Hey, what’s up?

Let’s have a chat about coffee in this post. There’s a huge difference between drinking coffee just to stay awake and actually enjoying and savoring the bitter, aromatic taste of caffeine!

Back in medical school, I would head out at midnight just to grab a cup of coffee from Starbucks, Zeus, or Family Mart—because some of these shops were open 24/7! Crazy, right? There are no 24-hour coffee shops in the UK, or at least not in Derby. I’m not sure about other places, but if you know of one, please drop a pin! (Side note: airport coffee shops don’t count—they exist in a parallel universe.)

Back to my story. During med school, coffee was my lifeline, a necessity to power through long nights of studying. But let’s be honest—the only real outcome of chugging an overpriced venti Starbucks coffee at 2 AM was a pounding heart and skyrocketing anxiety. 😂 Productivity? Questionable. Sleep? Absolutely ruined.

Spanish Latte – My Go-To Pick

My all-time favorite is a Spanish Latte. But do you guys actually know what a latte is? It depends on where you are! “Latte” can mean different things depending on the country, but in the UK, it’s essentially espresso mixed with steamed milk. (Espresso, by the way, is a concentrated shot of coffee made by forcing hot water through finely ground beans—yes, I totally copied that from Wikipedia.)

Fun fact: According to a study by Project Café USA, the latte is one of the most-ordered types of coffee in the UK. And I get it—there’s something comforting about it. In winter, I go for a hot latte, but in summer, iced latte is my best friend. There’s just something mesmerizing about watching the milk and coffee swirl together to create that perfect light brown gradient.

My Favorite Coffee Shops

Now, let’s talk coffee shops—arguably the heart and soul of any caffeine enthusiast’s routine.

1. Caffè Nero – My absolute favorite. I visit almost weekly, and I recently tried their Iced Velvet Americano—so smooth, so foamy, so refreshing! Plus, they have great vegetarian-friendly snacks. Their Italian tiramisu? Chef’s kiss.
2. 200 Degrees Coffee – I love this place mainly because they serve Spanish Latte, but the food options are a bit limited for me. However, their cozy, rustic interior makes up for it!
3. Coffee #1 – Another cozy spot with a great seasonal menu. I had their Pumpkin Spice Latte during autumn, and let’s just say it was the warm hug I didn’t know I needed.
4. Costa Coffee – My least favourite, but it’s literally in every NHS building, so convenience wins. They recently introduced a Spanish Latte, but honestly, 200 Degrees does it better. Sorry, Costa, but you’re my “last resort” caffeine fix.

There are a few other coffee places I’d love to visit more often, but they haven’t opened in Derby yet:

• Blank Street Coffee – Their matcha is just chef’s kiss.
• The Milkman (Edinburgh) – Incredible coffee, but I’d have to travel all the way to Scotland for it, which feels a bit extreme for a caffeine fix.
• Castleton Coffee Co. (Peak District) – Great coffee in a beautiful setting, but again, a bit of a trek just for a cup.

Why I Love Coffee Shops

On my off days, if I don’t have weekend plans, I love going to coffee shops to chill, do some studying, or call my mum to give her life updates (because let’s be real, a 10-minute call can turn into a 45-minute life debrief). Coffee shops also make the perfect meeting spots before heading out somewhere, or even as a pit stop after a long day of traveling—because nothing recharges the soul quite like a good cup of coffee.

Wrapping Up

I could keep going and turn this blog into a full-blown novel about the science of caffeine—how it affects the nervous system, messes with your cardiovascular system, and makes you pee more (the classic coffee diuretic effect). But let’s stop before I start sounding like a medical textbook.

Hope you guys enjoyed this coffee-fueled rant! See you in the next post! ☕😊