There are probably worse cities in the UK for coffee than Bristol, but it’s not London by any stretch of the imagination. Over the last few years a number of fantastic new coffee shops and suppliers have sprung up there, nicely complementing old stagers like Monmouth.

I have a subscription to Has Bean which means I get a new pack of their excellent filter coffee every month. The variety is fantastic, since they select a new roast every time. Obviously 250g of coffee doesn’t last that long if you drink a mug or two every day, so I supplement it with visits to Bristol’s own Two Day Coffee Roasters. Another good online option is Square Mile Coffee; they supply the enjoyable Store St. Espresso.

Currently I’m mostly drinking filter coffee, which I make with a Hario drip pot, but when I feel like something stronger I bust out my stovetop. One day I’d like to own a real espresso machine, and I’ve occasionally pondered building one as an engineering project.

When I’m in London I try to find time to go to at least one of Monmouth, Tapped & Packed and Fernandez & Wells. The Monmouth espresso blend is particularly good; when I worked in the area, I used to go to their Borough Market shop a couple of times a week and get a flat white. Tasting the variations in the blend over time was fascinating.