There’s a new coffee shop in St Andrews! I know many people in this town have their die-hard favorites that they stand by. This new addition was one I wanted to see and try for myself, so I brought along some friends to try it with me. I’m here to share with you all my experience.
Walking by, it’s pretty unassuming, and most people I’ve spoken to didn’t know about it. The shop is new in town and is called Palompo’s Italian Espresso Bar. It’s a green storefront just by St Mary’s Quad, across the street from the Criterion. There aren’t too many coffee locations in that area, so it could be a convenient alternative to the long walk to Taste if you live over there. The hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the week, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sundays.
There is almost nothing about it online because it’s so new; there aren’t even any ratings! Because of this, I was interested to see what it would be like in terms of atmosphere and menu. Within the coffee shop, the Italian theme is definitely well incorporated. The walls are decorated with Aperol spritz, Italian phrases, and Rome graphic posters in bright, fun colors, which they also sell. The atmosphere is quite cozy and aesthetic; I liked it. It was warmly lit and welcoming. They also had some great music playing lightly in the background.
The shop does coffees of various sorts but doesn’t have the robust menu of other places in town. Besides coffee, they also sell chips, sandwiches, cakes, and biscuits. Some of the sandwiches they have are tomato mozzarella and pesto, grilled vegetables, and prosciutto. I came during breakfast, so I didn’t give them a try, but you can go see for yourself!
We went in the morning at about 9 a.m., and it was empty besides one other customer in our time there. We didn’t have to wait in a line when we walked up, and the two people working behind the counter were attentive. If you like a bit more of the quiet vibe compared to a Taste or a Pret, this is for you.
I ordered what I think is a good baseline: an oat latte. Normally, I might go for a vanilla syrup, and they were selling Cafe Pocco Italian syrups so I would assume they would use the same in their drinks, but I wanted to have a taste of just the coffee for myself without the addition of sweetness. Some places do the classic oat latte quite well; I’m a fan of Mitchell’s, and I always love a Black Sheep oat latte if this gives you a sense of my personal coffee pallet while rating this. My friends ordered their drink of choice as well and we all split the espresso cake. The drinks came out in less than a few minutes, and they gave us the cake from the display in a little cardboard box.
First, I’ll give a review of my oat latte. It was £3.35 which seems to be a pretty average price for coffee in St Andrews, and the green cup it came in was a normal size. In terms of flavor, I would say if you like a softer coffee, this is for you. I like a bit more intense taste that mixes with the oat milk smoothly, so it wouldn’t top my St Andrews favorites, but it was still pretty good.
However, for my second rating, we all tried bites of the espresso cake, which was delicious. The espresso flavor was delicate. I also find that a dry cake is one of the surest ways to make me dislike it, but the cake part was incredibly moist and delectable. I often find frosting to be too thick and overpowering, and this sickly sweetness can make desserts unappetizing, but I found the buttercream espresso frosting on top to be unbelievably light and wonderful. Keeping these positive attributes in mind, we all had good ratings for the treat.
Next, we were wondering what seating would be like in Palompo’s. While there are stools and a bar to sit at while you wait for your drink or enjoy your pastry, I would say this is more of a to-go place and not exactly a study space. Although, it is a beautiful ambiance to begin your morning.
Go try it out for yourself, and see what you think!