Brill, 27 Exmouth Market

Brill, 27 Exmouth Market

Brill is a record store, which reinvented itself as a record/coffee/bagel shop in the face of declining CD sales. One wall is still dedicated to CDs but the rest had to give way to yummy cakes, pastries, brownies and a beautiful coffee machine.

Located in the midst of the Exmouth market buzz, it offers a cosy atmosphere with large windows or outdoor seating to do some people-watching on the market. Admittedly the shop has something artsy and hipsterish about it, but it’s probably one of the very few places in London, which are so genuinely friendly that it feels like entering a more stylish version of your own living room.

For those seeking a quiet place to relax for a couple of minutes, the lovely backyard garden is the ideal escape for a coffee break. What could be better than having a cup of coffee while the sun drizzles through the overhanging green leaves of trees, and listening to the damped noise of the coffee grinder from an open window?

The staff are very friendly with the owner Jeremy Brill standing behind the counter himself. There is free wi-fi and its fresh bagels are highly regarded in London. Baked in Brick Lane, they come with cream cheese, hummus and anything else you could wish for. Brill has also somewhat generated a hype around their skilfully crafted flat whites and lattes, which we at Coffee Machines Reviews can only confirm to be as close as it gets to perfection. Our latte had the perfect creamy texture with the coffee flavour just standing out enough from the milk and no strange aftertaste at all.

The CD selection is small and carefully selected, but with the overwhelming abundance of music on Youtube, Spotify and the iTunes store it is strangely comforting to be able to set your eyes on something you can actually keep the overview of.

Coffee Chaser Score: 9/10