We Took a Trip to 200 Degrees’ New Milton Street Store - Here’s What We Thought

By now, 200 Degrees Coffee have established themselves as a well-known and much-loved chain, especially around the north of England. This is largely due to the ethos of the company, which states that ‘coffee is usually the most important thing, but not at the expense of a great atmosphere and great food’, but it is also due to the individual quality and design of the coffee shops themselves.

I was lucky enough to visit the new store on Milton Street, across from Victoria Centre, which promises to be an exciting new addition to the highly competitive Nottingham coffee shop scene. It had opened a week ago, but was already relatively full of people. I was quick to notice the posters on the walls from nearby artists, the neon ‘fireplace’ that is a permanent hallmark of the 200 Degrees brand, and the range of reusable coffee cups and UK-sourced coffee beans available for sale. I was soon told that there was a man in West Bridgford who provided some of the engineering behind the shop, and that there is a local ethically sourced business, Luisa’s, who provide some of the chocolate. It seemed to me as if there was a lot of local community spirit in 200 Degrees, which I don’t often see with other coffee shop chains.

While visiting Milton Street, it was a must to sample the food! Having been to another on Flying Horse Walk, I knew already that they did a nice quick lunch, but I had never had a full feast and went about fixing that very quickly. I tucked into a peach iced tea and a bhaji mezzaluna to start with; the mezzaluna was crispy at the first bite, with the flavours of the bhaji, the chutney and the salad working very well together (I would say the tomato was the MVP!). The peach iced tea tasted authentic with little of the aftertaste often found in tea drinks; it seemed more homemade and sweeter than bottled iced tea. The cup that my iced tea was in was 100% compostable - one of the many sustainability initiatives noticeable around the shop. The straws were paper, glass jars were being used for sugar and salt, and the covers for the drinks were compostable. There was also a range of different types of plant-based milks, including soy milk and oat milk, as well as plenty of options to cater to vegans and lunch items that were plant-based and more environmentally conscious. 

For dessert, I took the pistachio frangipane cake and a chai latte to finish it with. The combination made me feel as if I had been teleported to a French bakery (the one in my hometown was the only basis for this, but still) - with a sweet and comforting tea and a dense sponge with a strong taste of almond and apricot. Chai lattes are fairly popular around the UK - and I’ve tried many - and I noticed that 200 Degrees’ was fairly mild as lattes went, with less spice than sugar and milk, so if you’re a fan of sweet tea, this will be perfect for you!

Overall impression: Great food, great ethos, great atmosphere. It’s no wonder that the shop was already so popular in its first week! I would recommend 200 Degrees to anyone who is searching for a modern and cosy lunch, or simply a place to enjoy afternoon tea.

200degs.com