Coffee General

Found this café on a list online for best coffees per suburb and this was the one for Birkenhead. Came here for an afternoon coffee– never saw it before but not difficult to find. Found a park down the side road but plenty of parallel available on the main road also.
A huge wooden communal table with a neat terranium and stack of newspapers to catch up on. Seating on metal stools around as well as few near the window looking out. Very cool blackboard with coffees written in explanatory chalk for black and white coffees. Seemed as though they had a few options for brewing style also that I could be fun to try. Saw some small cabinet snacks in the fridge near the till as well as nearby shelves with specialty coffee brewing equipment to take back home. Very cool wall mural opposite the coffee machine.
Latte for me and flat white for friend with a small coffee bean sized chocolate. Barista’s choice of beans– looked like they had three different variations. Enjoyed my drink and friend said her coffee was good too. Great place to catch up– and noticed lots of foot traffic throughout the afternoon for coffee. Can see why. Definitely stop by for a caffeine fix.

Hands down the best coffee in Birkenhead.
For an upmarket suburb, Birkenhead is severely under catered for good quality cafes. Ethnic food yes, good coffee– not so much.
Go to Coffee General for the coffee and stay for the cronuts/​cinnamon brioche. Also, they stock allsorts of coffee paraphernalia for coffee geeks.

It’s a comfy, clean, yet serious place for coffee enthusiasts and casual patrons on the go. Some more private tables on the street for serious chats. The workers are keen on their coffee knowledge and receptive to conversing about what’s what and where’s where; they’re also attentive to coffee detail, in making and serving, which is expected. I come to write and read, not just sample coffee – hence, I detract a star because there’s (a) no Wi-​Fi and (b) the backless chairs, though good for disciplined sitters like myself, still feel too industrial and stiff to go unnoticed. Better would be chairs fitting one’s natural contours ;) The long, wooden table inside is utile for me and others at once; the little glass-​potted plants are uplifting if a touch conceptually constrained; the lighting is well done; and the music – always important – is soft and accompanies writing/​reading well (today a kind of jazz ambience house mixture).

The Birkenhead location is the original Coffee General and I think it’s my favourite. It’s tiny but it has this great neighbourly vibe. You always seem to end up chatting to someone — the table next door or the lady behind you in the queue — everyone is just so damn friendly.
Although there are a couple of seats inside I reckon the pick of the bunch is street side, out the front. It get’s plenty of morning sun — the ideal spot to read the morning paper.
Just like all the other Coffee Generals, you get to choose which beans you want them to use to make your espresso. I think there is normally three options but if your not sure, ask. The baristas are more than happy to help. Also would recommend trying their cold brew — so refreshing!

Hans and the team know what they’re doing and want to know about you too. A great local café in suburban Birkenhead. Coffee experts who are going beyond the norm, offering a wide selection of brewing techniques and different beans every day.

My favourite place to grab a coffee on the Shore. The team are super friendly and you can choose your own beans! A nice reminder of The Hangar in Wellington. Love the coffee, love the décor, recommend to all. Parking is easy, and the savoury muffins are great too.