Coffee, brunch, & other small pleasures
What not to miss in London, Bristol, Morden, & Amsterdam
New Filter travel guides since the last Filter Friday email:
A guide to West London by Sharon Ip, head barista at TAB X TAB
Inge Bulthuis, cofounder of Back to Black, shares her favorite spots in Amsterdam
Sweven Coffee founder Jimmy Dimitrov’s can’t-miss list of the indie restaurants in Bristol, England
Tom Featherstone from Metronome shares his favorite parks on the southern edge of London
These 4 cities span the spectrum from some of the most popular places on the planet to towns off the tourist track. What each travel guide has in common is the type of person behind it: intriguing locals who’ve found their niche of favorite spaces in the city. They’re each unique, bringing their own approach to the cities they call home.
Sharon is new to London, having moved there from Hong Kong when the BNO visa opened up the opportunity. Inge is from rural Netherlands, and was attracted to the diversity of Amsterdam. Jimmy settled down in Bristol to solidify his coffee career with a cafe. And Tom is from Morden, on the southern edges of London.
Personally, I found parts of each guide super interesting:
Sharon gives a stellar list of restaurants across London before listing off 3 of her favorite walks through central London
Inge calls out her favorite neighborhood spots in Amsterdam, such as “Oficina for lunch, Bar Centraal for a nice wine on the terrace & some snacks, Bar Kaufmann for dinner & more drinks.”
Bristol is full of “amazing local independent restaurants and bars around—The North Street Standard, The Old Bookshop, or Sonny Stores” to mention a few, Jimmy says
In the suburbs of London, Tom’s time at Metronome allows him to see entire lives play out. I found his description of this phenomenon moving: “I love seeing what the space means to different people and groups—spending so much time there myself, you see people’s lives playing out in the coffee shop. Previously pregnant customers now with their newborns, couples showing their parents their fave coffee spot, and seeing good pals hangout. It’s real cute when you think about it.”
Okay readers—2 questions for you.
What’s your favorite spot in London, Amsterdam, Bristol, or Morden?
What place (or coffee shop) would you like to see featured next on Filter?
While you’re thinking, I’d be honored if you shared this with newsletter with your favorite travel partner.
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- Josh from Filter