Truth Coffee at The New Black

By Soninke Combrinck, Truth Coffee Ambassador
 
Stepping into The New Black was like stepping into the future. As you spot the sleek black windows off Philpot Lane in Bank with its clean design, you know you have arrived. Welcome to the world of digital coffee.
 
I feel like my entire trip to London centred around coffee. I explored new coffee corners, revisited some old ones, and learned a lot at the London Coffee Festival. The New Black is one of the exciting new coffee shops I managed to experience. It is very different to traditional cosy coffee corners. Orange and grey dominate the interior, which has smooth aluminium finishes and is furnished with iPads.
 
At first glance, it lacks a certain warmth and homeliness associated with traditional coffee shops. It's not a place for long hours writing books or slams poetry. It is a place to enjoy some of the best coffee from all over the world.
 

 
It looks very different compared to Truth Coffeeworks in Cape Town. In fact, it is the opposite. Truth Coffee embraces the simplicity of coffee, with a steampunk theme which is nostalgic for the past and freshly ground coffee. When you walk into Truth you know what you're getting - authentic and humble coffee roasted to perfection.
 
Walking into The New Black was like walking into a futuristic laboratory. It explores the science behind coffee, whereas Truth explores the heart of it.
 
Nonetheless, I braved the new technology and moved towards the iPad. On the screen was a list of the available coffees coupled with a colour wheel detailing the flavours you could expect to find.
 

 
They were all out of Truth's Deep, Dark and Twisted blend because it is so popular.
 
"We sell out of it constantly," Jules, the Australian barista, had said. Apparently, it is the most popular coffee to go.
 
"Deep, Dark and Twisted have a kick like a mule. People like the name and the fact that it is a speciality coffee from Africa," replied Paul, the barista from Wellington. "People are like 'Have you tried the DDT? It sounds like a poison, but it's good!'
 
I had to come back a second time for my favourite Truth House Blend: Resurrection. I took a seat at one of the smooth tables and the barista placed a neat cup in front of me. I guess it looked a little like Truth Coffee, but would it taste like Truth?
 
I took my first sip, and the familiar full-bodied taste of Resurrection washed over me. It was light, not too bitter and palatable. No sugar required.
 

 
I was sitting in insurance district in London, drinking the familiar cup of coffee took me right back to the streets of Cape Town, where I would pop by at Truth Coffee during my lunch break. I could picture Truth’s steampunk interior with the systematic chugging of the coffee industry and the smell of roasting beans. I immediately felt at home in this unfamiliar city.
 
The New Black keeps mixing up the featured coffee to give its customers a taste of different coffees from around the world. Although it appears to be gimmicky at first - this little coffee shop centred in London has a lot to offer.
 
It's not every day you can taste coffee from some of the best roasters around the globe.