Archives for posts with tag: wifi

With the opening of Doppio Espresso and Coffee United in late 2009, the number of good coffee houses just about doubled in Alkmaar. The interior design of this place is stunning, departing from the traditional ‘chairs around tables’ and instead focusing on benches with a few tables along it, as well as seats facing outwards on the first floor, allowing you to view the world pass by on the street below you, as you drink your coffee.

The cappuccino contains either too much milk, or the bean used just is more suitable for espressos than for cappuccinos. Besides it’s served in the well-known double-walled Bodum glasses, which I personally don’t like due to the thickness of the edge. Other than that, the foam is of good quality, so people like me should just stick with an espresso machiatto in order to still taste the coffee, and all will be fine at this place.

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The last time I was here, the place was full of Italian people, and the good coffee may just explain that. They’ve never failed to get me a near-to-perfect cappuccino, and the beans they’re using are just perfect for cappuccinos. The foam’s of a really nice texture and the place simply begs you to come in, sit down and relax. So if you’re not feeling too well, come and get your shot at Espresso Ambulanz.

As usual at Coffee Company, this place is nicely decorated, has an hour of free wifi use and the coffee is near to almost acceptable. However, it’s a shame my cappuccino was served in a paper cup, even though I’ve clearly stated I would not take it out. The group of chattering teens that sat down next to me after a while, was annoying enough to keep me from working, but sitting in the sun next to an open window on the first floor, I can’t actually complain about any of that.

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Lungoccino on the Ferdinand Bolstraat, very near to the famous Albert Cuyp market, is a small and cozy locality, which seems still uninfluenced by the larger coffee companies, which is a big plus. It’s awfully quiet, though, but that might be caused by the time of my visit: 4 pm, which isn’t a normal time to drink coffee.

The coffee’s nicely appetizing, without funny or after tastes, although the milk has a few larger bubbles in it and tastes somewhat flat. Adding things up, I can only say this is surely a place to remember, when you’re in the neighborhood, that is.

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The Espressofabriek, which translates to ‘espresso factory’, is situated in ‘cultural hotspot’ of Amsterdam ‘Westergasfabriek’, an old industrial complex which now has been transformed to host an array of cultural activities. Well-funded cultural activities, that is. The entire area seems to have been organized by and ordered from the Amsterdam authorities.

The Espressofabriek isn’t anything different from that. The building looks slick both from the outside as from the inside. On the menu you’ll find nearly every espresso variety you might wish for, including a couple of ‘wrong’ espressos, which are the ones with syrups.

I’ve tried their espresso and cappuccino, which were both good. It seems they’re especially keen on true espresso drinks, though, as their bean is better suited for espresso than it is for cappuccino. Although it has the necessary bitter tones, it’s mostly a sweet and smooth espresso. Great for espressos, but not really suitable for cappuccino’s, as the flavors aren’t strong enough to survive the milk, which is a pity. A stronger bean for their milk-based drinks would be more than welcome.

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The interior design with various small floors, each half a level higher, this venue allows one to find several corners to sit down quietly with someone else, while still allowing a lot of people to find a seat simultaneously. For Bagels & Beans, this place is far from the worst I’ve came across, but neither is it the best. The cappuccino was okay all in all, but the fact that the milk was steamed slightly too hot, was a shame. The taste wasn’t affected too much, though, which makes a 2-star rating seem fair.

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Tous Les Jours is one of those places you will not find in the tourist guides. Located off the main streets in a cozy quarter, this is where you’ll find locals having breakfast, while reading the paper or checking their email via the shop’s free wifi network. I’ve often heard myself saying I wouldn’t mind living around the corner so I can make this my daily breakfast stop.

The Illy coffee will get you started and the extensive breakfast plates will keep you going for hours and hours. In fact, the plates are large enough to serve two, or kindly ask them to pack the left-overs and take them along for lunch. Prices are decent, at around six euros a plate and are served with a basket with assorted bread rolls. Be sure to stop by this place when you’re in Berlin.

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We stumbled upon this place ‘by accident’. Sadly, it was closed then, but we had to return later due to the name, reminding us of a place to be revived by means of espresso. The first time we went there, there were quite a few Italian people. The coffee is superb, be it drowned in chocolatey sirups topped with whipped cream or plain espresso or cappuccino. There’s only a limited amount of seats, but worth the wait or take it out.

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