It’s only been since the start of the year that I have experienced Australian/Kiwi (antipodean) coffee culture in London. Since a friend introduced me to Flat White (flat-white.co.uk) in Soho, and really enjoying the coffee there, I’ve been intrigued as to why antipodeans make such nice coffee, and happy that some of them have decided to bring it to these shores. I’ve also recently discovered Fernandez & Wells (Beak St and also Lexington St, also in Soho – fernandezandwells.com), which was voted the best coffee retailer in London by TimeOut magazine, and has also featured in various other publications. I started going last month, and have been back as often as I can over the last few weeks. The coffee is expensive at £2.50 for a latte (there’s no sizing, just the regular size), but the quality is unsurpassed. If you’re in town, and if you want to taste genuine coffee instead of the Starbucks bucket of hot milk/Pret burnt coffee, do go and try it.

I’m yet to visit the ubiquitous Monmouth, but I’m sure it won’t be long now. That’s the company which provides the coffee beans to all of the other Aussie/Kiwi cafes in Soho. The quality is excellent, and there’s also something to be said for the milk, machinery and of course the human expertise that you find in these places. I don’t know what the antipodean secret is, but anybody who runs a coffee store anyway should pay attention. I certainly wish my local cafes did!