Moss Coffee

Some lovely latte art in my flat white, made with the Arboretum Blend from Dark Woods and served at Moss Coffee, Chester.Having grown up just over the border in North Wales, Chester is, in many ways, my home city. I frequently pass though on my way to/from my Dad’s, but rarely stop, partly due to circumstance, but also because, when it comes to coffee, there’s not much to entice me to get off one stop earlier at Chester Station. However, with the arrival of the likes of Moss Coffee, that’s slowly changing.

Chester has struggled a little with speciality coffee. Apart from the well-established The Barista’s and Jaunty Goat, coffee shops, such as Moon Beer & Coffee, have tended to come and go. Hopefully Moss Coffee can buck that trend. It’s off to good start, serving an espresso-based menu with the Arboretum blend from Dark Woods, along with a small selection of locally-baked cakes. The owner, Daniel, is keeping things simple for now, with plans to expand in the future.

June 2020: Moss Coffee has reopened for takeaway coffee. You can see what I made of it when I visited at the start of August.

You can read more of my thoughts after the gallery.

  • Chester's Brooke Street is home to the modest shop front of newcomer, Moss Coffee.
  • Nice tiles. I should have thought to ask who/what 'The L.C.M. Co. Ltd' was though.
  • Inside, the coffee shop is as modest as its exterior. This is the view from by the door.
  • The large counter, made from reclaimed wood, dominates the room.
  • There's space to the right of the counter, where you can order and wait for takeaway.
  • There's also this small bar right at the back if you're staying in.
  • Alternatively, grab a stool at the front of the counter for great coffee-making views.
  • Finally, there's some more seating in the window at the front...
  • ... where you'll find this bench seat and its split-level coffee table.
  • While there's plenty of light from the window, there are also lots of light-fittings.
  • These exposed bulbs hang above the counter...
  • Meanwhile, these beauties, with their geometric shades, are above the bar at the back.
  • Another of these beauties hangs above the table in the window.
  • There's a small retail shelf opposite the counter...
  • ... where you can buy coffee from Dark Woods, the roaster who supplies Moss.
  • Down to business. The large counter is lovely and uncluttered.
  • The grinder and espresso machine are on the far side, so you get a good view.
  • The neat, concise menu is on the wall to the left of the counter...
  • ... leaving the front of the counter clear for cakes, such as these doughnuts.
  • I started off with a flat white, made with Arboretum Blend from Dark Woods.
  • Lovely latte art. I enjoyed my flat white and was curious to see how the coffee went...
  • ... on its own, so returned to the counter to order an espresso. First, grind a dose.
  • 18 grams. Spot on!
  • After a quick tamp, the portafilter is attached and off we go.
  • Baristas have all sorts of methods of getting the cup in the right place... :-)
  • As ever, I love watching espresso extract.
  • The end result, in a classic, white cup.
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Moss Coffee, which opened in December 2017, is very conveniently located (if you travel by public transport) on Brooke Street, just under five minutes’ walk from the new Chester Bus Interchange in one direction and not much more than five minutes’ walk from Chester Railway Station in the other. A small spot, it occupies a traditional shop front, the door recessed on the right and a large picture window on the left.

Inside, the layout is just as simple, with the counter, a beautiful affair, built of reclaimed wood, on the left at the back. There’s a small amount of seating, consisting of a wide bench seat in the window, a couple of stools at the front of the counter and a narrow bar at the back on the right. That’s it (for now) since although there’s an upstairs it’s currently not open to the public.

Although small, the interior is beautiful, full of clean lines and with a certain uncluttered elegance, aided by the wooden floorboards and exposed lightbulbs. You order at the till, which on the right-hand side of the counter, where you’ll also find the water station and a small cake selection, delivered fresh each day. The La Marzocco Linea espresso machine and EK-30 grinder are on the opposite side of the counter, so you can, if you like, stand there and watch your coffee being made. Alternatively, take a seat and Daniel will bring your coffee over when it’s ready. For the best of both worlds, grab one of the stools at the front of the counter which afford an excellent view of Daniel at work.

Talking of coffee, Daniel is keeping things simple for now, with the Arboretum blend from Dark Woods in the hopper, although there are plans for a second grinder and potentially guest roasters in due course. There’s an equally simple espresso-based menu and a limited selection of retail bags, including a couple of single-origins while I was there.

At Daniel’s suggestion, I started off with a flat white, coffee and milk working well together to produce a rich, full-bodied coffee. I followed that up with an espresso and also nabbed a caramel doughnut for the train. The espresso was very good, Daniel pulling a fairly long shot. On its own, the coffee was a little acidic, with plenty of fruity notes coming strongly through. The doughnut, meanwhile, was excellent, and surprisingly unsticky, so I was able to eat it on the train without creating too much mess.


December 2020: Moss Coffee was a runner-up for the 2020 Best Takeaway Coffee Award.

65 BROOK STREET • CHESTER • CH1 3DZ
www.mosscoffee.co.uk +44 (0) 1244 340642
Monday 08:30 – 17:00 Roaster Dark Woods (espresso + batch brew)
Tuesday 08:30 – 16:00 Seating Window-bench, Bar, Counter
Wednesday 08:30 – 17:00 Food Cakes
Thursday 08:30 – 17:00 Service Order at Counter
Friday 08:30 – 17:00 Payment Cards + Cash
Saturday 08:30 – 17:00 Wifi No
Sunday CLOSED Power Limited
Chain No Visits Original: 31st March 2018
Update: 7th August 2020

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7 thoughts on “Moss Coffee

  1. Haven’t had a chance to try Moss yet but will do. The Flower Cup is pretty good in Chester city centre, it’s so good to see new places springing up.

    • I agree about The Flower Cup. Also, there is now Chalk, opened by the brother of one of the Jaunty Goat owners. Excellent coffee and an interesting interior

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