When I was in Winchester, I didn't get the chance to visit Kavi Coffee, Dhan Tamang's latest specialty coffee venture. Luckily for me, the six-time UK Latte Art Champion has opened a second Kavi rather closer to home, in London's Borough neighbourhood.
The London Kavi opened in July on America Street, a short walk from Borough Market, the Tate Modern and Bankside. In recent years, Borough and Bankside has morphed into one of London's best specialty coffee neighbourhoods, so Kavi is in very good company!
The cafe occupies one of the area's many railway arches. It's spacious inside, with lots of seating at wooden tables and or at the counter along the wall. A separate room at the back is home to espresso machine manufacturer Dalla Corte's global flagship.
I've visited Kavi several times and what struck me each time was the warm welcome from every team member. The baristas are knowledgeable and super-friendly, and there are cute hand-written signs encouraging guests to make themselves at home.
The coffee is from Sussex-based Skylark Coffee, although there are sometimes guest roasters too, like Blind Monkey. There are the usual espresso-based drinks (brewed on a Dalla Corte machine, of course), and baristas can prepare pourovers using the sleek, white Marco machines.
The first time I stopped by, I opted for a cortado, which tasted great, with sweet, chocolatey notes. I didn't get to experience Dhan's latte art, but the barista created a very nice rosette. I also sampled a delicious Skylark lot from Colombian producer Edison Argote, which had intense rose and cherry flavours.
On another visit, I ordered a filter coffee, which I enjoyed just as much. This time, I tried a naturally processed coffee from Aquiares in Costa Rica. I tasted strawberry flavours in every sip and the coffee got even better as it cooled.
More recently, Kavi has added a brunch menu, which I still need to try; the brunch burger and the bacon and maple syrup French toast sound particularly tempting, but there are smaller dishes too. And if you need to stock up on beans, Kavi's shelves are well stocked!
Kavi. 36 America Street, London, SE1 0NJ (Tube: Borough or London Bridge). Website. Instagram.
Read my Borough & Bankside coffee guide for more specialty coffee recommendations in the area.
Or check out my London specialty coffee guide for 150+ more of my favourite London coffee shops.
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