We tried the four Bristol coffee shops named ‘best in the UK’ to see if they were worth the hype

Last month, Best Coffee Shops in the UK revealed their list of the 44 best spots in the UK to get your caffeine fix. The list is judged by Britains most serious coffee experts, who consider a range of factors: including quality of coffee, barista expertise, customer service, ambiance and atmosphere. Of course, we had to put this to the test, so The Tab have embarked on our own coffee pilgrimage to see what put these spots on the list and decide which is our personal favourite.

Sweven

Sweven, a small independent coffee shop tucked away on the streets of Bedminster, is the last place you would expect to find some of the best coffee in the UK. Visiting on a Wednesday afternoon, the place was very quiet, free from the morning commuters and lunchtime rush. They offer a range of beans with different notes, all roasted in-house, made both for filter coffee and espresso. The two current house espresso choices are a Colombian bean with notes of cherry, grape soda and banoffee pie, and an Ethiopian bean with notes of nectarine, pear blossom and violet.

I chose the Colombian espresso and the cherry notes really were there. We chatted to Charlie who told us about the sourcing of their coffee, which follows the two seasonal harvests of the year, and the meticilous tasting process which goes into selecting their beans. When we visited, they had a choice of five cakes, all vegan, which they buy locally in Bristol. We tried a miso toffee apple cake and it was gorgeous.

Espresso price: £3.50

Coffee quality: 5/5

Atmosphere: 3/5

Sweet treats: 4/5

Study spot: Yes

Dareshack

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Situated in central Bristol, Dareshack offers a range of speciality coffee, with their current house espresso being a Brazilian/Colombian/Ethiopian blend which comes from popular Bristol roasters Triple Co.

We chatted to Emerson, a lovely barista, who told us about their coffee, which is also available to buy as a bag in store. The atmosphere was busy yet chilled, definitely a great place to bring your laptop and study. For the matcha lovers, they offer a Japanese high grade, or a ceremonial grade alternative for a slightly higher price. We tried both the coffee and matcha, which were delicious, though admittedly slightly smaller than you would want for the price. They also offered a range of cakes and pastries, with plenty of vegan options.

Price of espresso: £3.00

Coffee quality: 3/5

Atmosphere: 4/5

Sweet treats: 4/5

Study spot: yes

Wogan

Tucked away behind Cabot circus, you would never expect to find Wogan here, but if you love coffee it is seriously one to try (and was my personal favourite). When it comes to roasting coffee, Wogan is the best of the best: Their in-house roastery has been family run for over 50 years, first founded by Brian Wogan back in 1970. The shop and roastery is now run by Brian’s grandson James, who was extremely welcoming and happy to tell me about all the different coffees.

They offer a house espresso which changes weekly, this week from China, with notes of blackcurrant and milk chocolate. I’m no coffee expert but I could definitely taste the blackcurrant. They also offer a range of cakes, all locally sourced, with plenty of vegan options from Bristol-favourite 404 Bakes. The most unique feature is what appears to be a coffee bean buffet, where you can browse their extensive range flavours and choose your own bag of freshly ground coffee to take home.

It is extremely affordable: the cheapest bag was 250g for £5.25. James was so welcoming and lovely, and even let me choose my very own bag to take home with me. They have an outdoor seating area which is lovely in the summer; perfect for enjoying their seasonal coffee soft-serve (yum). Though it is not a study spot, due to their strict no-laptop policy, this creates a wonderfully chatty atmosphere. Wogan is definitely a customer favourite: When I went on a Wednesday morning every table was completely full. I had a truly lovely experience here, and would definitely recommend a trip if you are ever nearby.

Price of espresso: £2.00

Coffee quality: 5/5

Atmosphere: 5/5

Sweet treats: 4/5

Study spot: No

Greytone

Just a 10 minunte walk from Wogan, Greytone is another hidden gem in the city centre, who have built up a reputation for their speciality coffee. I chatted to the lovely Charlotte, who founded the coffee shop with her partner Earnest over two years ago. Their current house espresso was Ethiopian with notes of blueberry, mango and rose, and there was also a choice of four guest espressos to choose between. Once sourced, the coffee is roasted locally Stokes Croft, and they are releasing their own signature bean at the end of the month.

Charlotte also told me about their matcha, which is Japanese ceremonial grade, with a gorgeous floral umami flavour. Charlotte bakes a majority of the cakes herself, which of course I had to try – she recommended the Matcha and strawberry smores cookie, which was light, fluffy and genuinely delicious. There was a very chilled-out and quiet vibe here, which is great for studying, although they have a no-laptop policy at the weekends. If you are ever in the city centre this is a super pleasant coffee or matcha spot, and definitely one to try.

Price of espresso: £3.40

Coffee quality: 4/5

Atmosphere: 4/5

Sweet treats: 5/5

Study spot: On weekdays