Electric Coffee Co., Goldhawk Road (COVID-19)

A flat white in my HuskeeCup at Electric Coffee Co. on Goldhawk RoadBack in the day, before I’d started the Coffee Spot, Ealing’s Electric Coffee Co. was one of a handful of speciality coffee shops in London. Fast forward 10+ years, and it’s fair to say that it’s now one of a handful of speciality coffee shops in Ealing, such has been the growth of the London scene. And that’s not the only thing that’s been growing. Since opening in 2008, Electric Coffee Co. has expanded its original coffee shop, started its own roasting operation, opened a second location (in St John’s Wood) and now there’s a third, on Goldhawk Road.

When I visited last week, seating was limited to the four outside tables, but as of this morning, the interior seating should be open, including the multi-roomed basement and the sunny room at the back. There are also plans for a small, outdoor terrace accessed through the basement. The coffee offering is fairly simple, with a concise espresso-based menu featuring the Rocket 88 blend. This is backed up by a range of toasted sandwiches and other savouries, plus cakes. Retail bags of coffee are for sale, where they’re joined, unusually, by a small range of Italian groceries.

You can read more of my thoughts after the gallery.

  • Electric Coffee Co. on the corner of Goldhawk Road and Richford Street...
  • ... and the view as seen approaching along Richford Street.
  • You'll find two large windows and a pair of well-spaced two-person tables down this side.
  • One of the tables in more detail.
  • The door, meanwhile, is on the corner at 45° to both Goldhawk Road and Richford Street.
  • There are two more tables under the window on Goldhawk Road. And there's a sign...
  • ... pointing the way to the coffee, so let's go in.
  • There are some instructions on the door (COVID-19 dos and don'ts).
  • The view from just inside the door, with the counter on the right.
  • A better view of the counter, which occupies the whole right-hand side.
  • On the left, meanwhile, is the retail selection...
  • ... with a range of Italian groceries on a table at the back...
  • ... and bags of coffee, plus tea, on a bar at the front. The bar, by the way, continues...
  • ... around to the front where you'll find a couple of stools, the only seating in this section.
  • The good news is that there's a lot more seating at the back. Stairs lead down to the...
  • ... basement and, next to them, up to this seating area. By the time you read this...
  • ... these seatings areas should be open. Check out the skylight (and plants) at the back.
  • The once obligatory lighting shot.
  • One light, or two?
  • Last one, I promise.
  • To business. You order at the counter on the right. The savouries had all gone...
  • ... by the time I got there, but they live at the front of the counter with the cakes.
  • The cnocise menu is behind the counter, on the wall between the windows.
  • The coffee is Electric Coffee Co.'s own Rocket 88 blend, a mix of...
  • ... 50% El Savador and two different Brazilian coffees.
  • I tried it in a flat white in my HuskeeCup.
  • Check out the lovely latte art.
  • I paired it with a slice of the excellent carrot cake, which is where I'll leave you.
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I visited Electric Coffee Co. as part of my geographically-challenged tour of Chiswick last week (the coffee shop being at the northern edge of Hammersmith: I blame my friend Adele). This used to be the Swallow Coffee Shop, as evidenced by the artwork on the external wall, which opened in 2017. However, the COVID-19 pandemic hit hard, causing the otherwise successful coffee shop to struggle and in December last year, Electric Coffee Co. stepped in to acquire the business.

Electric Coffee Co. is on the busy Goldhawk Road, which forms the northern boundary of Hammersmith, and is just around the corner from Goldhawk Road Station on the Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines. The narrow shopfront is on the south side of Goldhawk Road, but it goes a long way back along the much quieter Richford Street. There are a pair of two-person tables out front, to the left of the door, with two more down the right-hand side along Richford Street. The door itself shows no favouritism, sitting on the corner at 45° to both.

Inside, it’s a bright, open space with high ceilings. A single window at the front runs the shop’s full width, while there are two large windows down the right-hand side, which is where you’ll find the counter, cakes to the fore, followed by the till, Mythos One grinder and La Marzocco Linea espresso machine. There’s also borrowed light from the seating area at the back, while mirrors on the left-hand wall add to a sense of light and space.

There’s not much seating in this front section, just a small, two-person window-bar which extends under the mirrors along the left-hand wall. While I was there, this housed retail bags of coffee and takeaway lids, but it might have been pressed to service as additional seating now that the interior has opened up. Beyond this, on the left, is a large table holding the Italian groceries.

The bulk of the seating is at the back, where stairs on the left lead both up to an equally bright and spacious seating area with windows at the back and a large skylight, and down to a multi-part basement. This looks gorgeous and has several smaller, cosy seating areas, plus a door at the back which leads to a small terrace behind Electric Coffee Co. There are plans to open this too, but it will depend on the COVID-19 restrictions.

When I visited, Electric Coffee Co. was only serving in disposable cups, although my barista was happy to accept my HuskeeCup. I took my coffee outside, sitting on the quieter Richford Street side, shaded from the afternoon sun by a large awning. Note that I say quieter, rather than quiet, since there is plenty of noise from the busy Goldhawk Road, although I found it interesting that I didn’t hear the railway, which runs past on an elevated line no more than 30 metres away on the other side of the shop.

I had a lovely, smooth, rich flat white, the Rocket 88 blend in perfect harmony with the milk. I paired this with a slice of carrot cake, served in a paper bag. Rich and moist, with a creamy, but not sickly, cream cheese topping, it was sublime, perfectly filling that mid-afternoon gap between lunch and dinner.

75 GOLDHAWK ROAD • HAMMERSMITH • LONDON • W12 8EH
www.electriccoffee.co.uk
Monday 08:00 – 17:30 Roaster Electric Coffee Co. (espresso only)
Tuesday 08:00 – 17:30 Seating Window Bar, Tables; Tables (outside)
Wednesday 08:00 – 17:30 Food Sandwiches, Cakes
Thursday 08:00 – 17:30 Service Counter
Friday 08:00 – 17:30 Payment Card Only
Saturday 09:00 – 17:00 Wifi Free with code
Sunday 09:00 – 17:00 Power Yes
Chain Local Visits 10th, 11th May 2021

Liked this? Then don’t forget to check out the Coffee Spot Guide to London for more great Coffee Spots.


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