What does your preferred Liverpool coffee shop say about you?

It’s winter time which means that it’s the time of year we desperately flock to grab a coffee to study, catch up with friends, or to just stay out of the winter weather. For students, the coffee shop is vital as we require a coffee or two to get through deadline season.

For students in Liverpool, choosing your coffee shop is like choosing your football team — it’s tribal. So prepare to be read, as I profile your favourite Liverpool coffee shop and what it says about you.

Costa Coffee

Don’t tell anyone I was here

Oh, you’re probably reading this on a train back to your hometown. If you frequently visit Costa Coffee then I hate to break it to you, but you’re dull.

Although its familiarity feels like a warm hug to some, I only feel pity for you as you’ve specifically chosen to take time out of your day to go to the cultural abyss of Costa. For this, I can say that you radiate ‘live, laugh, love’ energy. Chances are, you’re probably an avid viewer of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and you drink copious amounts of Orange VKs in Level.

Starbucks

Ignore the picture quality — I was undercover

Ok, so you’re on campus. I know you wouldn’t choose Starbucks anywhere else.

In this case, you are the typical chaotic University of Liverpool student. You most likely live in Smithdown and spend your days studying in the Sydney Jones library, or in reality, debriefing from nights out sat at the computers in the Grove Wing.

For some reason, you don’t flinch at the idea of shedding out £5 for a Starbucks concoction, but you’re always the person who is perennially ‘broke’ or ‘skint’. Despite this, you’ll always rock up to the pres with a fresh bottle of Smirnoff vodka in hand the same evening.

Caffè Nero

One black Americano please, pronto!

You think you’re superior to those who go to Costa or Starbucks. I hate to burst your bubble, but you are not special.

Despite feeling above the others, you’re still intimidated by the hipsters of the independent roasteries. I can, therefore, only say that you are the definition of ‘middle of the road’. I imagine that you study something like economics and you almost definitely lived in the catered wing of Vine Court.

To add insult to injury, you also find yourself justifying your patronage by explaining that the coffee is made using two espresso shots, so it’s more authentic and Italian. Come off it — you’re from Berkshire!

Pret A Manger

You probably cosplay a London graduate

I 100% know why you go here—it’s the Pret subscription. That’s valid.

You’re money savvy and don’t care what people think. For that, I praise you. You’d happily spend a couple of hours absorbing a frappé or two whilst catching up on work productively, despite Pret’s cheesy in-house radio. For some reason, Pret A Manger customer screams university course rep material. So, on top of that Pret subscription, you probably also have quite the impressive Linkedin at age 20.

Bold Street Coffee

Are Tyler The Creator, Frank Ocean and Brockhampton all in your Spotify Wrapped?

I’ll be blunt—you are an insufferable hipster. After raiding the vintage shops of Bold Street, you love nothing more than heading to Bold Street Coffee for an oat milk flat white, sitting down and scrolling through Depop before reaching for a Camel cigarette for the ‘aesthetic’. Not to forget, the obligatory Tame Impala playlist on blast through your noise-cancelling headphones.

In all fairness, the coffee here is good, but the people sat on the benches outside waiting in anticipation for a TikTok street photographer do grind my gears.

92 Degrees

I imagine you proudly own a coffee table book on architecture

Ok, you are what the hipsters want to be: an understated main character. 92 Degrees doesn’t try too hard to be cool, which is harder for an independent coffee shop than you think. Whilst some may scoff at your suggestion to go to 92 Degrees for a slightly more premium brew, you savour the craftsmanship of the coffee.

When it comes to a profile, I could say a few things. I know for a fact you spend your holidays at hostels in Europe. I have a strong suspicion you’ve bought a nice pair of trousers from Arket or Uniqlo at some point in your life. And, your bedroom is most likely a shrine to Nordic minimalism.