Though the usually teeming streets around Tower Bridge are eerily quiet for a Wednesday morning, there is a small, socially-distancing crowd outside the newly opened Watch House Roastery in Bermondsey. The smell of scientifically-brewed coffee has lured them from their pandemic hideouts.
The space, tucked into one of the railway arches on Maltby Street, is welcoming; despite the urge of this writer to shy away from all forms of non-essential human contact, until the end of time. But Watch House's well-crafted coffee might just tip into the bucket of essentialism. Head of Coffee Ryan Garrick, a self-styled brew nerd, is enthusiastic and knowledgeable; weighing his beans on scales to the milligram, while describing their origin down to the street name.
He talks about coffee like a sommelier talks about wine; noting the ‘balance of craftmanship and controlled precision' required to make a truly great cup. He's convinced there's a market for exceptional coffee in the UK – think: £14 for a flat white – in the same way as very special wines. Although the price points remain closer to earth for the time being, Garrick (who qualified along with his Watch House team to the World Barrista Championship in Melbourne this year, since postponed by the pandemic) thinks the Maltby Street Roastery is the perfect playground in which to develop these ideas.
After months of rigorous tasting trials, five beans (split into three ‘moods' – Rituals, Ventures and Rarities) are available. The Businde variety from the Rarities collection is of particular note. ‘Coffee blossom, strawberry jam, Assam teaI,' read the tasting notes. To this untrained palate, it simply tastes really good. ‘The average customer might not tell the difference in the same was as a coffee expert might,' says Garrick. ‘But it's about the pursuit of better.'
The space – which is one part coffee shop three parts experimental laboratory – was designed by London-based architecture and design studio (and Square Mile Coffee veterans) Kirkwood McCarthy. A U-shaped bar made from the same terracotta bricks that scale the walls is an impressive focal point of the arched building, which used to house Monmouth Coffee. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of the roaster and training room, giving visitors behind-the-scenes access to the Modern Coffee experience. At the back, a quiet ‘cupping room' is the training ground for Watch House baristas and will be open for customer tastings and workshops as lockdowns ease. The darkened space (a cooling respite from this summer's awkward heat) is separated from the factory floor by wooden sliding doors to create a fully immersive, and safe, experience.
While the Maltby Street flagship is new, there are four other, smaller outposts dotted across the capital; meaning you shouldn't have to travel too far to curb your Watch House craving. If you'd prefer to not leave your house at all, a recently launched subscription coffee service has you covered.
INFORMATION
-
Montblanc’s leather goods evolution offers peak styleMontblanc takes design inspiration from its iconic writing archive for new collections of leather goods
-
Ray Phoenix to rise in ArizonaRay Phoenix housing project launches, designed by Johnston Marklee, who worked with Lamar Johnson Collaborative and artist Alex Israel, for property experts Ray and Vela
-
The cosmos meets art history in Vivian Greven’s New York exhibitionVivian Greven’s ‘When the Sun Hits the Moon’, at Perrotin in New York City, is the artist’s first solo exhibition in the USA
-
First look at Samba Room, London’s innovative cocktail lounge packed with Brazilian energyLondon’s Samba Room, an extension of SushiSamba, is a dynamic bar, lounge and private dining space designed by Fabled Studio
-
Reborn distillery Port Ellen welcomes Islay whisky pilgrims with smoky delightsThe resurrection of Islay whisky distillery Port Ellen has been hailed by connoisseurs, among them Neil Ridley, who explored the smoky delights of this Scottish west coast gem
-
The Connaught Bar shakes up home cocktail making with first book by Phaidon'The Connaught Bar: Recipes and Iconic Creations' by Phaidon allows anyone to elevate their cocktail making at home, for every occasion
-
Claridge’s new restaurant is a beacon for art deco elegance and fine diningClaridge’s new restaurant, designed by Bryan O’Sullivan, is a redefined London brasserie richly layered in decadent style and cuisine
-
Josephine is a classic French bistro in London, built on comfort and authenticityJosephine opens in London’s Chelsea, serving up French bistro classics and family recipes
-
Step inside London’s first Scottish deli, dishing up wee plates and hearty scranAuld Hag-The Shoap is London’s first Scottish deli. Discover fridges and countertops brimming with produce celebrating the best of Scotland’s culinary heritage
-
NoMad London introduces afternoon tea with a New York twistNoMad London serves up an afternoon tea menu spanning from elegant finger sandwiches to elevated New York street food classics
-
First look inside St John at Fortnum & Mason, bringing nose-to-tail to PiccadillySt John at Fortnum & Mason opens for three weeks, securing your nose-to-tail fix while the restaurant’s Smithfield home is refitted
