistent in quality as Starbucks, the coffee is much stronger with a smoky and nutty flavour that tends to hit the spot. I do think the strapline of “The Italian Coffee Company” is a bit of a stretch though – the last time I was in Italy any take away coffee cups weren’t large enough to store a milk pale, and there certainly wasn’t any suggest-selling of muffins or pastries. However, this is the best quality high street coffee I think you will find in London.

There is a place for both small businesses and high street chains, and we all have different tastes in the café experience and style of coffee. I do believe that there are small businesses operating on much lower margins and budgets providing a far higher quality coffee and experience in London (eg. Monmouth, Flat White, Climpson & Sons), however the high street chains do much to provide employment and a product that many UK customers enjoy. And as far as the high street chains go, I believe the pick of the bunch is Caffe Nero.