Walking around London, I couldn't help but notice the large number of high street coffee chains that popped up all over the city. I was sure Londoners would resist the American and Italian coffee influence and stick to a good strong cuppa tea. The most widespread being, Starbucks, Costa Coffe and Caffe Nero - the last two sounding molto Italiano but lo and behold, are oh so British-owned. Over the last decade, with the commercialization of the coffee industry, independent cafe's are doing their best to prove that they too have become true coffee artisans.
This got me thinking, what is it about those generic coffee chains that gets us to through their doors? Why do we "uuu" and "aaa" when we see our first Starbucks? I guess life is so full of unexpected situations, that we enjoy making a risk free decision, at least during our coffee break. We've been told that each and every one of their shops are unique and original despite them all striving to create a continental European coffee house atmosphere. Each cup of their premium Italian coffee is made from special, award-winning blends of hand picked coffee beans from the same plantations all over South America.
I've been a victim of submitting to branded coffee consumption. In my defense, this happens only when I am in a hurry or in a new city. I like nothing more than to tour around all the small hidden coffee shops. I have nothing against the big players, I'm just saying, give the little guys the attention they deserve. Coffee places tend to become an extension of our living room. A place to meet with friends or spend time alone. So in the sea of cafes, aren't we all supposed to find one that reflects our personality? I'll be writing posts on my favorite places, but there is no better feeling than when you discover something on your own. Go ahead! Explore your surroundings and let me know what you find.
In Serbia, a very interesting thing happened. A while back a couple of coffee chains opened up - and then very quickly closed. In fact, only a few Costa's still remain in Belgrade. Why you ask? You see, Serbians are smart people. If they are going to pay for something, they expect to get a bang for their buck. It's not a problem that the coffee is more expensive - we go all out on food and drinks - but it's the question of being fully served. Serbians could not digest the concept of standing in line in front of a counter having to wait for their order. Wouldn't you rather have a cute waiter/waitress come to your table? Easy enough. If they had done their research, they would have known that coffee has a strong tradition in the Balkans, one that cannot be stirred up by a well designed logo on a paper cup.
*All photos are courtesy of Sandra Eichinger, my dear friend and talented analogue photographer.
*All photos are courtesy of Sandra Eichinger, my dear friend and talented analogue photographer.