Costa Northwood - Bigger and Better

Costa Coffee shop in Northwood seems to have grown, literally bigger, and much better, since I last visited, perhaps as long as six months ago. Better choice of food. Bigger seating area. More spacious.

Inside it now has attractive murals of Italy giving it a jolly Mediterranean atmosphere. The mural remind me of holidays when you relax and have unlimited time.

No longer a small corner shop, it has expanded, lots of seating and choice of outlooks. I chose the bright, open outlook of the front looking onto the road and across the high street. At a busier time, or for a change, I might choose the side facing onto the quieter side/road alley.

Alternatively, choose the privacy of the windowless side without the distractions of movement or noise from outside traffic. The background music adds jollity and extra privacy for your own conversation, as well as protecting you from the distraction of other people's chatter.

Parking
I was afraid to take my car. A relative assured me that it's possible to park so we went in his car. The parking area opposite the library behind Ask Italian restaurant allows 30 minutes free parking but you must take a ticket and display it to show when you arrived.

I frowned and said, 'We've only ten minutes to walk there and ten minutes back means only ten minutes to have coffee.'

The retort was, 'But it's only two minutes to Costa, so you have nearer twenty minutes.'

Food and Drink
We had time for a warmed melted cheese toasted sandwich, a slice of chocolate cake, an almond slice and a cup of coffee with a decoration on the topping.

My reason for preferring Costa is the almond slice. As you see in the picture, it has real almonds on top. Also chunks of real almond in the filling. Admittedly it is rather sweet, and despite looking small, it breaks my calorie allowance. I usually try to share it with somebody.

I chose to sit next to the newspapers. They had the Metro and Evening Standard and The Times. It was near 5/6pm so we were able to have high tea/early supper and still find a newspaper to read.

A quick race back, pausing carefully and looking both ways on the Zebra Crossing.

No parking charge.

Cards
The Costa card requires you to log online to register it. You can also buy gift cards which are displayed immediately above the Costa Cards. In a hurry, I grabbed one of the gift cards thinking it was a Costa Card, realised my mistake and swapped it for the Costa Card.

Angela Lansbury, BA Honours, travel writer, author, speaker.

New Costa Coffee in Hatch End

A dream come true - raspberry and almond bake, a cake with real bits of almond. Hurray!

Look at that almond on top. And the solid bits of almond in the middle. Don't look at the calorie count. (You can find the calorie count on the company website. I could not find the new branch on the Costa website.) But I phoned them for their postcode - see the end of this post.

The new Costa Coffee is settling in to Hatch End.

So handy. For a mid-morning snack. A break. A meeting. A chat. Parking somebody whilst at the dentist or doctors.

The usual good Espresso Doppio (double espresso) can panne (with a spiral of cream on top). The raspberry and almond bake was square, unlike the long bar I used to buy to take away in Brent Cross. Delicious, diet-breaking, probably from a dieters point of view, the smaller the better.

Service today was not smiling, unlike the last time I was there when they just opened, but maybe when they have been open longer and are more confident the new staff will be jollier. I was glad to be able to use a Costa card.

There are tables by the front window, some down the sides (one under a fan struck somebody as cold and draughty - must say I didn't notice that. At the back is a big mural and some square tables which I usually prefer. On the other hand you might prefer to a choose a cosy, round table for two, for a quick coffee, isolated from others.

You are secluded from the street at the back. Facing the back you get a view of the kitchen intermittently.  My first thought was that I did not want to be looking at the kitchen. But I was soon fascinated by the kitchen contents, the table top mini dishwasher which seemed to have a hose.

Whilst waiting for somebody you can read the free newspapers, the Daily Mail or The Times.

Big disabled loo handy for wheelchairs, or any other kind of disability, for the walking wounded or convalescent visiting nearby doctors such as not being able to twist.

Opening hours are amazingly early, from 6.30 to 20.00 Monday to Friday and Sat 07.00 to 20.00 and Sun 08.00 to 18.00. That will be handy in summer for those who are up with the sun.

The receipt invites you to give them feedback on your visit, by going onto their website costafeedback.co.uk or by text.

They have high chairs as you can see. I was sorry to leave, and only got disturbed by the noise of children when I looked up from engrossing articles in the newspaper. They had the Daily Mail and The Times on the day we visited.

You can buy a Costa brand tall travel flask and coffee maker.

Where is it? This one is in Hatch End. Another larger one is nearby in Pinner (opposite where Woolworth's used to be).

Go onto the website to find a branch near you. They are all over London, Singapore, the world.

Costa Coffee, 336 The Broadway, Uxbridge Road, Hatch End HA5 4HR
Tel:020 8428 8503.

Costa Coffee, Paddington Station open early and late - Costa card avoiding panic hunt

Arriving at Paddington station to meet a friend from overseas (Singapore) who was visiting London for the day from another city, we arrived early at the station.
 We wanted a table to rest reading matter, phones, newspapers, and a chair or seat for our baggage which would not trip others nor risk being stolen or stepped on by strangers sitting alongside.
So we raced around the level one looking for a place to order a quick coffee.

Why no big signboard of all the eating places? It should be at every exit and entrance, if necessary paid for by the outlets mentioned. Maybe even a poster which could change weekly, with any special offers.

Lots of kiosks offering coffee to carry away. But I didn't want to walk with coffee and risk spilling it on my clothes. I wanted to sit (heavy bag - easy for others to find me). I wanted to be able to read, check emails, while waiting.

I was sure there would be a Costa somewhere. No time to go upstairs. Stay on ground level. We galloped around like horses in a panic.

At the far edge built into the surrounding buildings was a Costa. Outdoor seating for smokers and others. Just the job.

They even suggested that we had used enough points on our Costa card to get a free coffee. Whilst I sat outside an attentive member of staff was busy checking tables and moving chairs.

Costa Coffee - London
Paddington Station 4
Unit 4, Paddington Station
London W2 1HA
Tel 020 7706 1243

The Costa site is costa.co.uk which enables you to find all their sites, and tells you address and phone number and opening hours with a map of directions.
This branch appears to be open from 4 am until 1 am.  Really handy if you are up late or out early, for business or pleasure or travel.

If you don't already have a Costa card, get one. You can keep using it until you get a free coffee. If you already have one, keep it handy in the front of your pocket to produce it when asked without holding up a queue and to prevent that where's my card panic.

I love the dinky little cups with the side sitting dimple with room for a biscuit. (Why no free biscuit?)