Small and cosy, dose espresso may look sweet but in reality it comes with a kick of caffeine and clearly stated ethics. They serve better than fairtrade coffees which are also rich in taste and aroma, in biodegradable packaging. The end result is that dose is not only the greenest, but also one of the best coffees in the City.

The Venue
This coffee shop is tiny, but there are good points in being small, the first one being that dose is cute and intimate, with only a few wooden benches along the walls, three red stools and two miniscule low tables where you can put your coffee. All together, you would be justified to think that it is the type of place that encourages customers to grab a coffee to go, but their environmental policies will actually prove you wrong.

The bar neatly displays tempting trays of food and behind it you can see the open plan kitchen area, where a roll of brown paper has been creatively fitted near the ceiling, on which the menu is written and torn off daily. With wood and white dominating the space and a clear Scandinavian influence in the design, the effect is minimal and natural.

The Atmosphere
Given the location and the opening hours (dose closes at 5pm Monday to Friday and 4pm on Saturday), it’s no surprise that the clientele consists of local workers and residents. However, the exceptional quality of the coffee served is already rewarding this young establishment with a few people willing to travel from other parts of town. And travelling is easily justified: dose espresso takes coffee more than seriously in all aspects, going from sourcing the blends and guest roasts to the strict, self-imposed environmental practices towards the cups they serve it in.

Most of their coffee comes from Square Mile, top notch coffee distributors with plenty of green credentials. Not only does each blend comes with a very comprehensive pedigree, but most of their coffees are organic by default, since the small producers they are sourced from practice biodiversity instead of using chemical fertilisers. Cups and lids are also completely biodegradable and lined with a film made from corn – the reason why, bizarrely, it actually costs you 10p less to drink in for coffee (as well as if you bring your own cup) than to take away.

The Food
The good options for both lunch and breakfast make of dose a place worth remembering when feeling peckish. For lunch, start with the soup of the day by Beas Of Bloomsbury (£2.50 - £3.20) with toasted sourdough. The creamed mushroom soup, served piping hot, is thick, rich and flavourful. They also serve a daily changing salad, such as the filling, fresh and well seasoned chickpea, feta and tomato medley (£3.50). Other options include croissants with ham and cheese and many sandwiches made in house with organic wood-fired bread. Choose from bacon with halloumi or avocado on wholemeal bread (£3.20), pastrami with Emmental, sundried tomatoes and English mustard, classic BLT with English back bacon (£3) and others.

The homemade quality is evident everywhere and often your sandwich will be made on the spot in front of your eyes. The ricotta with roasted yellow pepper with cashew pesto on semi sourdough (£3.20) also mixes flavours very well even if it could be improved by toasting the bread right beforehand to complement the strong ingredients. For a sweet break, instead, you can indulge with biscuits, muffins, Danish pastries, classic croissants, brownies and delicious, soft and most Blondies which are the ultimate complement to a strong espresso. Most pastries cost between £1.20 and £1.50.

The Drink
These fabulous roasted grains come served to you in a variety of classic ways stretching beyond the usual cappuccino. On the menu are espresso, espresso ristretto (both £1), macchiato (£1.50), piccolo (a small latte, £1.50), flat white, cappuccino, caffe latte, mocha and the creative Gibraltar (double espresso with milk). Their signature The Dose (£1.50), which squeezes 25 grams of coffee in an espresso shot, New York style. Rich, smooth and rather unusual in essence, The Dose is a must try. Even the coffee addicts will find it refreshingly new. And, of course, all the milk is British and organic.

If your dosage of caffeine has already reached the limit for the day, you can opt for the indulgent hot chocolate (about £2), teapigs tea and hot infusions (£1.50), Luscombe organic drinks (£1.30 - £1.60) and Belu water (70p - £1) and more. All the coffee alternatives are excellent, but… are you sure you can’t squeeze in another caffe latte?

The Last Word
If coffee is a necessity in your life, head to dose espresso – not only for the feel-good effect that buying ethically will give you, but primarily for the extraordinary coffee you will leave with… in your biodegradable cup.

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