Hobart Coffee Rankings 2014

It’s been eighteen months since my last roundup of coffee places in Hobart. It’s about time I updated, but I’m not going to give some sort of league table. Here are the coffee shops I know about and enjoy. All of them would be in my “Tier 1” (coffee is their speciality) or “Tier 2” (they do coffee well) categories. All links are to facebook pages.

1) Vilicia Coffee is reasonably new in town. It opened while we were away on our trip with baristas we knew from other places around town. Code Black beans are used to their best. Being close to my work, this is my current “sit down” coffee shop where I go for conversations. A really friendly atmosphere.

2) Yellow Bernard is right next door to Vilicia. It’s my current “take-away” coffee shop. Their “Project Yellow” blend is consistently good, and they know how to make a single origin with high notes zing. Friendly staff who handle their busy demand really well.

3) Parklane Espresso is where I go when I’m in Salamanca. It’s a little hard to find – a hole-in-the-wall behind the Mercury Building in Salamanca Square, but well worth seeking out. Excellent, particularly at the shorter end (macchiato, piccolo). A small amount of seating is available.

4) Pilgrim Coffee is an old favourite, but I usually only get there now for the “gathering thoughts” time between services on a Sunday, or when visiting the hospital (over the road). They still know how to make a single origin sing and have that perfect balance of cozy-with-enough-room-to-sit-down.

5) Nextdoor is a reasonably new discovery. There’s a clear passion for excellence. They remember me and hand me a top-notch piccolo whenever I’m in. This place deserves more attention.

Honourable mention: Westend Pumphouse, which is more a restaurant, and hasn’t always been impressive in the coffee stakes. But it is an excellent place for a long conversation and the coffee standard is on the rise. Also Boutique Espresso which I haven’t visited for a while, but were consistently good when I did.

But what about? Hobart coffee drinkers will note the absence of Villino. It’s not because it’s bad coffee, it’s just that I hardly ever get to that part of town, and when I do there is nowhere to sit down. Their hole in the wall, Ecru, commits the sin of not having EFTPOS facilities.

Photo credit: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dark_roasted_espresso_blend_coffee_beans_1.jpg