Muse coffee co. (London Road) — Restaurant in Southampton

Unfortunately we had a very disappointing service today. My friend ordered a coffee , which took over 20 minutes to arrive. After waiting for some time she went to check if it was ready and was told 'it is on its way' , still waited 10 minutes after that. When it finally arrived, it was in a plastic take away cup, whilst we ordered coffee to drink in. When we then expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that we had to wait for such a long time, a member of staff who served us explained in an agitated way that this was because my friend's card payment was declined; however no one has told her that, even when she went to check if her coffee was ready. She added that we are not the only customers waiting and suggested that maybe we should be doing waffles/etc for them as they can't do it all. Whilst I understand that the place was busy , it was not that busy to warrant a long wait, not being told about problem with payment and certainly not the unprofessional response from one of your staff member. The coffee was given in a take away paper cup because they ran out of china cups- again would have been nice to be asked if my friend was ok about it. The coffee was then re-served in a china cup, but the whole situation was this dealt with unprofessionally and made us feel uncomfortable. To add to all of this, the upstairs room where we sat waiting for over 20 minutes was cold with no heating. Because of all this, I felt that I wanted to talk to the manager and asked the lady about manager's details, her response was 'look on Instagram' .. I wouldn't have put a one star review if it was only about the wait, paper cup or heating on its own, it is for the overall service and lack of care from one of the staff members. I understand that you are very busy serving many customers but maybe a little more welcoming attitude would have been nice. I feel that a discount off the price of coffee should have been offered to my friend for the long wait rather than 'do it yourself, if you like' response from...

⭐ 5 / 5

I stopped into Muse Coffee Co. on London Road after a stroll through East Park and it’s instantly become a favourite. The double-shot Americano was everything a black coffee should be—rich, smooth, and served at the perfect temperature. Staff were warm and efficient, turning out drinks quickly even with a steady queue.

Extra kudos for the story behind the shop: it’s independently owned by a British-Pakistani family and clearly loved by Southampton’s diverse community, including many Arab regulars who popped in while I was there. That mix of cultures gives the place a welcoming, cosmopolitan vibe you won’t find in the chains.

The space is compact but well laid out, with window seats looking straight onto the park’s greenery—ideal for people-watching or a quick laptop session (free Wi-Fi and plenty of sockets). Prices are fair for speciality coffee, and there’s no surcharge for alt-milks, which is a refreshing policy.

Late opening hours (7 am – 8 pm) and end-of-day Too Good To Go pastry bags are the icing on the cake for bargain hunters who hate food waste. If you’re after quality coffee, friendly service, and a genuinely multicultural buzz in the city centre, Muse should be top...

Modern,boutique style coffee shop delights tastebuds with visual appeal in equal amounts

Newly opened what stands out here is the on trend interior design without being pretentious or serving up lacklustre offerings to the parched or ravenous amongst us

Hot drinks menu that caters for many and a fresh cake selection that’s sure to induce a salivary sensation

Chocolate orange brownie was crisp on top with a soft chewy inside and decent balance of flavours without being overly sweet

Vegan sausage roll providing a flaky pastry casing and flavoursome, well textured insides

The new place in town can often be overlooked by those wary of the crisp, untouched freshness and seemingly less footfall than the mainstream chain offerings

Little do they know it’ll be the best culinary choice they’ll make all day, unless they choose to give it a go

Let it be there loss, not...