The Broca, Brockley, South East London, UK

The Broca is one of two coffee shops just outside of Brockley station in charming South East London. Set up by Erin and Rob, The Broca has an admirable mission to be an ethically aware community focused cafe. They provide this by sourcing ethical products and using second hand and found furniture and equipment. As well as coffee the cafe has a range of things to eat but we did not sample any on this visit.

The coffee shop is divided into two halves and has two doors, with the ordering and business end in one, seating in the other. With one side of the venue all windows, sun light streams in and fills the space well. The decor of truly mismatched and used furniture works well together but the graffiti and notice wall off set that homeliness to a more ascetic student vibration. However to counter my aesthetic critique the notice wall leads us directly back to the owners desire to create a venue focused on the community. 

The coffee came in a tea mug and was shrouded with a light brown crema. On tasting it was unfortunately a huge disappointment, it was strong but overly bitter and muddy to the taste. It was a little watery and a little burnt, so much so it was hard to pull out any of the actual flavour specifics. It wasn't out and out terrible but one expects more from a modern day coffee shop. The old mugs it was served in continued the theme of the place and the hot chocolate also being served went down well (see below).

• Black Americano, drink in
• £1.80
• Strong
• Medium size
• Muddied and a little burnt
• Light crema
• Machine: La Marazocco

To be blunt not a great coffee but the cafe has some charm and an excellent location by the station.

Map
http://www.brocafoods.com/