Caffe Nero

This particular caffe nero is nice enough, they dont seem to bother you if you stay for a long while, service is fine. I enjoy the frappé lattes, but find the hot coffees not very exciting. And they did not have skimmed milk available even though the website says they do make skinny drinks too (and how hard is it for them to do so.)

Know why this Caffé Nero is awesome? Because it’s the closest chain coffee place to my house, it’s not Starbucks, and a Chai Latte costs £2.50. With a free shake o’cinnamon on top if you like. And a proper italian barista for authenticity.
That’s why.

Caffe Nero has got to be one of my longstanding regular coffee haunts. I used to go to the one in Wakefield, believe it or not, on a regular basis. As a coffee shop they are one of the more popular brands, it’s true, but sadly not so much about them stand out for me now — certainly not like it used to. I guess in Wakefield it was the touch of much needed class that attracted me more than anything and, although there were plenty of cool bars to try, there weren’t so many cafes at that point.
Leeds however has a plethora of stylish and interesting places to drink coffee. As far as Chapel A goes, it seems there are many many awesome indie shops and bars, but coffee shops are a little more sparse. So for ages it was this place that I went for my caffeine. It’s a fairly decent shop, well looked after with nice toilets and plenty of seats, but y’know — it’s got brand all o’er it. Lest one might forget, there are brandings everywhere, so that you remain well informed. (Or rather learn to get used to the Nero’s logo behind your eyes upon closing them!) But then again, they aren’t the worst for this, that’s for damn sure. And I do like the vibe of their shops, décor and furniture included. Now that I’ve discovered the delighful coffee shop about 10 minutes down the road though, I can’t say I’ve been back here much!
Coffee here, obviously, is great. Portions not as generous as Costa. Mint milkshake drink is blooming *lovely*, most especially on a hot day. Panini’s aren’t good value for money and I’d advise lunching at Angel Share or Wrap and roll. Staff are pretty friendly, so some pretty good service is on offer. All in all, a fair to middling kind of place! Worth a stop, but not worth a travel.