Thursday 3 May 2012

Hurwundeki Cafe, Bethnal Green, East London, UK



Hurwundeki is a cafe and fashion boutique based in fashionable but tatty Bethnal Green. This is their second store in London, the other being round the corner in Spittle-fields but which is not a cafe. The store is distinctive as it pokes out from under the railway arches with a clear sign and a large front garden.


The front garden is covered in sand and decked out with children's furniture and toys which gives it a unique run down child's play ground look. Inside the store is divided into two main sections. The main clothing area and cafe counter and then in another arch a large seating area with some other displays. 


The furniture throughout is recycled and mainly consists of school desks, pews and stools. There is an eye catching display of shoes and taxidermy on the far wall and the entire scene is lit high up with chandeliers. 

The music is kept up pretty loud which was a good counter to the trains which you feel thundering overhead. I've always had a soft spot for railway archway establishments so I was very happy with the environment.


Ordering a regular Long Black I settled down in a threadbare sofa and relaxed. The crema was very white and in the gaps of the thin layer you could see quite an oily coffee. The aroma wasn't strong but on tasting one found a tangy acidic flavour that was sharp on the tongue. 


It was a little muddy throughout and this lurked on till after the coffee was gone. To the end it remained sharp and citrus like but not overpowering and pleasantly smooth.

  • Regular Long Black, drink in
  • £2.15
  • Medium strength
  • Good citrus notes
  • Whitish thin crema
  • Small size
  • Beans: Square Mile
  • Machine: La Marzocco 
  • Grinder: Mazzer


Great venue; you can shop for clothes and the furniture selection works. The coffee had some good citrus tone to it & had the potential to be great but was spoiled by the murky fuzz that overtook everything else that was going on.




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