200 degrees

The standard beans are chosen for mass appeal but on the 'likes coffee' side, not the Costa side. In that sense this place is like No. 8 in Bridgford, but the cafe at the top of Flying Horse Walk is large and comfortable (I often work there all day) and the one near the railway station is slightly more geared to commuters but it's still reasonable to spend time in. All the coffees are made to such a high standard that you never have a ruined morning due to a badly made drink. The company also sell their beans to various cafes around the area, so you can get a decent coffee in Pranzo, West Bridgford, for example, while eating or waiting for your pizza to cook.

Costa West Bridgford

Costa opened today in West Bridgford.

I had a small cappuccino and it was exactly like you expect at Costa.

The place, being new, is clean and pleasant. The staff, having been working for less than half an hour, were smiling and excited.

Nothing else to report. Go to Number 8, Copper, Tiffin, Belle and Jerome, etc. if you want to support local business.

Copper café / bar, West Bridgford

Copper is my favourite café in West Bridgford. It's comfortable, has table service and has some excellent food.

One major plus point is that the coffee is also excellent. A rich, dark roast with a balanced flavour and spot-on bitterness, it works perfectly in both americano and cappuccino.

The cappuccino is exactly how I like it: swirled microfoam. No chocolate is dumped on top but I've never questioned this as it's perfect without. In fact I only realised its absence while writing this and I've been drinking coffee there for years.

Copper's only downsides are some inconsistency in food and coffee preparation (the staff upstairs seem to ruin cappuccino) and not being open 24 hours.

Costa Castle Marina

There is a Costa in the middle of the Castle Marina retail park. It's not the sort of place you really want to hang around unless you like sitting in a car park surrounded by temples dedicated to the gods of electrical goods and pet supplies.

Its saving is its flat white. It's pretty decent. Coffee itself pretty much selected to appeal to all, milk decently steamed. Not perfect by any means but the milk isn't burned, the takeaway cups don't impart their own flavour and there is some texture to the milk.

Drive through and get to somewhere less depressing as soon as you can.

Oh and the staff are very efficient.

Pret

Flat white: Yes it's flat.
If you like a strong latte, you'll like this. Fancy foam on top. Taste is unremarkable. Temperature good.
I'm disappointed. The Pret cappuccino is close enough to my ideal morning coffee that I had expected the flat white to be perfection.
I like their cappuccino because eight times out of ten the bulk of the milk is well aerated and the coffee itself is well matched, being almost the right strength of flavour and caffeine, if being slightly less acidic than I prefer.
So I hoped the flat white would dispense with the pointless foam on top and make the drink a bit shorter. Shame.
The place itself is fine. Mostly shoppers and mostly well behaved.

The Walk

Serves Illy.

Large cappuccino (£2. 30) is mouth burning hot but milk isn't burned though is flat.

Fine if you wanted a latte.

Table service. Clientèle mainly groups of women. Decor proudly chintzy.