Costa

Quick review before my next meeting!
Forgot to check in this morning, poor elite form!
Sat in here for a business meeting, been in here a few times before when I’ve needed to charge my phone desperately (and once when I was hoping to meet a boy before my train left in a rush– young love!) as they have sockets by the door, but it wasn’t until I sat there with an associate with their laptop that there really wasn’t much room for anything else on the bar once that was down without spreading across other customers, not convenient!
It’s not grubby, but it does take them a little longer to clear up than I’d like when it isn’t that busy. Standard prices and run of the mill cakes that are nice, but I would never go to a chain particularly for the taste of something.
I wouldn’t avoid it, but I wouldn’t choose to go here myself. Though my opposition to chains probably doesn’t help that!

Been here a few times and staff are friendly but slow but it’s the other customers I hate the most. They’re either really ignorant or unfriendly to other customers.
I’ve not been here not 10 minutes waiting for them to serve me my coffee and already had a few other customers push past me to get their seats. I put my coffee down at a table and the woman next to me tidying up her table has put all her rubbish and used cutlery, cups etc onto mine, lovely!!!
All in all this is another typical Costa although 2 stars is for the friendly but slow staff!

Now, I’ve never really been a Costa fan, less so since they took away their only toastie worth eating (the chicken and bacon one) and my dislike has nothing to do with me being ex-​Starbucks, but rather more to do with a lovely grey coloured vanilla latte I was served at Cardiff West services…
Anyhow, after an afternoon buying kitchen appliances, we wandered back up from Crown Point and up Briggate, deciding to stop for some lunch. It was fairly busy, being lunchtime, but we were served quickly. The issues began with the arrival of my drink. I’d opted for the praline and cream latte and was asked if I wanted cream on top — of course I said yes, so imagine my disdain when I was presented my latte with cream that had melted the instant it looked at the coffee beneath it. I then questioned if it did actually have cream and was met with a frosty response, one reserved for questions such as ‘may I punch you in the face, total stranger?’ We managed to find a table, had to clean it ourselves, and sat down to wait for our food. The other half, wisely, decided not to bother with a hot drink and the more I drank, the more I wished I’d just grabbed a bottle of Pepsi instead. It lacked any kind of ‘praline’ flavour (which lets face it, we all know is hazelnut anyway) and it was just completely blah. The saving grace came in the form of my chicken fajita wrap, which was tasty and did fill a hole.
I can’t say I’ll be visiting with the sole intention of buying a coffee again, but it’s a good place to sit in and have a quick break from shopping.

As Costas go, this place isn’t overtly exciting in terms of the coffee. Of course, they serve all the usual suspects in terms of your standard expectations, but the one notable aspect is the unusually groovy décor. It’s huge, it used to be a huge retail space, and so the exposed brickwork makes it feel like you’re transported away from Leeds, from the city and the hubbub. Staff are decent and it makes for a less crowded, less hassled caffeine stop than the standard chains, but of course, it’s still a Costa…
All in all, you know what you’re getting, and what you’re paying for. Not bad, but better gems can be found!