I'm going to stretch myself a bit on this review - it is so nearly a five star review for me, but a couple of small details nearly dropped it to a 3.
This funky little cafe positively oozes hipster, set as it is in the middle of Darlington. Add to that a nice little patio out the back, friendly staff and a cool streetscape and it is definitely a place I would enjoy coming back to.
Range of food is not bad, the coffee was actually quite good, with the exception of one small thing (sorry, yes, going to go on a tiny rant here). The macchiato was served (wait for it) in a latte style glass. I can positively feel the horror you are surely feeling right now as you read this review! Ok, perhaps I can't - and yes, it may sound like a bit of an elitist thing to worry about.... but I promise you, this is important - ANY espresso sized drink (i.e. espresso's or macchiato's) should be served in a small cup or shot-sized glass. The reason is fairly simple - a large glass means the coffee cools much more quickly, a smaller glass keeps the coffee hot when it reaches me. And really, who wants cold coffee?
Anyway, it is a pet hate, and usually I would mark a cafe down a little for this - but honestly, aside from this I had a really good time here, and even if a little cold the coffee was still quite good. I'm not sure if the owners of the shortlist read Yelp.... but if they do they will win a fan for life with this small change.
Anyway, for my usual breakdown of the coffee:
Coffee: Double macchiato
Bean: Little Marionette
Crema: Nice and thick 8/10
Overall Taste: Excellent, smooth. 8.5/10
Served in: Latte glass (-1)
Preparation: Well poured, not too much milk
I'll go back :) read more