Caffe Nero

A shockingly nice example of a coffee chain.
On a whim, I had cashed in 50 Nectar points for a free hot drink voucher at Caffe Nero. Naturally, I had then forgotten about it and finally, was casting about for a way to use it before it expired. This branch was on my way to get groceries, so I stopped in.
Most importantly, the coffee is good. My flat white was rich, flavorful, hot, and decent-​sized (not a thimble like some nearby competing shops). The barista was very pleasant, especially for a Sunday morning when I’m sure anyone would rather be at home in bed. The almond croissant I bought to go along with the coffee (that’s how they get you, I know) was flaky and fresh.
So far, slightly above average, but what really makes this place worthwhile is the space. The store front is a nice start, with a couple comfortable seating areas and a bright front window looking out onto Islington Green. Then there are several more seating areas, thoughtfully divided and arranged into clusters so that the place doesn’t feel like a cafeteria (ahem, Starbucks) and spread across multiple floor sections. Finally, in the back, the floor drops down so that the ceiling is about 15 feet high, with big windows along one side and a library wall along the back. The décor is dark, modern, and comfortable, with the seating and tables in excellent condition (again, ahem competitors). The classical music provided a calming background with no pop vocals to distract me from getting work done, with the volume just right to reduce nearby conversations to a low murmur.
And, bonus, there are power outlets everywhere! Perfect for those of us who can’t leave home without at least 3 different electronic devices, usually with an average remaining charge of 12%.
If I were to quibble, I’d say that it might be nice to fill the library shelves and make them a bit more presentable, to make their wifi free without annoying signup, and to fix their voucher system (it took about 5 minutes and 4 tries to get mine to work). But these are minor complaints against what is overall a surprisingly nice coffee shop.
I may just come back, which, given my predilection for hipster independent coffee houses, is high praise indeed.

Love, love, love this branch of Nero! Staff are super friendly, lots of comfy seats and a bookcase for good measure.