The London Coffee Festival
Brick Lane, London
And it is back on again! The London Coffee Festival kicks back in the same place in the heart of East London. It is always a pleasure walking down Brick Lane because of the many aspects that remind me of home. What better place to have coffee?
Into The Festival
First Stop: Alpro
This trip around, I brought along my sister as we share a love for coffee and what better place to share that love than this festival? As we had come by car, it was quite impossible to find any parking near the area so we had a bit of a long walk to the destination so next time I would most recommend going by train. Although, the number of freebies you end up receiving, your arms would ache just carrying it all home! So, a tip for myself and others is to come to the destination earlier to find parking. As we walked through Brick Lane, it was honestly nice to see all the restaurants up and running and even new cafes!
Then we were greeted by the strong smell of coffee and a line of people waiting patiently to go inside and drink some coffee.
My first stop was going to be Alpro! We were greeted by Alpro experts and were told to take a little test to see what type of plant-based milk we were. To my surprise, I was of course soya and my sister was coconut which represented us so accurately! I honestly loved the colourful display around the stand and what made this visit more appealing is the free goodie bags we received at the end including Alpro whisk, mints, coffee beans and so much more. As I had not drank anything in the morning, I needed to refuel and got myself a cup of cappuccino with soya (of course) and wandered through the venue.
Second Stop: Löfbergs
Ethically sourced and Fairtrade Ethiopian coffee was divine. It was so smooth and silky and it honestly did not need any sugar. We both ordered a flat white (free of course) and enjoyed each sip while we sat in their comfy chairs and thought about where to go next on our coffee adventure.
Third Stop: Bio & Me
Bio&Me is inspired by your biome, which is central to the community of trillions of microbes, including good bacteria, that live within you. It's unique and filled with nutrients that are perfect for the upcoming Ramadan to have for suhoor/sehri. It is a gut loving granola that is high in fibre and of course good for your digestion.
I tried the cocoa and hazelnut granola and I was not disappointed! I ended up taking some home with me to have for suhoor.
Fourth Stop: Just Add Milk
There is the meaning behind the name and why 'milk'
is spelt the way it is. Rebel Kitchen explains how their
mylk tastes like milk but rather alternatives to give
that flavouring. I tested the mylk myself by ordering a
contrado and honestly, there is not much difference. The
taste is great and the coffee was lovely.
Fifth Stop: Canna Coffee
This was my favourite stall at the Coffee Festival. As soon as we entered, the staff were so friendly and inviting! They took their time to explain the benefits of CBD based coffee and how the caffeine works. It is a functional coffee that is committed to making an impact to better the environment. I was impressed. The whole environment and look of the place really drew me in! it is simple yet bold and straight to the point. As this was my last stop, I decided to take a coffee home with me and what better coffee to take home than this one? I ordered a cappuccino and my sister ordered an espresso. As I took one sip, I was amazed by the taste. It is nutty and smooth and easy to drink. There was also no bitter taste left in your mouth which is quite common after drinking coffee. After spending 40 minutes chatting away, it was time to go home.
Coffee to Go?
I had an amazing time and experience at the London Coffee Festival and really enjoyed myself and getting to know everyone there. It is truly a once in a lifetime experience so I highly recommend coffee and tea lovers to head over to Brick Lane this September for the next Coffee Festival and enjoy it as much as I did.