Everything is pretty TASTE-y

Admin
Mar 30, 2017
2 min read

Within a day of arriving in St. Andrews for my postgraduate degree my mother and I had to search out the best coffee around. Though we first discovered Taste, not in pursuit of coffee, but in pursuit of vegan food in the small Scottish town.

Taste is one of the few locations in St. Andrews offering vegan and gluten-free grub. Do not expect a large selection, but do expect quality. Pushing the college budget and buying a lunch out I tried their delicious vegan falafel panini with jalapeños and chili jam, immediately regretting that I had taken me so long to try this delectable sandwich.

I was not as slow to try their coffee. Taste has a straight forward menu, offering espresso only coffee drinks and a wide variety of hot teas. ( You will not find a cold drink option in the UK unless you are visiting a international chain). I did find it strange and sometimes frustrating that it is hard and almost impossible to find a drip cup of coffee in St. Andrews. An old habit of ordering Americanos became my usual as I was missing the delectable cup of coffee I would share with the staff at Lokal in Virginia.

Taste uses a variety of espresso beans depending on what they have in stock from local roasters such as Papercup (my favorite Glasgow roasters). This though did affect my usual as some beans were better for an Americano than others.

Prices at Taste are college friendly. An Americano starts at 1.20 pounds and a Flat White 1.90 pounds with no extra charge for soy milk. The drinks are poured well and fast, though the service leaves much to be desired.

The staff is a round of hipster-esque university students who are friendly only to their kind. There is a bit of a social clique surrounding the shop that can make outsiders feel unwelcome.

The atmosphere is homey with an old leather couch and a fireplace. A single low table with stools offers the only table seating in the shop. The shop does have wifi so if you manage to snag a spot you can settle in until your bladder calls as there is no restrooms.

Overall Score: 7.5/8

Pros: Best coffee in the small town, reasonable prices, and they do not charge for soy milk.

Cons: Small space, unfriendly staff, and no restroom.