Stepping into The New Black was like stepping into the future. As you spot the sleek black windows off Philpot Lane in Bank with its clean design you know you have arrived. Welcome to the world of digital coffee.
I feel like my entire trip to London centred around coffee. I explored new coffee corners, revisited some old ones, and learnt a lot at the London Coffee Festival. The New Black is one of the exciting new coffee shops I managed to experience. It is very different from the traditional cosy and acoustic coffee corners. Orange and grey dominate the interior, which has smooth aluminium finishes and is furnished with iPads.
It looks very different compared to Truth Coffeeworks in Cape Town. In fact, it is the opposite. Truth Coffee embraces the simplicity of coffee, with a steampunk theme which is nostalgic for the past and freshly ground coffee. When you walk into Truth you know what you’re getting – authentic and humble coffee roasted to perfection. No sugar required.
Walking into The New Black was like walking into a futuristic laboratory. It explores the science behind coffee, whereas Truth explores the heart of it.
The edgy and sleek interior of The New Black coffee shop in Bank, London.
Coffee colour wheel – The New Black has coffee from all around the world with different tastes.
Nonetheless, I braved the new technology and moved towards the iPad. On the screen was a list of the available coffees coupled with a colour wheel detailing the flavours you could expect to find.
They were all out of Truth’s Deep, Dark and Twisted blend because it is so popular.
“We sell out of it constantly,” Jules, the Australian barista, had said. Apparently it was the most popular coffee to go.
“Deep, Dark and Twisted has a kick like a mule. People like the name and the fact that it is a speciality coffee from Africa,” replied Paul, the barista from Wellington. “People are like ‘Have you tried the DDT? It sounds like a poison, but it’s good!’ “
Jules and Paul operating the coffee machinery at The New Black.
It was well after my coffee time, so I opted for a light decaf latte from Verve Coffee Roasting in Santa Cruz. It tickled my taste buds and was gentle on my tongue: perfect for a late afternoon drink.
The interior of The New Black is sleek and ultra modern. At first glance, it lacks a certain warmth and homeliness associated with traditional coffee shops. It’s not a place for long hours writing books or slam poetry. It is a place to enjoy some of the best coffee from all over the world.
“We even have Tim Wendelboe from Oslo who won the World Barista Champion in 2004,” Paul smiled.
Mapping the origins of coffee at The New Black.
The New Black keeps mixing up the featured coffee to give its customers a taste of different coffees from around the world. Although it appears to be gimmicky at first – but this little coffee shop centred in London has a lot to offer.
It’s not every day you can taste coffee from some of the best roasters around the globe.
