Caffe della Stelle, Greystones main street

How can Greystones possibly fit in another eating establishment? It does consider itself haven of all things food-tastic, but really. It’s getting slightly out of control. Nevertheless, this joint opened its doors a few months ago and has been doing a surprisingly brisk trade despite its location across the road from arch-café-endeavour, The Happy Pear.

It’s run by Italians and is, I believe, the only place serving acceptable lattes in the Grey Town. Delicious velvety foam consistency, perfect temperature, and proper coffee strength. Almost a rival to Lolly and Cooks I might venture. Defintely better than all the other swill on offer in Greystones.


Love Lattes score-card:

Temperature – Perfect

Coffee flavour – Delicious

Foam consistency – Luxury Cat

Food accompaniments on offer – Haven’t actually sampled them…rather too fond of the Happy Pear brownies.


Alex

Lattes on different laaatitudes: Germany (again)

McCafe, Everywhere

Driving about lately in Germany, it became necessary to stop in a motorway-side everything vendor somewhere off the A27 for a caffeine fix. And it being Germany, I was forced yet again to go into a McDonalds.

Surprisingly/horrifyingly/predictably enough, the McCafe latte was pretty good. McDonalds cafes are a strange breed, apparently trying to emulate Starbucks in every respect, right down to the colour scheme and the typefaces used on the menus. A bizarre move, you might think, considering they should glean enough trade through their own eponymous lineage without having to try and trick people into thinking they’re going into a Starbucks. Ridiculous marketing behaviour aside, the latte was eminently drinkable. A layered delight with a relatively good consistency of foam (though a lot of it), and crucially, not scalding. A good place to get a latte when autobahning around. Of course, we don’t really have motorway service stations in Ireland….oh well.

Love Lattes score-card:

Temperature – Good

Coffee flavour – Normal

Foam consistency – Good enough

Food accompaniments on offer – Curious replicas of the sort of stuff you might get in Starbucks. There was a fingerprint on the icing of the chocolate cake my friend got though. That was weird.

Alex

Milk and Honey, Aungier Street

This relatively new (apparently) cafe on Aungier Street is not overwhelming, but it's nice. The highlight of the visit was probably the wise-cracking Asian barista guy, who displayed endearing levels of bonhomie. The caffeine offering isn't bad; in fact, my latte was quite creamy and delicious, although the coffee was a little insipid. My mater had an americano, which she insisted wasn't hot enough, so I asked endearing Asian guy for another, less temperate version. He very obligingly scalded the hell out of the cup, before carefully bearing the beverage aloft to our table with a saucer clamped firmly on top to prevent any wayward thermal energy from escaping. However, I wouldn't really hold the purported coolness of my mother's coffee against the establishment -she does like a coffee that's 'good and hot'. I suspect this is because, when drinking coffee, she's really looking for the sort of gratification she ordinarily gets from a cup of tea. It's the Irishness in her - she really wants a good, soothing, boiling hot cup of tea, which is what she'd have at home. But she orders a coffee, because that's what coffee shops are for. We had breakfast also, which was a pretty standard scrambled eggs and bacon on bagel affair. I don't think I'd go back for the food. But if I'm ever marooned on Aungier street and in desperate need of a latte fix.....then I'd probably consider this joint. Extra points for the lovely staff.

Love Lattes score-card:

Temperature – Just right, despite Phil's protests

Coffee flavour – Lacking

Foam consistency – Silken, like tofu

Food accompaniments on offer – Underwhelming (although the sandwiches described on the menu did sound quite tasty)

Rachel

Lattes on different laaatitudes: Germany special

Mühlbach's Backstube, a shopping centre, somewhere in Delmenhorst.

Delmenhorst is a strange place. It is populated almost entirely by freaks. Admittedly I haven't been there that many times, or for very long, but everyone I have seen has been decidedly weird. However, secreted away in one of supermarket complexes is a unprepossessing bakery who do an eminently drinkable latte. I don't know how they do it, because their coffee machine appears to be one that you just press one button on, and everything comes out all mixed up and scalding. But this was layered like a proper latte and had a fine covering of velvety foam.

Should you ever find yourself here and in need of a latte, make for this place. Of course, I don't know exactly where it is, but I'm sure any of the reliable purple haired middle-aged bikers will be able to direct you there.

Love Lattes score-card:

Temperature – Perfect

Coffee flavour – Good

Foam consistency – Good enough

Food accompaniments on offer – Lovely fresh brötchen with cheese and numerous delicious pastries and baked deliciousness.

Alex

Lunch! Calzone Cafe, South William Street, Dublin

This is a lovely place for lunch or dinner, it’s not too expensive, it’s very informal, and the food is delicious. But do not go there for a latte. I believe they use a blowtorch to heat the milk. And quite possibly set fire to the coffee beans. Not what I love at all, no.

Love Lattes score-card:

Temperature – Broiled

Coffee flavour – Burnt and bitter

Foam consistency – None really to speak of

Food accompaniments on offer – Excellent! I highly recommend it for food. But just stay away from the lattes. They also claim to do a flat white. I would avoid that too.


Alex

Caffe Noto, corner of Thomas St. and Francis St.

I recently happened upon Caffe Noto when perusing the hitherto uncharted territory (for me) of Francis Street. Overjoyed was I upon spying flat whites as well as lattes on the board. Flat whites are a deliciousness not often found in Dublin, and Caffe Noto do a particularly good one.

Smooth and velvety, perfectly sized and because it is smaller than a latte, it's stronger flavour-wise. Better still, their range of sweet deliciousness was excellent. I would highly recommend the lemon cake/slice thing.


Love Lattes score-card:

Temperature – Bang on

Coffee flavour – Good and strong

Foam consistency – The velvetiest

Food accompaniments on offer – Ohhhh yes

Also - free wi-fi and in a lovely building. Good yes.

Alex

Irish Film Institute Cafe, Temple Bar

Whilst awaiting the start of 'The End of the Line' (documentary film predicting the imminent collapse of the world's fish stocks) last night, I ordered a latte from the IFI cafe. I hate the syllable I am about to use, but.....MEH. Resoundingly, MEH. It wasn't that the milk had been boiled out of existence, or that the coffee was particularly acrid - I'd have savoured a bit of acridity over what I was served - it was just utterly, utterly bland. I felt like I was drinking foamed air. I'd barely call it an experience. Ahem. But on the plus side, the film was pretty dispiriting.

Love Lattes score-card:

Temperature – Meh

Coffee flavour – Meh

Foam consistency – Meh

Food accompaniments on offer – Didn't have any, but the cakes on display didn't look too wonderful

Rachel