"A Clerkenwell independent named after a barista's tool, which tells you the espresso is the point. The house blend is worth the stop."
35-37 Clerkenwell Rd, London EC1M 5RS, UK
The London branch of Colonna Coffee, where Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood's three UK Barista Championships translate into three rotating single-origin filters and a separate espresso track. The barista will help you choose; order the Pulsar-brewed filter.
Depending on the week, the filter board is La Cabra, Tim Wendelboe, or Coffee Collective. A guest espresso slot runs alongside the house programme, with baristas who know both well enough to make the case for either.
A Japanese-influenced Clerkenwell bar where a Bao-alumni pastry chef's matcha canelé is on the counter and the espresso comes in ceramics. The coffee earns its company.