Monmouth Coffee House Company

Long before Starbucks, Costa, et al were peddling their wares on every street corner in London, Anita Le Roy had her foot on the English coffee ladder. These days her presence in the retail market is still very low key ? two shops and a market stall. Nevertheless, Monmouth Coffee is regarded as the premiere importer of coffee beans in the UK. Bearing this is mind, Monmouth Coffee Company is more of a shop than a caf?. As you walk in the door, you?re faced with rows of bins full of aromatic beans, their lush scent spilling invitingly over the top. The counter is strewn with all sorts of good-looking pastries (the coffee truffles were an experience to be savoured). The caf? section is squeezed (just about) into the back of the shop. There are four or five snug (read cramped) alcoves in an L-shape around the kitchenette where they prepare the coffee. One of the tables looked incapable of comfortably accommodating even a pygmy. Despite the tight space the atmosphere is quite relaxed ? no one seemed to mind my companion and me squeezing on to their table. If you fancy a cigarette to accompany your coffee (careful ? there aren?t any toilets), outside there?s a little red bench to park yourself on and watch the shoppers pass by.