Colonna & Smalls, Bath

Atlast I am back in the south-west, my home! A trip to Bath was in order. I specifically sought out Colonna & Smalls - another place that has been high on my to-visit list! 

This place deserves the reputation it has earned. The co-owner and coffee-world legend even has an awesome name: Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood. Fab. Colonna & Smalls (read: Maxwell) wouldn't dare employ just any average barista. The staff here are at the top of their game. Complete with smart Colonna & Smalls shirts, the whole set up is very professional. They do indeed take their coffee very seriously.

Both my mother and I had espressos, but there is a brew bar where you can try different filtration methods in order to find your perfect cup. I had a Kenyan (Kanthi) blend that had tasting notes of lime, brazil nut and black tea (when drank with milk, I had a flat white). My mother opted for a softer espresso from Ethiopia with floral tasting notes as well as a hint of vanilla and malt. The flat white's were prepared to perfection. Temperature, latte art and espresso, all spot on.

The staff were friendly and more than happy to share their knowledge and passion for coffee. As I sat at the brew bar, I spent a good chunk of time watching their careful work and chatting to the baristas. As they extracted a perfect shot, I tried to extract as much of their valuable knowledge about the coffee world as possible!

In addition to coffee, there's a selection of cakes and pastries. They all looked appealing, especially the carrot cake. If you don't want a wedge of cakey indulgence, there were small shortbreads with interesting flavours- for example rosemary and Stilton. These were two for £1. I think in general the cake looked to be fairly priced, cheaper than many cafes I visit in Manchester.

UK Barista Competition awards!

The interior of the cafe is light with interesting décor. The writing and drawings that decorate the walls looks really cool and appropriately coffee related. They also sell a reasonable array of beans for you keen home baristas. I spotted some 'Hasbean' products.

In terms of coffee, this really is as good as it gets.