In my original review, I said "Irritating note: the door tends to stick letting the warm air out…read moreinto the street. They really need to fix this!" Using the store's wi-fi, I sent an email to the contact address on starbucks.co.uk and a few days after the holidays, I got an email apologizing for the situation. They called the store manager and it has been reported to maintenance. And she asked me for my address so she could send me a thank you and apology. I got two free drink chits, which I really did not expect. Very nice! Thanks Starbucks, that's another star for you!

***This 5-Star review is for the Starbucks in the Oracle Center of Reading, but it can probably be…read moregeneralized for those in the London-ish area.*** Okay, I thought Starbucks would be all the same because they are a ubiquitous global brand like McDonald's. I was so happy that I was wrong! I had the fortune of staying in Reading for nearly two weeks for seminars. I was excited about the food but not about the prices; this was when 1.96 dollars equaled 1 quid, and virtually every restaurant (including McDonald's) seemed to cost twice as much as it did in the DC-area--that is, except Starbucks. Fortunately for me, I was staying at the Novotel and this Starbucks was a quick dash from the hotel's lobby. For years before visiting Reading, the quality of food at Starbucks in the DC-area (the same options offered in other major U.S. cities as well) was diving from decent to painfully mediocre--not to mention way too expensive for tired, dry, and blah-nd food. After savoring my first sandwich at the Reading Starbucks, I could not believe my taste buds that I was having a gourmet experience at a Starbucks for its food! Where do I start? The paninis and sandwiches would make the namesake earl proud: Canadian Bacon-Egg-Roasted Mushroom Panini, Havarti Egg Panini, NY Strip Steak with Cheese Panini, Pesto Chicken Spinach Panini, Chicken Bacon Club Sandwich, Chicken with Rocket and Lemon Vinaigrette, Smoked Salmon and Rocket Sandwich, and Egg Salad. All of them were good to outstanding. The paninis could be freshly pressed (excellent way to start the morning) or taken away to be eaten cold like the sandwiches. Among pastries, the Pain au Raisin was like a delicate cinnamon roll, the Butter Croissant was tops, the Skinny Peach-Raspberry and Orange Muffins were sweet, tart, and matched the black coffees well, while the Wildflower Honey Yogurt Parfait was lightly zingy. As for the beverages, the Ethiopian and Cafe Esteema coffees were excellent and the (locally) bottled smoothies provided a shot of floral-tangy-sweet-refreshing energy (Mango-Passion Fruit and Grape-Acai were my favorite). Unlike in the DC-area, the coffees were served in big mugs for dine-in customers. It is nice to know that I am saving a few trees while savoring a fresh, hot mug of Cafe Mocha. The ambiance was cozy and hip, while the service gave me a glimpse into Reading's fun local flavour :) All in all, I ate at this Starbucks nearly twice a day everyday (including takeaway for later lunch or dinner), which afforded me to save up for splurges (from the American dollar perspective) at London's truly exquisite restaurants (Mandarin Kitchen, Rasoi Vineet Bhatia, and Chez Bruce). With the exception of Panera, I cannot think of such outstanding sandwiches and pastries served at Reading's Starbucks. The disparity in food quality between the Starbucks in the U.S. and the U.K. is vaster than the Atlantic. If only Howard Schultz and company realize this, I will be as frequent a customer for the food alone at SBUX as PNRA ;-)

Without a doubt, one of the best cups of coffee I've had since arriving in Reading (other than my…read moreown at home, of course), Workhorse is truly all about the coffee. Technically a chain (because there are now two of them), this is a very small independent player, competing on Reading's "coffee corner" with six other shops within 100 yards (Starbucks, Costa, Coffee Republic, West Cornwall Pasty, Pret and the one-off independent Picnic). This location of Workhorse (the other is in West Reading) is in the historic King George Hotel, believed to be one of the very oldest buildings in Reading and dates back to 1423. The shop is a completely unique split-level and since they only opened recently, is still quaintly hand finished. Certainly a nicer character than the cookie cutter Starbucks. If the competition is only about the coffee and the service, Workhorse wins hands down. Choosing my beans (eight little tubs of Guatemalan, Ethiopian, Kenyan and more I can't recall), they were ground right then and there, put into a one-off drip filter and hand watered into my coffee cup. Talk about fresh! And the food choices are all local, which made my ham, chorizo and cheese ciabatta completely guilt-free. The guy serving me was happy to talk coffee. He was particularly engaging regarding their style of coffee making as well as my thoughts on french press. He didn't get drawn into comparisons with "the other guys" across the street. (Literally, across the street - you can see their bright green banner in the window in my picture!) All of that would be worth five stars, but I have to take one back because sadly, there is no free wireless available in the shop. As I read online, that's not the demographic of customer they want to reach. That's okay. Since that's the market I'm in, I'll pop in for great coffee but it won't be my hangout.

Sunday morning find here in Reading in a quaint spot located at The George Hotel. Ordered an…read moreAmericano with cream. Wow, flush with flavour and taste, just the right amount of bitterness. The coffee bean selection looks exceptional and looking forward to repeated visits.

A really nice coffee shop indeed. It has a chilled, relaxed atmosphere with smiles all around…read more The staff are very polite and the coffee (mine being a mocha frappuccino) was delicious. It has leather couches inside and an outside seating area for the sun or smokers. Definately a place to go if you want to relax or meet friends.

I would say starbucks is slough's equivelent to Central Perk cafe in friends. Rivaled mainly heavy…read morehitting coffee purveyor Costa, starbucks is one of only a few large cafés around. Not only do they serve the usual coffee and muffins, they also serve lunch type food such as paninis and a great hos of hot drinks. The baristas are amiable but not very patient as I found out when my friend admitted he is a rookie when it comes to coffee and asked what the difference is between the coffee. I dont blame him; the selection is almost too big. There is seating available both indoors and outside. Inside is very cosy and the theme is art neuveu, outside is cold!

What can anyone say about a Starbucks? As a rule is is consistent coffee and you pretty much know…read morewhat you are getting. This location is clean and inviting with extra seating upstairs. I won't argue about Costa vs Starbucks vs local coffees as they are all different. If you want a reliable cup of coffee this will do the trick!

This Starbucks branch is located on the corner of the Wolsey Place shopping centre opposite Cafe…read moreGardinio. It occupies two storeys, with the first having a few seats and tables and a large serving area with glass cabinets containing pastries and sandwiches. The upstairs has large sofas and chairs, as well as a free wifi connection. During peak times it is often very crowded in there, and towards the end of the day they sometimes run out of ingredients for drinks which can be annoying. Otherwise the service is generally to a very high standard, with the staff being very pleasant and friendly to customers.

It's a Thursday early morning and here I am needed a refreshing coffee (other drinks are available)…read moreand some food for breakfast. Parking at the top of the High Street (G-Live) I have made my way to Starbucks which is a small coffee shop near to RGS - so I was expecting it to be busy and nowhere to sit - well imagine my surprise as on arrival it wasn't that at all and loads of places to sit, of course you can takeaway if you wish and carry on into town. The coffee as always was good - an americano all the way for me and with a ham and cheese croissant you just can't go wrong

Pros This Starbucks is located on the High Street near Guildford's pedestrianised town centre. It's…read morenot huge, but has a fair few tables and chairs and has a comfortable, cosy atmosphere. The coffee bar is fairly large and has some competent baristas who are friendly and welcoming and who can confidently make up your favourite coffee. Cons This Starbucks looks more like a caff than a cafe, and the staff are always a little behind on clearing the empty mugs.

Finally an independent coffee specialty cafe in Watford Hooray!!! And bloody great one at that too…read more The cafe is run by a lovely couple who are passionate about coffee and food. The cafe has that beautiful wooden floor finish, both in flooring and seating. They also have stools by the window if you want to watch the world go by. They have quirky lighting and lovely counter where you can see all that delicious food. Their are also framed photographs from the couple's worldly travels. I tried their Latte and I was in Heaven I had to sip that slow. I also had their festive porridge with the currents/sultanas on top, which was delicious. Their banana bread is to die for! Please get it toasted. I've also tried their homemade cake's which was a carrot cake and brownie which was lovely too. I also got to try their juicy, well seasoned sausage roll. They have an in and out pricing on their food it's roughly between £2-£5 but also do deals as well like coffee and bacon roll £3.10 from 8am to 11am. They have a corner where you can pick up flyers/leaflet of local events, and also a independent coffee magazine. The the also provide daily newspaper, and free wifi Its medium in size, so when it is packed, they do encourage you to share tables. The staff are friendly and have great customer service. I love the atmosphere in here, they have a really good playlist and love the fact that it gives a little bit of London in Watford.

i love this place so much!!! my go to order of a Portuguese tart and iced oat latte never fails to…read moremake me happy :) staff are always really nice and talkative! one of my favourite coffee shops in watford

My favourite costa really friendly polite staff I don't even have to ask for my order they know…read moreexactly what I want ice and warm on a cold day the latte is really good

Delicious coffee in a cute, off the street, coffee house. A few small bite options and brewing…read moreOzone coffee beans. Lovely stop!

Likely the best coffee in the Windsor area. They're the only one with coffee approaching a medium…read moreroast. They also offer single origin coffee and non-espresso options, which is shockingly unique in this area. The staff are exceptionally friendly and the location is very quaint. This is definitely worth a visit, especially as it is near both train stations, the bus depot, tour bus gateway, river cruise, and all sorts of other attractions (like, say, a giant castle).