Starbucks

I knew there would be a Starbucks in London but I normally don’t walk into random places for food/​drinks unless I’ve researched the menu a little and know what to order. Anyways, as soon as I got off the Heathrow Train, I mapped my way to the nearest Sbux and here we are! Already felt comfy walking in, though the only downside was that their menu wasn’t as extensive as in the US. Still for the cold weather, my Peppermint Hot Chocolate hit the spot! =) Starbucks, I love you!

Super awkwardly located Starbucks. Not very tidy (due to being in a station and therefore not having proper bins). Otherwise, it’s a Starbucks. Standard. Ok.

I had an epiphany in this Starbucks. I got a coffee frappucino (I used to get the mocha or caramel ones) which are a) more expensive b) more sugar, fat and calories and c) NOT AS GOOD!!! I should have been getting the Coffee ones this whole damn time! Well… its better to discover something late than never at all!

Our modern food supply system is both a miracle and horror. I don’t need to recount the horror part. We’ve all seen Fast Food Nation, right? So, let’s focus on the miracles.
It’s a miracle, for example, that a Budweiser purchased in Moscow, ID tastes exactly the same as a Budweiser purchased in Moscow, Russia. I remember very little about the local meals I ate while spending two weeks backpacking in Egypt in 1988, but I do remember how excited I was when I came across a KFC. Similarly, with my current travel schedule, I am always grateful when I come across a Starbucks.
A taste of home, no matter where I may be.
And, just like that Budweiser or bucket of KFC original recipe, my Starbucks drinks are remarkably similar, regardless of whether they are served up in Oxford, GA or Oxford, UK. Because of this, I wouldn’t normally bother writing a review of a Starbucks, except for the fact that there is something extraordinary about the Starbucks located in the corridor between Paddington Station and the Hilton Paddington. Quite simply this Starbucks serves the best lattes I have ever had at any Starbucks.
Espresso and steamed milk, aerated to a perfect sweet, creamy consistency.
This is not an anomaly. It has happened time and again.
The restaurant itself is tiny — shockingly so, considering it’s located in one of the busiest train stations in London and connected to a 360+ room hotel. Seating is quite limited and it’s sometimes so crowded that it’s difficult to get from one end of the restaurant to the other. (Often you’ll have to dodge weary travelers’ luggage.) I suppose if I weren’t so enamored with my lattes this would be reflected in my overall rating.
So what is it about this tiny, crowded Starbucks that allows the forces of espresso making to come together in such a synergic way?
It could be the people.
On any given morning, the back of the counter can be nearly as packed as the front. Associates working in coordination, elbow-​to-​elbow, to take orders, serve pastries, collect payments and deliver drinks with smiles on faces and warm hellos. If anyone on the team is having a bad day, you’d never know it.
It could be the ingredients.
By comparison to some of the crazy drinks I’ve heard ordered at Starbucks, my drink is pretty humdrum. In the US it’s a tall triple shot latte, no foam, extra hot, to go. In the UK it’s a tall triple shot latte, wet, extra hot, take away. Maybe it’s the milk they use in the UK — either the actual milk (3.5% fat) or the way the baristas steam it?
It could be the equipment.
I’ve never really paid attention to whether the Paddington Starbucks uses different equipment than my neighborhood location, but it’s possible the equipment is different. Then again, what the heck do I know?
Ultimately it doesn’t really matter, so long as everyone at the Paddington Starbucks just keeps doing what they’re doing. My last trip to London, I was practically giddy with anticipation as I stepped off the Heathrow Express into Paddington Station. One day in London didn’t really give me a chance to patronize the Paddington Starbucks as much as I would have liked. But there will be more trips in the future and more lattes.
Delicious creamy, sweet lattes. Oh baby.

Quite possibly the loudest Starbucks I have ever been in. And no, it’s not the trains. It’s the blender and the over-​bassed stereo system playing jazz. Yes, it has all the comforts of every other Starbucks in the UK — coolers of sandwiches and pastries and overroasted expensive coffee drives — but it’s impossible to sit in here for more than 5 minutes at a time.
Perhaps it is the big glass windows that look out onto the «Lawn» area of Paddington station and they need to add some acoustic paneling? I don’t know, but it’s just painful!