Coffee Crawl Day #5: Urban Espress Coffee Co., Port Elizabeth

25 6th Ave, Walmer, Port Elizabeth, 6065

One of the things that I have come to love the most about the Coffee Crawl, is the immense amount that there is to learn. For the first time, I am realising how many factors there are that influence the art of making coffee that is perceived as good and enjoyable to people. Each blend of coffee is different, and things as simple as the conditions in which the coffee is harvested, or how finely the beans are ground, makes an immense amount of difference. There is barely any margin for error in the pursuit of excellent coffee, and I think that above all, I have gained appreciation. Sitting at one of the rustic wooden tables in Urban Espress and sipping on my cappuccino, I had a deep awareness… the lengthy process from harvesting and roasting, grinding and brewing, had come together in the most delicious way, resulting in this one flawless drink that I was now consuming.

The coffee shop is intimate, but not crowded, with a vintage hipster vibe due to the combination of wooden furniture paired with the brick walls. Wooden cabinets make up one of the sides of the shop, with a bike mounted on one of them. All of their tables are tattooed in traditional black with their logo and different insignias with life mottos, and all of these aspects create a very distinct image – an endlessly cool, modern style that will never go out of fashion.

It is immediately clear that this coffee hub is all about their brew, and everybody that works there is exceedingly friendly, knowledgeable, and above all, passionate. The coffee bar is definitely not without reputation – in fact, the owner, Donovan McLagan, had previously won the Cup Taster’s Award and competed in numerous barista competitions. He also helped bring artisan coffee to be more accessible to everyday coffee drinkers through his involvement as the ambassador of Checkers’ Foreign Ground coffee range. It was actually inspiring to see this group of people at work, because for them, you can tell that it is more than the job. In each cup, there is a little bit of passion coming through.

There are endless amounts of caffeinated drinks to choose from on their menu, and you can pick your poison from the likes of Americanos, Macchiatos, Cappuccinos, or even their signature “Topdeckaccino”, an indulgent mix of espresso, hot chocolate, white chocolate and steamed milk. They are also famed for their iced coffee, although needless to say, there is no wrong choice when you’re dealing with one of the best coffee shops in the country.

Their cappuccinos are made with a blend of Ethiopian and Guatemalan coffee, and it was served with a beautifully drawn heart as latte art. Ideally, a cup of coffee should be served at about 70° Celsius, so that it can be drunk immediately, and this cup of coffee was absolute perfection. Guatemalan coffee beans are grown at a high altitude, the result being that they have quite a strong acidity with a medium body, a smoky coffee with chocolate overtones. In contrast, an Ethiopian bean has a very light body and low level of acidity, with an intense citrus taste. The resulting brew fell nothing short of excellence – a creamy coffee with notes of nuttiness, and the lingering aftertaste of orange. Rich, intense, and satisfying, it was everything that a good cup of coffee should be, and even more.

Sitting at Urban Espress and sipping on my cappuccino, oh how I wished that I lived closer to the East Coast... it would be such a dream to make this Port Elizabeth coffee bar my usual. Donovan’s repertoire alone is definitely a good enough reason to come and give it a visit, but even with high expectations, I was absolutely dumbfounded by the quality of their coffee.