Party at Moorgate is the second coffee shop from Winchester-based, coffee-roasting Aussies, The Roasting Party. Opening at the end of April, it’s a tiny space, instantly reminding me of the long-defunct original incarnation of Mother’s Milk. Located on the corner of Moorgate and London Wall, it’s a stone’s throw from Moorgate Station (and even closer to long-time residents, Wild & Wood). The only seating’s an L-shaped padded bench with two small, round tables, although to The Roasting Party’s credit, there are plenty of power outlets, which includes USB sockets.

The coffee offering’s similarly compact, with two blends and decaf on espresso (Captain for milk-based, Drake for espresso/long black), plus two daily batch brew options. This is backed up with a selection of cakes and filled croissants, but otherwise, that’s it. A word of warning: Party at Moorgate’s been cashless since the end of June, so remember to bring your card.

You can read more of my thoughts after the gallery.

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Party at Moorgate occupies a single bay-window on the right-hand side of a shared, recessed doorway. There’s a large, tall window facing out onto the street, with a second narrower, curved window leading into the shared, recessed doorway. The entrance is towards the back on the right-hand side, where you’ll find a glass door that leads into Party at Moorgate. There’s also a door directly ahead of you, but that’s for the staff who otherwise would be trapped behind the counter, which is at the back, to your left as you enter.

The only seating is ahead of you and to your right, with a padded bench that runs the width of the window and then half-way along the right-hand wall. There are two small, round tables, but otherwise that’s it. You might be able to squeeze six people along the bench at most, although it would be a crush. Despite this, Party at Moorgate doesn’t feel that small a space, partially helped by the front being almost entirely glass, added to which are the incredibly high ceilings, making Party at Moorgate taller than it is wide.

You order at the counter, where you’ll find the till in the centre, with the cake to the left and the two-group La Marzocco Linea espresso machine to the right, along with its three grinders. Impressively for such a small space, the staff will bring your coffee out to you if you are staying, so take a seat once you’ve ordered.

As well as the two blends (plus decaf) on espresso, there are two batch brew options. These are chosen every morning by the baristas, selecting from the full output of the roastery, including the two blends and a selection of single-origins (the options were an Ethiopian and a Rwandan during my visit). All the beans are available in retail bags.

I’m very familiar with The Roasting Party’s coffee, having enjoyed it many times over the last few years. My usual order is a flat white, so to change things up a little, I had a piccolo, which was excellent, the Captain blend, smooth and well-balanced, going perfectly with the milk, which held the latte art all the way to the bottom of the glass. I paired that with a slice of toasted banana bread, although a slab might be a better description. It was lovely though, with plenty of bananas and walnuts.

December 2019: Party at Moorgate was a runner-up for the 2019 Smallest Coffee Spot Award.

If you liked this Coffee Spot, then check out the rest of London’s speciality coffee scene with the Coffee Spot Guide to London.

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