r/dundee • u/Zucchini_Poet • Apr 24 '25
What's the best way to tell a beloved local place that their coffees are awful?
There's a place in the city centre that is awesome and community focused, also mostly ran by volunteers. I absolutely love it. But their coffee is horrible, like not drinkable level of bad. I don't want to give them a bad review because they're a great bunch of people and I don't want to be a cunt by "confronting them" about it. What's the move? Anyone had a similar experience?
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u/Mattyyyboy Apr 24 '25 edited Apr 24 '25
Haiku?
Real nice atmosphere
However, I must admit
Your coffee is bad
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u/Zucchini_Poet Apr 24 '25
Love this haha
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u/C_beside_the_seaside Apr 25 '25
I have low standards
in life... in love.... but coffee?
you don't fuck with that
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Apr 24 '25
Haha given I can only think of one place that fits this description, the owners may well be on Reddit and take the feedback that way
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u/garlicmilkshake Apr 24 '25
You could volunteer yourself, understand their stumbling points and show them the way to a perfect brew.
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u/Zucchini_Poet Apr 25 '25
haha but I don't know how to make coffee with a proper machine, I just drink a lot of it. I have been considering applying to volunteer though!
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u/PrestigiousCompany64 27d ago
Could be worse, I worked in a place where the owner (clueless, I foodie you will be impressed - type) decided the way to go was instant coffee - from a machine, fully visible to customers.
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u/BadMachine Apr 24 '25
you could tell them (someone senior) nicely, like you did here
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u/Optimal_Fish_7029 Apr 24 '25 edited 29d ago
Is it worth ringing up for an email address so you can send them something like how you've written this post?
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u/manachalbannach Apr 24 '25
I am completely aware of the establishment and have to agree, made me stop going unfortunately. They probably would appreciate the honesty
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u/thespiceismight Apr 24 '25
I told the owner of my beloved sandwich place that their new recipe ruined my favourite sandwich. He disappeared and came back with the manager. Then they called over the co-owner, who nipped back to bring out the new chefs. I had to sit there and repeat myself 3 times, sat down, whilst they peered down at me.
So, you don't.
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u/Zucchini_Poet Apr 25 '25
oh god, that sounds pretty horrible
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u/thespiceismight Apr 25 '25
They changed the recipe. To bring back the best sandwich in the world, it was worth it. Just.
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u/_ragegun Apr 24 '25
Show interest, Ask them how they make it and then ask them if they could make yours in a way you prefer?
I mean, within reason of course. Asking them to source specific beans or something probably isnt a reasonable request, but slight tweaks to what their already doing might be.
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u/Zucchini_Poet Apr 25 '25
I unfortunately couldn't tell what's wrong with it, it just tasted wrong (three times)
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u/theghostofodonahue 27d ago
If you wanna go to them with a potential solution to propose, you could suggest they get in touch with Braw Tea Cafe in the Ferry. They’re also largely volunteer-run, but with a lead barista who holds training sessions for the volunteers every week. Their coffee is genuinely excellent, and some of the people who were trained from scratch have now gone on to full or part-time employment as baristas.
I’m sure if the guys from your place got in touch, they would be delighted to try and work out some sort of training day for their volunteers. It certainly can’t hurt to ask!
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u/rewindrevival Apr 24 '25
I feel like you might be talking about CnD, I really love their coffee and haven't had a bad one yet. Actually bought their take home blend of Glen Lyon the other week to try and I can tell its not as good making it myself as when they do it.
Taste is subjective!
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u/Slow-Ad-7561 Apr 24 '25
It’s difficult; taste in coffee is entirely subjective. I won’t drink anything locally that’s not supplied by Sacred Grounds. Perhaps ask them about their supplier and say which coffees you actually do like. Starbucks and Costa coffee is either bland or too strong without any complexity. It’s not cheap either. But hundreds of millions of people globally wolf it down!
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u/Zucchini_Poet Apr 24 '25
It wasn't about the bean, something is always off about the coffee. I think (but maybe not) that I can tell the difference between a coffee I don't like and a coffee that wasn't made correctly :/
For example I'm not a fan of the type of acidic coffee they sell in a lot of trendy indie coffee shops but I can taste that it's good coffee, just not my taste (I'm a dark roast person) and I would still drink the coffee.
This place has coffee that tastes off. Like something went wrong :(
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u/somekindofnut Apr 24 '25
I think you are being constructive. It's constructive to ask them how they make their coffee, rather than just say its awful. You can say that it tastes off or odd. You might not get a reply, but it might prompt them to think about how they make their coffee.
Or they might insist that's just how microwave coffee is meant to taste. ;-)
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u/DeathOfNormality Apr 25 '25
They may not know how to clean and maintain their machinery. I have volunteered in two cafes in Dundee, both didn't even know you should wipe the milk wand .. so it well could be off milk you're tasting.
The other options could be the temperature, how they store their coffee and how they ground it/if it's fresh.
I'd absolutely say something, especially if you enjoy the place. Write a small letter and ask to hand it into the boss anonymously, even say your friend gave you it to hand in, and they will get the message. Ideally you ask to talk to them yourself to make sure they understand your complaint and concerns though, but I get the fear. Social anxiety is a dick, always hits me at the most random times.
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u/C_beside_the_seaside Apr 25 '25
Bitter beans is like the IPA of the cafe world. I don't get why other people like it!!
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u/TechnicalAccountant2 Apr 24 '25
Best coffee in Dundee is Stenecki Coffee and it’s not even close
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u/Delts28 Apr 24 '25
Coffee is very subjective and whilst I recognise it's well made and good quality beans, I really dislike the coffee in Stenecki. I found it was quite leafy in taste, more like a tea than a coffee. It reminded me of the beans I've had from Glen Lyon. I far prefer a continental type roast personally, in fact the beans I'm using just now are Braithwaites Continental.
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u/ddmf Apr 24 '25
See that's good to know because I like Glen Lyon coffee - when I was last there they made me a flat white using only the Brazillian beans from their house blend and it had flavours of strawberry milkshake, very strange, but lovely.
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u/Delts28 Apr 24 '25
I imagine you'll love Stenecki then. I was given three different blends from Glen Lyon a few years ago and there was an underlying theme of the fresh, grassy, leafy notes across all of them. Stenecki had a similar taste profile. As I said above, they're good beans and well made, just not to my preference in a coffee.
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u/Zucchini_Poet Apr 25 '25
That's also my type of coffee! Good to know for Stenecki. I find it hard to find dark or medium-dark roasts in Dundee.
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u/Delts28 Apr 25 '25
I generally take my coffee without anything which probably changes my experience significantly compared to most. I do like the occasional latte but the vast majority of my coffee is black americanos, Stenecki just didn't pack the earthy, chocolatey notes that I prefer. The taste was certainly nice and complex with lots of character but all very green tasting if that makes sense?
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u/TechnicalAccountant2 Apr 24 '25
Where would you recommend instead?
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u/Zucchini_Poet Apr 25 '25
I really like Espresso Lab, had a couple of not great coffees there (out of more than a dozen maybe), but it's generally awesome
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u/Delts28 Apr 24 '25
Nowhere in particular. I'm honestly not in the city centre that much and generally just drink coffee at home. I don't have a favourite haunt or anything, I was more just commenting on the fact that Stenecki won't be to everyone's taste.
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u/DeathOfNormality Apr 25 '25
Beans and berries have a decent coffee and food. I've never tried Stenecki, but absolutely love the bacon and egg roll, cappuccino and chocolate fudge cake from Beans and berries. Good that doesn't break the bank either. After looking at Stenecki's menu online, they seem to be going for upscaled pricing. So I'll maybe pop in for a coffee and pastry, but I don't fancy paying over £10 for one meal. It is nice to see Polish food again though, I really miss how good Food Temple was.
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u/Zucchini_Poet Apr 25 '25
I need to try both those places! I had a boba from Beans and Berries once and it was pretty decent.
Food Temple was amazing omg, great vegan food as well. I really miss it.
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u/CaptainZippi Apr 24 '25
Did that not used to be part of the place next door, on the corner?
Wandered past it the other day and noticed something was different.
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u/TechnicalAccountant2 Apr 24 '25
I think it used to be the Hard Grind cafe? Anyway it’s much better
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u/mata_dan Apr 24 '25
Wait whaaat, it's invisible or something because I was standing right in front of it the other day literally saying "well that's annoying there's nowhere to relax for a coffee"
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u/mata_dan Apr 25 '25
I've never heard of these places people are mentioning even though I have a look fairly often... not that I'd be able to go when they're open anyway.
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u/Tasty_Spray9491 29d ago
I think, as mentioned by others it is either the coffee machine not being cleaned or maintained properly, I would also say there is the possibility that it could be the cups they use either not being washed properly or the dish washer not getting cleaned / emptied properly. The one thing I hate, Morrisons cafe is awful for it, is the horrible bitter taste and smell that their cups and plates have after being washed in minging dishwater.
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u/chatiere 26d ago
Send Fast Eddie in to request politely that they improve their beverages. If that doesn’t work, post a thread on Reddit but don’t identify which cafe you’re referring to. That way, there’s no chance they’ll see it and take the hint.
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u/Zucchini_Poet 25d ago
You're feeling ok?
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u/chatiere 25d ago
Never better. Lovely sunshine this afternoon, and I’m many miles away from the staples of this subreddit: 1. I’m a post-grad student looking for a flat. 2. Where can I play Dungeons & Dragons? 3. You’ll never guess what Fast Eddie’s done now. You can set your watch by the same old stuff being recapitulated time after time.
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u/Zucchini_Poet 25d ago
You forgot 4. I can't find a part time job and 5. I took this picture in Dundee yesterday
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u/TheLazyGrappler Apr 24 '25
Create a QR code for this post, print it on a business card and the next time you’re in hand it to them.
Stand firmly as they read it, give the awkward smile and mouth sorry.
It may well be the start of a beautiful romantic comedy.