Bex Walton

I'm Bex, a coffee and travel blogger based in London. I love to explore London, NYC and new cities, and hunt out the best speciality coffee shops and cafes.

https://www.doubleskinnymacchiato.com/

A Long Weekend in Canterbury and the Kent Coast

Almost six months after my last mini-break, in Bath, I was craving R and R, and the call of the sea was particularly strong. This latter urge was not unique to me and a quick search for lodgings in a host of English seaside towns for the bank holiday weekend yielded very few options. But I was determined to get out of London for a few days, especially given the promising weather forecast, and I managed to book one of the last hotel rooms left in Canterbury, just seven miles from the Kent coast.

At Six by Nico, a Festive Dinner in Six Parts

Before Christmas and when restaurants were still open in London, I was able to get a table at the London location of Six by Nico. Nico Simeone's small family of restaurants are currently located in six UK cities (the original was in Glasgow) and specialise in themed, six-course tasting menus priced at an extremely reasonable £35. The restaurants are currently closed but will hopefully be back again soon when restrictions ease with another exciting theme. My booking was for a Friday lunchtime, a

A Staycation Spa Break in Bath

After a year of cancelled trips, and most of my pre-booked annual leave falling during lockdowns, I was grateful to be able to take a four-night trip to Bath last week. Bath, like London, is currently in tier 2 COVID-19 restrictions, and is an easy 1h20 train journey from London. Bath had only just come out of lockdown when I arrived, and the city was much quieter than usual for December, especially as the annual Christmas market had gone virtual.

Lockdown Takeout in Oxford: Oli's Thai, Two One Five and More

While back in my Oxford bubble for my birthday and my mum's earlier this month, I was able to experience the take-out offerings from three different restaurants. And although it wasn't quite the same as dining in, we were very impressed with all three, which serve different cuisines at different price points. And although Oxford will be out of lockdown and in tier 2 restrictions from next Wednesday, takeout for formerly dine-in-only restaurants seems likely to remain on the agenda for some time...

The Caffeine Chronicles: NOLA, Peckham

Without doubt, 2020 has been an exceptionally challenging year for independent coffee shops and other small businesses in the hospitality industry, but the COVID-19 pandemic was one of factors that drove the opening of NOLA, a new speciality coffee shop on Rye Lane in Peckham. Owners Josephine and Anthony also form the band Oh Wonder. They created NOLA as a neighbourhood coffee shop that brings together things they love about coffee shops they've visited around the world...

The Caffeine Chronicles: Saint Nine Coffee

If you were looking for good coffee while in Bankside, you used to have to head to Borough, but the arrival of branches of Caravan and Origin Coffee has filled in a few Southwark speciality coffee gaps. And the latest addition, Saint Nine Coffee, is rather special too. But in all likelihood, it will be the stunning mural that runs up the back wall, wrapping up onto the ceiling that you notice first. The artist, Gabe Sapienza, is a friend of owner Laith Toukan and features as one of the subjects.

Long Weekend in New York City: Bex's Guide

15:00 Jet-lag busting A morning flight from London can get you to JFK or Newark soon after lunch, and if you take a taxi into town you could be at your hotel by 15:00 local time. I usually head straight out into the daylight and towards coffee. Luckily, NYC has a booming speciality coffee scene and the choice is vast. 18:00 Casual supper On my first evening, I like to go to a favourite spot for a low-key dinner. The historic Mad Men) is my favourite, serves a

My Favourite London Speciality Coffee Shops

I've been writing about London's first forays and then larger leaps into the speciality coffee world since I started this blog in 2007. Last year, to try to rectify the fact that some of my oldest favourites were among the most sparsely documented on this blog, I updated my reviews of spots like Flat White Fernandez & Wells in Beak Street and Workshop's Clerkenwell café (which I've loved since its St Ali days). Sadly, the latter two have since closed... I hope it wasn't something I said!I compil

Long Weekend in London: Bex's Guide

15:00 Soho shopping It’s going to be a busy weekend so you’ll probably need caffeine. If you're in Clerkenwell, head to Prufrock on Leather Lane (pictured), but there are hundreds of great coffee shops in London so there will probably be at least one near where you’re staying. Skip to the end of this guide for a list of some of my current favourite coffee spots 17:00 After hours at the museum The West End is never quiet but if you plan to hit the shops this weekend, Friday is the best

My Favourite NYC Speciality Coffee Shops

Instead, I've created a speciality coffee map, which now includes more than 80 coffee shops and cafés throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn, from Abraço to Zibetto. I've visited them all, although I've also been to many more New York coffee shops over the years that aren't included here — some have now closed and others, while good, are no longer all-time favourites. Many of my favourite coffee spots are now part of micro-chains and for the purposes of this guide, I haven't listed every branch...