COFFEE BEANS & BEINGS / LONDON’S NUDE ESPRESSO

Nude Espresso's original location in London's. Note the bottled water, a nice touch. 
Photography by Vid of Bruised Passports Blog, London.

Savi (left) and Vid of Bruised Passports

Editor’s Note:  Savi and Vid are proprietors of an excellent travel blog called Bruised Passports.  Recently, they published an article “Fabulous Finds: Nude Espresso, London, which caught our eye.  They generously granted permission to repost  below: Bruised Passports can be found at http://www.bruisedpassports.com/

Update: Nude Espresso has opened another location
across the street from original.

GUEST BLOG--By Vid, Co-Publisher , Bruised Passports, a travel blog based in London, England, UK--First things first- I am a self-confessed coffee geek. I roast and grind my own coffee at home, I’m constantly experimenting with blends, and furtively jotting my findings in a little diary (ok it’s an excel sheet, but you get what I mean).

So it’s a gargantuan task for me to find a Roastery or Café that I like. I’m always dragging (read blackmailing or bribing) Savi to go in search of elusive third-wave cafés which make that perfect cup of coffee.

This was how I first discovered Nude Espresso. I remember walking into their roastery, just off London’s Brick Lane, and marvelling at their roasting equipment, variety of beans, and the aroma that filled the air. Years later, Nude is still my go-to place for that perfect espresso/flat white  in London.

Nude Espresso's Richard Reed

Recently I got talking to Richard Reed, the co-founder of Nude Espresso, during a cupping session (the equivalent of wine tasting in the world of coffee) at their Roastery. He told me he established Nude Espresso in 2008 to popularise the third wave coffee movement in London. He hails from New Zealand, where he worked for 18 years in the hospitality industry, before taking the plunge and setting up his own coffee roasting company in London. It is easy to see why there is a twinkle in Richard’s eye when he talks about coffee – he is passionate about good coffee and that reflects in the final product.

If you are in the market for roasted coffee beans, I suggest trying Nude’s East Blend, perfect for making an espresso. If espresso is not your cup of tea (Haah!), there are roasted beans to suit all brewing methods. If you are curious about the art of coffee, I suggest you head to Nude’s Roastery to have a chat with the guys. Richard and all the others are welcoming and never shy away from explaining the nuances of coffee roasting and brewing. Richard Williams, the head roaster, has quite evidently championed the complex art of roasting coffee.

Nude Espresso also have two beautiful cafés in Brick Lane and Soho Square. They are usually crowded, but the baristas are never too busy for a quick chat. I am an espresso drinker but Savi loves their flat white  and macchiato. All their coffee-based drinks have a depth of flavour that will leave you addicted. They’re universally rich, smooth, and velvety – nom!

Give Nude Espresso a try at 3 locations – we challenge you to find better. Two outlets at 26 Hanbury Street and one at Soho Square

Fact File:

Nude Espresso’s Roastery is open to the public. They host coffee cupping sessions on the first Friday and last Wednesday of each month. These sessions give customers a good opportunity to taste different kinds of coffees and analyse flavours, notes, and aromas of different brews.

You can buy their roasted coffee beans from the Roastery and the Cafés. They even throw in a free coffee of your choice when you buy a bag of roasted beans – now that is an offer that is difficult to refuse :-)

Website: http://www.nudeespresso.com/

Original location of Nude Espresso on Hanbury Street, London

New Nude Espresso location "bang" opposite of its other one on Hanbury St.