written by derekbywater on 12/07/2012
First let me say that there is no excusing the price American style coffee shops charge. Why we are happy to pay £3 for a coffee which costs them buttons to produce is completely beyond me - but when you're going up and down the country, the choice is limited and the company is picking up the tab, Costa is the best of the lot.
Coffee
The coffee at Costa has a rich (not too smoky and not too bitter) flavour. Unlike many other chains who can make a reason Americano, but have latte's that taste like bitter milk the Costa coffee packs a punch that means most of the coffee based drinks taste pretty good - I'm sure I've read somewhere that surveys bear this out too.
Other drinks
Costa offer the usual water, juice etc, but they also offer (in summer) a range of ice drinks that are great (albeit tooth hurtingly sugary).
Food
Like all coffee chain the food it not great. They have a passable range of sandwiches and panini - although it is normally a case of "find the chicken" in a chicken panini. The crisps they stock are pricy, but yummy - the root vegetable ones are delicious.
Would I recommended them? Well, I've said "yes" but it really comes down to the choice available. If I had to pick between Costa and Starbucks I'd be going Costa (unless it was Christmas, when Starbuck do awesome Christmas drinks). But in an ideal world I'd find an independent coffee shop with real character - unfortunately there are fewer and fewer of them!