A nice little addition to the Manchester coffee scene - situated upstairs on the top floor of the…read morePaperchase store off Deansgate. Not only is the coffee pretty tasty but it's also a really good spot for people watching from a'high! I'd say there's seating for about 50 people and there's a nice balance between high up bench seating and 'slump in the corner' seating. Even though this is part of the Paperchase chain and there seems to be a few of them over the UK it does pull off an independent feeling quite well - nice work Tinderbox. I went for a vanilla cannoli which was ok but not breathtaking - in fact the whole sweet selections counter looks a little insipid but that's just my opinion - I'd be interested to hear what others think of the other snacks available. Wifi network is bt Hub- 9S8X - password is: tinderboxMCR

Very good coffee, pastries a bit iffy…read more The coffee is strong with this one so a flat white is good and zingy but an espresso is supercharged - I take mine con panna which tempers it a little but still sparkles. The pastry selection is probably one of the best in a chain, with authentic handmade pastes with a whole selection of flavours. I've had them here a few times and have been impressed by the taste and skill but perhaps they've been under hot lights for too long... Coffee is what brings me here, though, and the vintage/retro vibe, as seen in other Tinderbox locations -- an example of what I call corporate quirkiness -- makes this a place that's a god choice for meeting friends and impressing visitors. Not an independent coffee place by any means, it's a leisurely part of a chain, this time in Paperchase, so you can surround yourself and fill yourself with lovely pretty things.

The Costa in the odeon building refuses to let people use their beans which I think is wrong as…read moreit's nothing special it's a Costa like others in Town

This outlet in Oldham Town Square is by far one of the best for customer friendliness! The staff…read morealways greet you with a smile and ask how your days been etc? They'll make your coffee to how you personally want it. All types go here, those working or those just wanting a sit down after shopping! Like most outlets Costa have a wise range or sandwiches or toasties! Cakes and lite bites alike to have a nibble on with your coffee! Costa at Oldham is pretty standard like most of them... But it's the customer service and quite ambience that keeps me coming back :)

Lovely 'little' place to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.This may have been possibly the…read moresmallest coffee shop I have ever visited but my goodness I may just fallen in love with coffee as well as Tea. Relax and listen to the fine selection of music or you can watch and listen to the water installation just outside. On a sunny day why not sit outside and realise what a beautiful city we live in. -Today I tried their latte Artisan coffee in Manchester at its best

Ever since seeing 'Grindsmith' on kickstarter months ago, an uber-cool urban eco-pod of a coffee…read morehouse, I had been eager to venture to Greengate Square to give it a try. I was adamant that given the compact-wooden-pod nature of the place, I should only go in extreme weather conditions in order to make the trip all the more exciting. In beloved but rainy Manchester, blue-skies and sunshine qualifies as extreme conditions. As such, during a sunny June Sunday, I seized the opportunity to sip on a 'Grindsmith' flat white, with sunshine beaming through the open façade (almost entirely made of glass) - I was not disappointed. An excellent decision on my part to go when sunny and excellent brewing skills from Grindsmith as far as kick-ass flat white's are concerned. Grindsmith offers little when it comes to food, there was a very small selection of baked goods but they looked rustic and appealing. I wasn't expecting an extensive food menu, nor was I disappointed by its lack. What is pretty darn cool however, is that Grindsmith stock 'Ginger's Comfort Emporium' ice-cream - absolutely the best ice-cream I have ever tasted! (See my review of the cafe in Affleks palace) Marry this with a Grindsmith espresso and you've got an Affogato sent directly from heaven. £3 well spent I'd say - a delightful weekend treat. Take a walk to Greengate Square. Look, I know the Premiere Inn there is really ugly and a bit of an off-putter, but once inside Grindsmith's coffee haven, you'll forget such an architectural disaster ever happened. You can read more of what I have to say about Grindsmith (and other places) on my new blog: http://thehungrygiraffe.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/grindsmith-espresso-and-brewbar.html

We went here during our trip to Manchester wanting a proper English breakfast and it did not…read moredisappoint. We also tried the spicy Bloody Mary which was really good along with a side of gnocchi. The ambience was nice and so was the service. I would definitely recommend this to anyone.

So I went for Brunch at Pot Kettle Black…read more Location: Barton Arcade, Manchester Angel Gardens, Manchester What I ordered: Brekkie Bun Mimosa Cinnamon Bun Overall I'd rate my experience here a 4/5. The atmosphere was really homey which I loved! The Brekkie Bun made of a potato brioche bun was filled with a sausage patty, bacon , fried egg , cheddar cheese & sweet red pepper sauce. I wanted something to satisfy my breakfast roll craving and this did the job. The pepper sauce was a nice addition to it. It was my first time trying a mimosa and it wasn't too bad. The cinnamon bun was nice too. I do prefer cinnamon buns to be warm rather than cold but apart from that, it was a nice way to end brunch. The staff was all really nice and I believe this place is also dog friendly. Was eyeing the Banana French Toast on the menu so if I got the chance, I'd definitely go back.

A great location for a Coffee shop in Ancoats and New Islington for all the Apartments and homes in…read morethe area, its a lovely cozy coffee shop with really comfy sofas and chairs downstairs and upstairs. The coffees are great and range in different sizes so theres a Primo which is small, Medio which is medium and Massimo for a large coffee, every coffee I've had from here have been lovely and well made, There is coffee available from Flat White, Cappuccino, Latte,Americano,Espresso and many more Coffee types, They also do Speciality coffees teas and ice drinks and other cold drinks available, I do love the cakes in here as well, especially the lovely yummy muffins, they also serve yummy paninis as well. The only thing what lets this location down is the staff though they don't seem that friendly and sometimes a bit arrogant at times, It always seems like its a problem to take my order and its not really served with a smile. Its close to home though and its always good for a nice chill out as it has a lovely upstairs area. It also has free parking around the back for two hours which is pretty hand for people passing the area. Its also useful for the Hotel above the Costa which is the Etap Hotel. There is also a bit of outdoor seating but due to the busy road outside i prefer to sit inside. there is also free wifi.

To add to the stereotype that it is always training in Manchester... I've popped into Costa to…read moreshelter from a rain storm. It's not actually that far from where I live but a toasted Teacake and a coffee was needed to warm up my body and soul. This is standard Costa fair of course, so it's the normal great range of cakes and consistently good drinks. But here it is always service with a smile from all of the team. Even my request for a large half-caf is never a problem, even though I know it's more time consuming to make. It's a great location with its own parking at the back or if in Ancoats, and is split over 2 levels so plenty of space. It's only very busy if there's a match or concert at the Etihad. That said they always blast through the queue as quick as they can. And even though it is next to a main road and is still raining... there's even a tiny bit of outside seating for sunny days, because even Costa know it's sunny in Manchester on some days!

Sister of the Java in Manchester. Big outdoor seating area -…read moregreat for the non-rainy days in Uppermill. Not so big inside - I would say cosy is the word to describe the seating inside the coffee shop, deli and bar. With a selection of wine I presume this place is open in the evenings. The deli selection is fab - pastas, sauces, cheese, meats, bread, juices, coffees and on and on.... Worth a visit if you are up in't hills of Oldham.

To say Uppermill is a fairly small place, you are quite spoilt for choice with cafes, coffee shops…read moreand little restaurants. Java is one that I have visited a number of times purely because I love the interior, the coffee, and it's outdoor seating under heaters. However, I can't help but wish Java offered more of an extensive menu. I'm not sure if the mini menu, which is all written on black boards which is a slight pain as you have to physically get up and walk around to find them, is meant to be small to keep it very 'unique'. After all, it specialises in mezze boards, meat and cheese platters, tarts and soups. I feel it should offer more lunchtime options, like baguettes with chips, jacket potatoes... just a few more filling options. Nevertheless, this is the second time I have been and experienced the meat and mezze platter, and they are really tasty. Just quite limited. I'll take my hat off to Java though as they are one of the only places in Uppermill to offer soya milk coffees, and the soya lattes are lovely too. Slightly uncomfortable eating and drinking upstaires when you elbow is literally falling onto the next-door table, but I suppose the crammed and close knit set-up adds to it's cosy feel and ambiance.

Located on a side-street in Media City, this is one of two Costa Coffee locations in the Media City…read morearea, which is useful if you're visiting the Imperial War Museum or TV studios and don't fancy heading across to Quayside Outlet Mall. The store is pretty small, too small to offer indoor seating under the UK's social distancing rules but the staff still seemed super friendly, and my drink was made quickly. While I didn't enjoy my drink and was upset to find all the tea at the bottom undissolved, the staff were friendly and the vibe was OK compared to Costa stores which often just don't cut it for me, I wouldn't return here but if you're in a hurry while in that area of Media City, it is a useful location. 2*

It's hard to believe that Costa is one of the biggest coffee shop purveyors in the world. I prefer…read moreStarbucks, or better still a small independent but ya don't often get small independent retailers in shopping centres. I don't know enough about either mega Corp to know if they are good employers or if they pay above minimum wages so I think I'll explore this. It would be beyond hypocrisy for these giants to advertise ethical trading, fair trade, organic growing and so on while operating minimum wage and zero hour contracts here. As a 3 customer we get Wantu deals but - isn't there always a but - Wantu is somewhat wanting as some of their deals do not extend to Northern Ireland which is disgraceful: Costa being one such offer. So being in England we decided to use the Wantu Costa offer for medium coffees. And we did. Straightforward enough with pretty ok coffee and an ok portion. As we sat drinking our coffees in the concourse seating area we noticed they were promoting a lunch deal at £4.95 for a limited range of toasted sandwiches (ham & cheese or cheese & onion) a coffee (2 size choices) and crisps or popcorn or a piece of fruit. So we tried it. The coffees were good. The ham & cheese were palatable but the ham was the cheap stuff and so think I'd be surprised if it weighed an ounce and the cheese too was cheap. I can't imagine the sandwich costing more than 30 pence to assemble. We chose crisps; one of the high quality Tyrell brand. These were the best. So 3 out of five. Pity about the poor quality, mean sandwich.

A very average layout for a coffee shop. Not the most welcoming but apart from that all the usual…read moregoodies.

I called at Costa on Portland Street as it is in a rather good location, it is close to Piccadilly…read moreGardens and it is on the way to Piccadilly Railway Station, next to Tesco. I encounted many errors with both my visits here, sadly feeling this branch of Costa deserves a one-star rating. 1. Opening Hours The branch closes earlier to the times on the Costa website and the app. This meant there was a one hour window where I could order a drink, and not be able to go in which happened to me. It took me ringing the store to be able to get the drink I had ordered and paid for. Awful planning 2. Seating Despite this being an average sized Costa, a similar size to the store at the bottom of Market Street, they do not offer any seating right now which is a shame. Costa's smaller store in Spinningfields offers seating so I can't understand why this doesn't right now, I can't understand the logic that some stores can do it and others can't, especially when this is bigger than Spinningfields. 3. Beverage Quality Both my drinks on two seperate occasions were awful. The Strawberry Lemonade had a funny taste to it, and so did the Iced Mocha which just tasted ransid, considering I normally love the Iced Mocha nearby at Black Sheep Coffee, who reopened recently that is a shame too. It seems I have so many bad experiences at Costa and there are few good branches, sadly this isn't one of the good ones. 1*