Sometimes I physically stumble across places, such as Monday’s Coffee Spot, Medicine New Street. More often, the stumbling is virtual, as it was when I spotted Hatch a few weeks ago on Instagram. A relatively new addition to Birmingham’s speciality coffee scene, Hatch is part of Hazel & Haydn, a hairdressers in the Jewellery Quarter. It’s strictly takeaway though, with seating limited to two benches outside on the pavement.

Hatch is well-named since it’s effectively just that, a hatch (or, for the more pedantic, a window) at the far end of Hazel & Haydn. This opens onto the street, allowing Bianca, Hatch’s barista, to serve customers from her single-group La Marzocco G3. Using the Dark Horse blend from nearby Quarter Horse Coffee Roasters, Hatch has an extremely concise espresso-based menu, plus hot chocolate, tea and a very limited range of cakes. Since it’s takeaway only, don’t forget to bring your own cup.

You can read more of my thoughts after the gallery.

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Having opened briefly last year before COVID-19 restrictions put an end to that, Hatch only re-opened when the restrictions were eased in April this year. Located on Caroline Street in the heart of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, it serves a dual purpose, providing in-house drinks to Hazel & Haydn’s customers, while also serving the general public from the window to the street.

Hatch is somewhere you could easily walk past without noticing, although the A-board does a good job of catching the eye. Hazel & Haydn occupies the ground floor of a modern brick and glass building on the eastern side of the street, its central door flanked by a pair brick pillars, beyond which is a pair of tall, thin windows on either side.

Currently, your seating options are limited to the two benches on the pavement, one on either side of the door to Hazel & Haydn, although there are plans to add small outside tables, so you’ll have something to put your coffee on. There’s actually a lovely little inside seating area which would double as a really neat café, but it’s reserved for Hazel & Haydn’s customers, which is understandable, since it’s very small and can quickly get busy (I caught it on a rare quiet moment according to the staff).

Hatch is at the far, right-hand end of Hazel & Haydn, its window opening inwards, which makes sense from a safety point of view, but which frustratingly partly obscures the La Marzocco G3 espresso machine inside (although I suspect this really only matters to those who, like me, enjoy watching their espresso extract). The menu, meanwhile, is written on the glass to the right of the open window, your options limited to espresso, long black, flat white, latte and cappuccino. There are also some bite-size brownies with plans to add pastries to the menu.

Just head up to the window and Bianca, the barista who runs Hatch for Hazel & Haydn, will take your order and make your coffee before handing it to you through the window (a shelf, where Bianca can put your coffee, is on the way as I type, being made around the corner at Dual Works).

I started my day with a flat white in my HuskeeCup, the Dark Horse blend from Quarter Horse going really well with the milk, for a rich, creamy coffee. The milk was also superbly steamed, holding the latte art all the way to the bottom of the cup. Then, after a quick chat with Bianca and a sneaky tour of the interior, I was on my way again, off to explore the rest of what the Jewellery Quarter had to offer.

December 2021: Hatch @ Hazel & Haydn was a runner-up for the 2021 Best Takeaway Coffee Award.

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

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