Dose

Are you an addict? Do you shake and twitch and mumble each morning until you have scored your daily hit? Don't worry you are not alone. The coffee addicts of London are spread far and wide.

After enough time feeding your addiction whatever way you can it is likely that you will start to become more discerning in where and how you get your caffeine hit. This is where Dose comes in. Housed in what must be one of the smallest shopfronts in London Dose is a tiny cafe that is so small that there is probably only room for a total of three very skinny people breathing in to

stand.

There is a small selection of breakfast/lunch type bites to eat ranging from hearty soups to sandwiches such as pesto, avocado and bacon on toasted sandwiches. For getting rid of those 4pm energy lows there is also a selection of pastries and coffees.

From the takeaway salad selection the pepper and fetta salad was light and refreshing for a bargain £3. The salad was packed with spinach leaves and cherry tomatoes along with a dash of vinaigrette dressing. The saltiness of the fetta was a great compliment to the sweet tomatoes and pepper.

The main thing here though is the coffee. Run by yet another enterprising Antipodean (who appear to be taking over London's coffee shops which is not a bad thing at all) Dose prides itself on being an owner operated artisanal espresso bar. Like Lantana the coffee is made by a gorgeous La Marzocco espresso machine however using Square Mile beans. Dose uses responsibly sourced coffee, organic milk, recycles, contributes to charity and all that other good stuff so that there is no guilt factor involved in your coffee. So what of the coffee itself? This is proper coffee strong and smooth and served with one of those little patterns on top that shows off the skill of the barista and is pretty standard in Australia but hard to find in London.

If you work in the area this is the best coffee around. In fact, if you work in the area they have a promotion where you can get a days free coffee for your whole work place so convinced are the people behind Dose that once you try it you won't want to go back to Starschmucks again. I wouldn't cross town for it particularly given that the cafe itself is so tiny (it is really a takeaway type of joint) but for people who work or live near Barbican or Farringdon tube Dose is a great little secret.

Details: 69 Long Lane, Smithfields, EC1A 9EJ (Ph 0207 6000 382)

Damage: such a bargain my mother would approve.

7/10

If you liked reading this you might be interested in the coffee and snacks at Lantana in Soho. Otherwise another great place for coffee in the general area is the coffee stall at the Whitecross Street Market.