Chalk Coffee — Restaurant in England

I’d so been looking forward to coming here as I’d heard great things, but unfortunately found it to be a disappointment. It’s not clear when you walk in whether you’re supposed to find your own table or wait to be seated so there was a huddle of confused people. Luckily we only had to wait a few minutes for a table, but when we ordered they said it would be about a 20 minute wait for food. So we waited, and waited, and seen people who came in after us eating, and waited…after 45 minutes we had to go up and ask where our food was. Then it turned up within 2 minutes! We’d ordered one smashed avocado on toast (which was okay, but pretty tasteless) and one eggs royale with smoked salmon. The eggs were luke warm at best and when I asked the waitress if our order had been sat waiting she said no it has just been cooked fresh. My guess is the kitchen cooked it and someone forgot to bring it us because it was so busy. They took the order back and cooked it fresh, and when they brought it back they said it was normal for it to not be hot because of the smoked salmon, but this time the eggs were hot so I definitely think they forgot to bring us our food the first time. The eggs royale was nice in the end, but for me the wait time was off putting, it was far too busy/noisy & there were too many people with dogs inside. I know so many cafes allow it now, but I think it’s really unhygienic and inconsiderate for people who have a...

★★★★★ The Kind of Coffee That Makes Life Better

I come here every day — not out of habit, but because this place hits different. It’s more than a coffee shop. It’s a ritual, a reset, a reminder that good things still exist in this world.

The coffee? Immaculate. Smooth, bold, no bitterness — just depth, clarity, and care in every cup. You can taste the difference: this isn’t some automated pour or burnt espresso. This is specialty coffee, roasted with intention and brewed by people who actually give a damn.

The baristas know their craft. No half-hearted tamping, no lazy milk frothing. Every flat white is balanced, every pour-over is precise. And if you ever want to nerd out over beans, brew methods, or the latest limited roast — they’ve got you. Zero pretension, just passion.

The vibe? Clean but not clinical. Cool but not try-hard. Whether you’re flying solo with a book or in for a quick catch-up, it just works. The playlist is always on point — no generic café jazz here — and the people are grounded, friendly, and sharp as hell.

I’ve had coffee in a lot of places — London, Istanbul, NYC — but this one? It stays with you. Consistency like this is rare.

If you’re looking for a soulless latte with your name misspelled, go to a chain. But if you want a proper cup made by real people who know exactly what they’re doing — this...

Best coffee for miles. Chester has long suffered from a lack of speciality coffee shops, Chalk has come to the rescue. For my visit everything was spot on:

1. Nice cosy stylish space in a good central location.
2. Good, well priced coffee menu. Good choices for standard espresso from Blossom and Guest espresso from La Cabra. I wish there had been some filter coffee options but there was at least a batch brew option.
3. Friendly and attentive staff.
4. Good selection of retail coffee bags. Several choices from Denmarks La Cabra and Finlands Frukt. Would have been good to see some cheaper more local options too however. A free coffee for every purchased bag of beans os a nice touch.
5. Amazing coffee. The Mexican la cabra guest espresso I had was a real delight and genuinly one of the best espressos I've had in a very long time. The shot reminded me of a cherry liquor chocolate. I'd spend the previous weekend in London visiting coffee shops such as Prufrock and none of them could compete with what Chalk were serving on my visit.

My only regret is that I don't live closer to Chester. Chalk is well worth a visit of you're nearby and want some of the best...