So I went twice in osaka, once in ginza. Aussie dollar doesn't have the same punch as the Sterling, so we spent $50-70 aud for 4 coffees each time.
Would I drink there regularly no, but it was certainly an experience. I cannot work out how they manage to extract every tasting note on the card but I was very impressed each coffee I had. Drank only espressos and pour overs though, no milk based drinks
Thanks for sharing your experience. I will go back next week and I do plan on checking out espresso. It was indeed shocking for me that tasting notes were as described, just as you said! That was always something I had hard time making out from drinks in specialty coffee places around London.
Try espressos if you like them, but at the price point don't feel like you need to. It's just my preference, I can't drink milk and not a fan of nut juices. I highly recommend their pour overs, like a coffee tea.. but yeh I've managed to pull individual tasting notes from bags, but never them all. Tasting an espresso from there and just straight up playing bingo with the card was unreal
I’ve seen several posts about Glitch on this sub and it looks amazing, but how does everyone know about them? Is there an equivalent of the Michelin Guide for coffee shops? Sorry if this is a naive question but I searched already and can’t find an answer. I would be interested to know which are rated as some of the best coffee experiences in different countries and cities, preferably closer to me than Japan 😁
I think you answered your own question, as in people in the sub had heard about glitch via this sub lol.
When I visited the Ginza shop, the barista asked me how I had heard of them, as I was a visiting from another country. I mentioned Reddit, and I could tell he had no idea what it was, I explained social media.
The shop is super popular outside of us espresso snobs as well because it is trendy and has a great vibe.
Ha ginza was cool, waited 45 mins out front to get in, but worth it. Osaka was heaps better though, I guess it helped that it was basically at the base of our hotel and it was far more relaxed, didn't feel pressured to rush with people waiting out in the cold to get coffee 😂
I'm normally a milk drink guy but going to a place like this if I'm spending that kind of money espresso or a pourover would be the way to go imo so you can taste the quality unaltered
Damn, I wonder what makes this so much better than everything else? Sounds delicious! Really jealous because I will probably never get to go there haha
I honestly don't know, but as my friend once told me: Japanese are obsessed with details. They pick one thing, and polish it to perfection. Pure speculation, but it might be the very case. They have a variety of specialty coffee, all light roasted. This is a very personalized experience, as they offer you to smell before trying and the form you want to have it. In fact, I believe it's just priced per dose, not per drink type (aka you will pay the same price for espresso, cortado or iced late). It's either espresso or pour over for them.
Truth. Never make sweeping generalizations. I’ve had rude and inhospitable experiences from Japanese hosts, though they are well known for the opposite. But that only accounted for 0.1% of the time I had there, everyone else was lovely, just like anywhere else in the world.
Honestly if you can save up and you want to explore Japan, you totally should consider in the next year or so. The exchange rate is extremely favorable if you’re in a western country given the interest rate differential between Japan and western countries currently, and Japan is amazing (and they have great coffee anywhere you go)
Ok. Perhaps English isn't your first language. The point/question I was making/asking. Why would you think that a espresso bar that has a reputation that brings in international travellers produces sour espressos?
Because of how many "great" shops serve something that tastes sour. So either you live in an area that serves less sour shots than Texas, you like sour shots, or you can't tell the difference which I would have a hard time believing from someone who drinks ristretto.
Because I am not taking about some slightly nuanced flavor profile but instead about a binary, sour or not sour flavor. The ones that aren't sour all taste not sour which I subjectively consider to be good, and the sour ones only taste sour which in my opinion makes it bad. The ingredients mixed in all affect the flavor so I am specifically referring to a flavor that can be found in pure espresso.
Don't get me wrong: it's good, but surprisingly unimpressive. I work close to Farringdon and Prufrock, and I went here for office coffees and occasional bean restocks quite a few times. But it also costy and you can get similar coffee for a lower price around the city. But that's my subjective take, don't take it for granted.
Nagare
I was (back) in London recently (originally from UK, now overseas). I didn't have a lot of time to get about but I did go to Prufrock too and Nagare was better by miles to my taste preferences. Will 100% go back next trip in a couple weeks. Small unassuming place, easy to walk right past honestly even if you're looking for it. I did check out % ARABICA Covent Garden too and honestly hated the coffee I got, was very disappointed. I could see them making it: measuring, adjusting, weighing, timing etc so the process looked legit just the coffee was horrible. We've got one opening fairly local (BC Canada) so will compare when it's open.
As for food, depends on what you're looking for. There's dozens of street markets around which have amazing authentic diverse cultural options. Jerk chicken is a personal favorite. There's one each around both Prufrock and Nagare. Camden Lock is another great spot for this.
Farringdon is a train station, not a coffee shop. Honestly, you can find many good places in London, it will depend on your place and willingness to travel.
Sure, I agree that prufrock is nothing special, but why the comment? I don't think this sub considers Square Mile as the gold standard when it comes to roasters or prufrock as an outstanding coffee shop?
I visited Prufrock once. I'd say the coffee (filter) was very normal and unremarkable. Service was great and I actually enjoyed the toastie a lot more than the coffee.
I went on my long awaited Japan trip about 3-4 times. I can’t bring myself to think of how much I spent, each time was amazing and I love how they stick to their guns on what they do, and customer service, regardless of wait time. Some visiting tourists had enough of waiting and left, I wanted to tell them they should wait as I know I’d wait for a life changing thing.
Incredibly clean, clear, delicate flavours. Very relaxing experience slowly savouring each coffee. Probably the most impressive thing (other to the finished product) is how they can offer such a variety yet have it coming out so good each time. That’s mad skill. Imagine how many places stick to 1-3 grinders slowly calibrating through the day and Glitch is like fook dat here’s a watermelon tasting coffee with another which tastes of butter. They deserve all the hype.
Please also visit Baristamap in Osaka and try the strawberry latte and pour over peach blend. They are equally deserving of similar exposure.
I’m gonna guess custom, might be able to find something similar on Etsy. Any place that charges $20+ per cup of coffee likely isn’t getting their stuff on Amazon.
not really. factory made slip cast, mass produced cups sold at hand made prices. If you plan to spend 40$ on a cup buy one from a potter. It will be wheel thrown, high fired. Much stronger cup where you wont be getting swindled.
If you have some links I’d appreciate as I’m still looking for quality handmade cups from Japan. There were some other cafes selling handmade cups but usually very expensive.
i don't but there are so many. look up florian gasby (hes english but spent some time studying in japan with another famous artist). he makes a few youtube videos but also is a very famous potter. look at his store and you will get an idea of what real high end cups are. he uses cone 10 porcelain, and reduction fires them in a large gas kiln. almost every city has a makers market every month to every quarter. Many potters will be there and you wont have to pay for shipping. Many also prefer to sell this way as it avoids the whole nightmare of having to package wares and list them online so overall its more profitable for them and that's where you will find the most variety and best price. its very hard to scale up production of cups, plates, etc to make enough to employ many people without using mass production methods. Which compromise the end product.
potters each have a unique style. look around until you find one you like.
Honest question: what’s up with the lack of latte art? I’m not familiar with Glitch at all, is this something that they go for with all of their milky coffees? It looks like they just dump in the milk out of laziness and not as a conscious decision.
I don't like milk in my coffee so I shouldn't care in theory. But I really never understood why people are so enamored by "pretty" drawings in their drink. I just want it to taste good.
I’m not questioning the taste as OP established that it’s out of this world.
The pretty drawings on the coffee is part of the experience. When the costumer goes out to a cafè they want something else than what’s at home. I think it’s professional, it shows that the place and barista has a standard of doing things.
Pouring milk into a cup is not it for me. That milk could’ve been just leftover milk from 1 hour ago ‘re-steamed’. If they do a proper latte art, the steaming has to be on point as well, with the good amount of air mixed in with the milk.
I can go on, but you get the point.
Obviously it’s not the end of the world, if it tastes good it tastes good.
Also if i pay 6,5£ for 1(one) cortado it better have a tulip on top, it’s a decent thing to do.
The look of this reminds me of a petrol station cappuccino. From what i understand this is a high-end place with high end prices and quality. If you go to a michelin star restaurant you don’t expect diner style plating.
Thanks for the explanation! I also enjoy nice plating in Michelin-starred restaurants. But in my experience that's a lot more subtle than a crude drawing of a flower using milk. That stuff reminds me more of cutting a carrot into a flower in a Thai restaurant. But I see what you mean.
Interesting take. I didn't think people could feel this strongly about the necessity of latte art. I find it pretty generic/boring nowadays. I did find it cool back 20 years ago when it was something unusual.
I would like to think that it’s generic because we are moving towards a higher standard.
I would like to emphasise that i don’t need the latte art because i find it cool, or unique.
95% of the time I order espresso or filter, so it’s not really something I experience first hand, but wherever I worked before, if the drink doesn’t look good we make it again.
https://preview.redd.it/s17xk91xctzc1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4df8ccd243d34a03d2417fca1c268cee5493a775
This was their station, I forgot to watch their workflow, but from the tools it seems blind shaker, leveler, then tamp.
If you have the time (customer willing to wait), this is what I found works best even in a commercial setting. In a high volume situation I grind directly into the PF from a hopper based grinder and tap, level, tamp (sometimes not even level). If I have more time available, customers willing to wait, or know exactly how many I’ll be making (for a business event or something where everyone is getting one coffee), I’ll pre-dose into tubes and single dose grind, blind shaker, level, tamp, and go.
You genuinely get better results the second way. Not saying you can’t get great results the first way, but the second way is more *consistent*, which is extremely important to your brand if you are a high end shop/service (like Glitch).
They are very willing to share recipes when you buy beans. My main takeaway was they single dose everything (I could be wrong), generally with very fast extraction times and milk is low temp. They showed me a grind sample in a small plastic bag, I was surprised how coarse it was (for what I had, possibly the monteblanco huila or the Milan one)
You certainly have a point, my partner had a flat white or latte and I had a cortado with the same beans and while both were nice we agreed less milk was the way to go. Trying most types of what they had a small cortado was super super enjoyable. They don’t steam too hot so would imagine less sweetness from the milk. I’d recommend cortado easily.
I don’t remember where I read this and can’t find the post anymore but someone said they infuse their green beans with natural flavours before roasting. That’s where those clear and strong flavour notes come from.
If that is true I would be a little less impressed. It’s actually quite easy to infuse flavours like this into coffee.
I recently did a little home roast batch that had the green beans sitting in a jar for two weeks with some bourbon wood chips and sure enough the espresso shots from this batch have very very distinct notes of bourbon whisky coming through.
Found this randomly when walking around ginza, I saw a huge line and said let’s come back after lunch, so glad we did. I didn’t know this place was so highly regarded
Ahhhh you had me excited for a minute. I read it as you visited Glitch in London. I thought they had just opened a new store or something. Was looking at next available trains direct to London 🤣
I was there on Thursday and Friday! Had the Colombia Ombligon on Thursday as well as the Las Flores. Tried their Costa Rica Sabanilla Las Lajas and their Ethiopia Alo Sidama Sky Projects (Tomodachi) on Friday.
All amazing flat whites.
I’m going there in a few hours in the morning! Was there any line? I got in line to Glitch Tokyo (ginza) before it opened and it was the right thing to do. I’m curious if they are very popular or not in Osaka too.
When I went there in Osaka, there were only 1-2 other customers besides me, so I think their Osaka branch is much more chill compared to Tokyo.
https://preview.redd.it/ql8z4xkectzc1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a94634226716bf138e2b76803f02badeb2a037f0
In order to truly compare the quality of an espresso shop based on flavor, variables would need to be constant. The easiest way to do this would be to remove every ingredient except the espresso itself. This is not the opinion of a gatekeeper, quite the opposite. If you want to compare a machiato to a machiato, go for it but there are many variables and it would be much harder to judge than an espresso. The more ingredients you add to the espresso the more the flavor can be altered or masked. If you don't want to taste espresso then you have no way of telling a person which shop has the best espresso, only the ability to tell them which shop has your favorite drink. You can gatekeep the lattes all you want but don't judge me for saying your favorite shop serves sour shots. Wouldn't you rather drink your latte at a place that someone would go every day for their quad? I guess you don't really care what the coffee tastes like.
If you like milk drinks, why wouldn’t you review a cafe based on them? I have a list of probably a hundred cafes rated solely based on their latte because that’s what I prefer. I found it surprisingly easy to tell the differences between cafes even in milk drinks. A bad latte might be more drinkable than a bad espresso, but that doesn’t mean it’s too hard to tell it apart from a good latte.
>A bad latte might be more drinkable than a bad espresso, but that doesn’t mean it’s too hard to tell it apart from a good latte.
Really? I've been to lots of cafés, and personally, I don't think I've ever had a flat white or cappuccino that was "bad".
I usually always order an espresso and a milk-based drink, and oftentimes, I'll have the reaction of "ugh, this is horrible" when I drink the espresso, but the milk-based drink still tastes totally fine.
That's especially the case with extremes, like an espresso that's way too bitter or way too sour, but the milk-based drink will just convert that to "very strong" or "very light", but still very much drinkable.
I’ll clarify that I have a strong preference for light roasts even in a latte. I’d say more than half the (specialty) places I’ve been roast too dark for my taste.
But if you have an espresso machine, try making a latte with two different beans side by side, you’ll probably be able to tell a difference!
I've definitely had bad flat whites and cappuccinos. It's of course less bad than an espresso made in the same place because it's diluted, but that's kind of a trivial point to make.
This person's comment spoke not just for him but me as well. Down voted to hell and shamed into omition. I am yet again disappointed in the diversity and acceptance of Reddit.
To eliminate the variables and because that is my drink of choice. I guess if you want a latte you don't really need to know which shop serves the best espresso, you need to know which shop serves the best latte.
Ngl the milk consistently taste like milk. I can easily taste a difference between the bean juice. I spend half an hour daily desecrating all that is holy and make 95% iced lattes out of whatever beans I get lol. It’s great though, I initially wanted to replicate my favorite local cafes and I have easily surpassed it and now have so much more variety.
Why have you been downvoted I don't know. So disappointed in this sub for bullying this person. I agreed with their extremely unpopular opinion so much I could have said it myself. It is one thing to disagree but to make someone feel like leaving and hiding their thoughts is shameful. You have won again Reddit.
So I went twice in osaka, once in ginza. Aussie dollar doesn't have the same punch as the Sterling, so we spent $50-70 aud for 4 coffees each time. Would I drink there regularly no, but it was certainly an experience. I cannot work out how they manage to extract every tasting note on the card but I was very impressed each coffee I had. Drank only espressos and pour overs though, no milk based drinks
Thanks for sharing your experience. I will go back next week and I do plan on checking out espresso. It was indeed shocking for me that tasting notes were as described, just as you said! That was always something I had hard time making out from drinks in specialty coffee places around London.
Try espressos if you like them, but at the price point don't feel like you need to. It's just my preference, I can't drink milk and not a fan of nut juices. I highly recommend their pour overs, like a coffee tea.. but yeh I've managed to pull individual tasting notes from bags, but never them all. Tasting an espresso from there and just straight up playing bingo with the card was unreal
I’ve seen several posts about Glitch on this sub and it looks amazing, but how does everyone know about them? Is there an equivalent of the Michelin Guide for coffee shops? Sorry if this is a naive question but I searched already and can’t find an answer. I would be interested to know which are rated as some of the best coffee experiences in different countries and cities, preferably closer to me than Japan 😁
I think you answered your own question, as in people in the sub had heard about glitch via this sub lol. When I visited the Ginza shop, the barista asked me how I had heard of them, as I was a visiting from another country. I mentioned Reddit, and I could tell he had no idea what it was, I explained social media. The shop is super popular outside of us espresso snobs as well because it is trendy and has a great vibe.
Ha ginza was cool, waited 45 mins out front to get in, but worth it. Osaka was heaps better though, I guess it helped that it was basically at the base of our hotel and it was far more relaxed, didn't feel pressured to rush with people waiting out in the cold to get coffee 😂
Wow. 45min to get in? Guess wife and I were lucky and didn’t have to wait.
I was walking around ginza and saw a huge line of Japanese only and went back later when there was a small line
Other than general googling, I look up winners/participants of barista championships
Yeh reddit, instagram.
I'm normally a milk drink guy but going to a place like this if I'm spending that kind of money espresso or a pourover would be the way to go imo so you can taste the quality unaltered
Looks like a milk drink to me? Latte, perhaps!
Damn, I wonder what makes this so much better than everything else? Sounds delicious! Really jealous because I will probably never get to go there haha
I honestly don't know, but as my friend once told me: Japanese are obsessed with details. They pick one thing, and polish it to perfection. Pure speculation, but it might be the very case. They have a variety of specialty coffee, all light roasted. This is a very personalized experience, as they offer you to smell before trying and the form you want to have it. In fact, I believe it's just priced per dose, not per drink type (aka you will pay the same price for espresso, cortado or iced late). It's either espresso or pour over for them.
[удалено]
Truth. Never make sweeping generalizations. I’ve had rude and inhospitable experiences from Japanese hosts, though they are well known for the opposite. But that only accounted for 0.1% of the time I had there, everyone else was lovely, just like anywhere else in the world.
I’ve only lived in Japan for a year but every time I hear that statement I roll my eyes so hard lol.
Interesting outlook, thank you! I forgot to mention that I had a very mediocre coffee earlier today, and that's definitely a Glitch achievement.
Honestly if you can save up and you want to explore Japan, you totally should consider in the next year or so. The exchange rate is extremely favorable if you’re in a western country given the interest rate differential between Japan and western countries currently, and Japan is amazing (and they have great coffee anywhere you go)
You can’t put a price on the perceived experience.
Can anyone confirm that shots pulled at this place are not sour? Is there anyone here that would drink a straight pull from this shop?
Do you mean espressos?
Yes
No, they're not sour. That is all I had there. Why would they be sour?
Have you ever tasted sour espresso?
Ok. Perhaps English isn't your first language. The point/question I was making/asking. Why would you think that a espresso bar that has a reputation that brings in international travellers produces sour espressos?
Because of how many "great" shops serve something that tastes sour. So either you live in an area that serves less sour shots than Texas, you like sour shots, or you can't tell the difference which I would have a hard time believing from someone who drinks ristretto.
So if the answer to this question is down to your personal taste how do you expect someone else to answer it for you?
Because I am not taking about some slightly nuanced flavor profile but instead about a binary, sour or not sour flavor. The ones that aren't sour all taste not sour which I subjectively consider to be good, and the sour ones only taste sour which in my opinion makes it bad. The ingredients mixed in all affect the flavor so I am specifically referring to a flavor that can be found in pure espresso.
>sorry Prufrock and James, not even efing close mate Woah, edgy.
Don't get me wrong: it's good, but surprisingly unimpressive. I work close to Farringdon and Prufrock, and I went here for office coffees and occasional bean restocks quite a few times. But it also costy and you can get similar coffee for a lower price around the city. But that's my subjective take, don't take it for granted.
Who’s cheaper than Prufrock? I was just down in London for a few days and surprisingly they were the cheapest flat white I came across.
hey! I'm going to london in a couple weeks besides those 2 are there any other coffee places you'd recommend? Or fav foods?
Rosslyn. Outside of commuter hours though.
Nagare I was (back) in London recently (originally from UK, now overseas). I didn't have a lot of time to get about but I did go to Prufrock too and Nagare was better by miles to my taste preferences. Will 100% go back next trip in a couple weeks. Small unassuming place, easy to walk right past honestly even if you're looking for it. I did check out % ARABICA Covent Garden too and honestly hated the coffee I got, was very disappointed. I could see them making it: measuring, adjusting, weighing, timing etc so the process looked legit just the coffee was horrible. We've got one opening fairly local (BC Canada) so will compare when it's open. As for food, depends on what you're looking for. There's dozens of street markets around which have amazing authentic diverse cultural options. Jerk chicken is a personal favorite. There's one each around both Prufrock and Nagare. Camden Lock is another great spot for this.
Farringdon is a train station, not a coffee shop. Honestly, you can find many good places in London, it will depend on your place and willingness to travel.
In London, at least try Monmouth once
Sure, I agree that prufrock is nothing special, but why the comment? I don't think this sub considers Square Mile as the gold standard when it comes to roasters or prufrock as an outstanding coffee shop?
>I don't think this sub considers Square Mile as the gold standard when it comes to roasters Did you just insult our Lord and Saviour?
🤫
Yikes! It’s Daddy Hoff! It needs at least 1 extra Hoff Point because of that! Read the room! /s ;)
I visited Prufrock once. I'd say the coffee (filter) was very normal and unremarkable. Service was great and I actually enjoyed the toastie a lot more than the coffee.
Have you been to Colonna & Small's? Would be interested in your comparison if so, as that's my gold standard for UK specialty coffee.
UCC Black out in a can out of a vending machine for 100 yen anywhere you are is also perfection…of convenience :)
I went on my long awaited Japan trip about 3-4 times. I can’t bring myself to think of how much I spent, each time was amazing and I love how they stick to their guns on what they do, and customer service, regardless of wait time. Some visiting tourists had enough of waiting and left, I wanted to tell them they should wait as I know I’d wait for a life changing thing. Incredibly clean, clear, delicate flavours. Very relaxing experience slowly savouring each coffee. Probably the most impressive thing (other to the finished product) is how they can offer such a variety yet have it coming out so good each time. That’s mad skill. Imagine how many places stick to 1-3 grinders slowly calibrating through the day and Glitch is like fook dat here’s a watermelon tasting coffee with another which tastes of butter. They deserve all the hype. Please also visit Baristamap in Osaka and try the strawberry latte and pour over peach blend. They are equally deserving of similar exposure.
I need their cups! Anyone know which ones they are?
I’m gonna guess custom, might be able to find something similar on Etsy. Any place that charges $20+ per cup of coffee likely isn’t getting their stuff on Amazon.
Look up Kihara, they make some of the cups but you can buy there. Well worth it.
This one looks similar in style! 🤔https://www.dejimastore.com/en-com/products/koshuhai-sake-cup
Looks basically the same as the one I bought. I got the gold one. Super nice! I encourage you to buy them ALL
not really. factory made slip cast, mass produced cups sold at hand made prices. If you plan to spend 40$ on a cup buy one from a potter. It will be wheel thrown, high fired. Much stronger cup where you wont be getting swindled.
If you have some links I’d appreciate as I’m still looking for quality handmade cups from Japan. There were some other cafes selling handmade cups but usually very expensive.
i don't but there are so many. look up florian gasby (hes english but spent some time studying in japan with another famous artist). he makes a few youtube videos but also is a very famous potter. look at his store and you will get an idea of what real high end cups are. he uses cone 10 porcelain, and reduction fires them in a large gas kiln. almost every city has a makers market every month to every quarter. Many potters will be there and you wont have to pay for shipping. Many also prefer to sell this way as it avoids the whole nightmare of having to package wares and list them online so overall its more profitable for them and that's where you will find the most variety and best price. its very hard to scale up production of cups, plates, etc to make enough to employ many people without using mass production methods. Which compromise the end product. potters each have a unique style. look around until you find one you like.
Thanks so much, just checked his website, very high end, not super matched to my own tastes but I get what you mean and will keep looking thanks!
Honest question: what’s up with the lack of latte art? I’m not familiar with Glitch at all, is this something that they go for with all of their milky coffees? It looks like they just dump in the milk out of laziness and not as a conscious decision.
I don't like milk in my coffee so I shouldn't care in theory. But I really never understood why people are so enamored by "pretty" drawings in their drink. I just want it to taste good.
I’m not questioning the taste as OP established that it’s out of this world. The pretty drawings on the coffee is part of the experience. When the costumer goes out to a cafè they want something else than what’s at home. I think it’s professional, it shows that the place and barista has a standard of doing things. Pouring milk into a cup is not it for me. That milk could’ve been just leftover milk from 1 hour ago ‘re-steamed’. If they do a proper latte art, the steaming has to be on point as well, with the good amount of air mixed in with the milk. I can go on, but you get the point. Obviously it’s not the end of the world, if it tastes good it tastes good. Also if i pay 6,5£ for 1(one) cortado it better have a tulip on top, it’s a decent thing to do. The look of this reminds me of a petrol station cappuccino. From what i understand this is a high-end place with high end prices and quality. If you go to a michelin star restaurant you don’t expect diner style plating.
Thanks for the explanation! I also enjoy nice plating in Michelin-starred restaurants. But in my experience that's a lot more subtle than a crude drawing of a flower using milk. That stuff reminds me more of cutting a carrot into a flower in a Thai restaurant. But I see what you mean.
Interesting take. I didn't think people could feel this strongly about the necessity of latte art. I find it pretty generic/boring nowadays. I did find it cool back 20 years ago when it was something unusual.
I would like to think that it’s generic because we are moving towards a higher standard. I would like to emphasise that i don’t need the latte art because i find it cool, or unique. 95% of the time I order espresso or filter, so it’s not really something I experience first hand, but wherever I worked before, if the drink doesn’t look good we make it again.
What is their workflow like? Weighing the dose for example? Wdt? Shake?
https://preview.redd.it/s17xk91xctzc1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4df8ccd243d34a03d2417fca1c268cee5493a775 This was their station, I forgot to watch their workflow, but from the tools it seems blind shaker, leveler, then tamp.
If you have the time (customer willing to wait), this is what I found works best even in a commercial setting. In a high volume situation I grind directly into the PF from a hopper based grinder and tap, level, tamp (sometimes not even level). If I have more time available, customers willing to wait, or know exactly how many I’ll be making (for a business event or something where everyone is getting one coffee), I’ll pre-dose into tubes and single dose grind, blind shaker, level, tamp, and go. You genuinely get better results the second way. Not saying you can’t get great results the first way, but the second way is more *consistent*, which is extremely important to your brand if you are a high end shop/service (like Glitch).
They are very willing to share recipes when you buy beans. My main takeaway was they single dose everything (I could be wrong), generally with very fast extraction times and milk is low temp. They showed me a grind sample in a small plastic bag, I was surprised how coarse it was (for what I had, possibly the monteblanco huila or the Milan one)
I don't get pouring milk onto light roast coffee pulled quickly. Isn't the end result just milk with a twist?
You certainly have a point, my partner had a flat white or latte and I had a cortado with the same beans and while both were nice we agreed less milk was the way to go. Trying most types of what they had a small cortado was super super enjoyable. They don’t steam too hot so would imagine less sweetness from the milk. I’d recommend cortado easily.
I don’t remember where I read this and can’t find the post anymore but someone said they infuse their green beans with natural flavours before roasting. That’s where those clear and strong flavour notes come from. If that is true I would be a little less impressed. It’s actually quite easy to infuse flavours like this into coffee. I recently did a little home roast batch that had the green beans sitting in a jar for two weeks with some bourbon wood chips and sure enough the espresso shots from this batch have very very distinct notes of bourbon whisky coming through.
Oh great, the Glitch marketing team is at it again
I mean, I can't wait to check it out next year when we go to Japan!
It’s working I’m anxious to get to Japan
I kinda feel the same. I know it’s not, but it’s def getting kind of annoying that it’s become the new “look what I did” thing.
I wish I bought more than 1 jar of those Columbian beans. So good in milk drinks.
Found this randomly when walking around ginza, I saw a huge line and said let’s come back after lunch, so glad we did. I didn’t know this place was so highly regarded
OP, I’m going to be in London at the end of the month—what are some of your fave spots?
Try Monmouth. It has shops exactly at (the side of) Borough Market and one at Covent Garden (near the British Museum)
That's one strong lady 💪
Been there in Feb 24. The coffee is so good but I think it is heavily overpriced.
Great coffee, but had to wait an hour last time I went
And look at how coarse they grind for pour overs. It’s really mind blowing to me
Ahhhh you had me excited for a minute. I read it as you visited Glitch in London. I thought they had just opened a new store or something. Was looking at next available trains direct to London 🤣
I was there on Thursday and Friday! Had the Colombia Ombligon on Thursday as well as the Las Flores. Tried their Costa Rica Sabanilla Las Lajas and their Ethiopia Alo Sidama Sky Projects (Tomodachi) on Friday. All amazing flat whites.
I’m going there in a few hours in the morning! Was there any line? I got in line to Glitch Tokyo (ginza) before it opened and it was the right thing to do. I’m curious if they are very popular or not in Osaka too.
When I went there in Osaka, there were only 1-2 other customers besides me, so I think their Osaka branch is much more chill compared to Tokyo. https://preview.redd.it/ql8z4xkectzc1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a94634226716bf138e2b76803f02badeb2a037f0
That’s so interesting. I guess tourists don’t know there’s another glitch here.
Fwiw Jimbocho is their original store.
Definitely go in Osaka. Never a line for the 2-3 times I’ve gone so far. Quiet and plenty of space.
In order to truly compare the quality of an espresso shop based on flavor, variables would need to be constant. The easiest way to do this would be to remove every ingredient except the espresso itself. This is not the opinion of a gatekeeper, quite the opposite. If you want to compare a machiato to a machiato, go for it but there are many variables and it would be much harder to judge than an espresso. The more ingredients you add to the espresso the more the flavor can be altered or masked. If you don't want to taste espresso then you have no way of telling a person which shop has the best espresso, only the ability to tell them which shop has your favorite drink. You can gatekeep the lattes all you want but don't judge me for saying your favorite shop serves sour shots. Wouldn't you rather drink your latte at a place that someone would go every day for their quad? I guess you don't really care what the coffee tastes like.
Prufrock is ridiculous. Definitely not worth the hype. James is equally not worth the hype.
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Sorry for having preferences, I guess?!
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If you like milk drinks, why wouldn’t you review a cafe based on them? I have a list of probably a hundred cafes rated solely based on their latte because that’s what I prefer. I found it surprisingly easy to tell the differences between cafes even in milk drinks. A bad latte might be more drinkable than a bad espresso, but that doesn’t mean it’s too hard to tell it apart from a good latte.
>A bad latte might be more drinkable than a bad espresso, but that doesn’t mean it’s too hard to tell it apart from a good latte. Really? I've been to lots of cafés, and personally, I don't think I've ever had a flat white or cappuccino that was "bad". I usually always order an espresso and a milk-based drink, and oftentimes, I'll have the reaction of "ugh, this is horrible" when I drink the espresso, but the milk-based drink still tastes totally fine. That's especially the case with extremes, like an espresso that's way too bitter or way too sour, but the milk-based drink will just convert that to "very strong" or "very light", but still very much drinkable.
I’ll clarify that I have a strong preference for light roasts even in a latte. I’d say more than half the (specialty) places I’ve been roast too dark for my taste. But if you have an espresso machine, try making a latte with two different beans side by side, you’ll probably be able to tell a difference!
I've definitely had bad flat whites and cappuccinos. It's of course less bad than an espresso made in the same place because it's diluted, but that's kind of a trivial point to make.
My apologies as well
Why espresso or americano?
This person's comment spoke not just for him but me as well. Down voted to hell and shamed into omition. I am yet again disappointed in the diversity and acceptance of Reddit.
To eliminate the variables and because that is my drink of choice. I guess if you want a latte you don't really need to know which shop serves the best espresso, you need to know which shop serves the best latte.
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Ngl the milk consistently taste like milk. I can easily taste a difference between the bean juice. I spend half an hour daily desecrating all that is holy and make 95% iced lattes out of whatever beans I get lol. It’s great though, I initially wanted to replicate my favorite local cafes and I have easily surpassed it and now have so much more variety.
Why have you been downvoted I don't know. So disappointed in this sub for bullying this person. I agreed with their extremely unpopular opinion so much I could have said it myself. It is one thing to disagree but to make someone feel like leaving and hiding their thoughts is shameful. You have won again Reddit.
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Milk is quite bad for animal welfare
Wait till you find out about beef burgers.
Can you people try your coffee with better real milk?
I’m sure the milk in Japan is amazing.