Revel in the oscillations of coffee at this cosy Speciality Coffee Shop
Serving up choice brews from roasters both near to home and far away, this Speciality Coffee Shop lays down a balance of simplicity and comfort on Flixton Road. Nab a seat, have a coffee, and watch the world go by.
It was late on a Saturday afternoon when we parked up on the main road going through Urmston, a small town on the outskirts of Manchester City. Grey skies gave the streets an illusion of dusk and we struggled to pick out the narrow white building in the waning light. We jumped from the car and ran through sheets of rain, guided by a wooden sign with Oscillate written upon it in bold swirling letters. A large wall length window spilled warm golden light onto the grey pavement outside and we eagerly tumbled in through the door.
Despite our tumultuous entrance, we were met by a serene space, the few tables occupied by lightly chattering people and mellow beats coming from the speakers. Before us was a counter laden down with pastries, where two baristas greeted us and guided our attention to the coffee menu above them. As we shook off our rain jackets and tried to avoid spraying those inside with droplets, I nabbed a seat at the low bench running against the window. Tom ordered, choosing from a lovely array of roasts from Blossom, A.M.O.C and one of our current favourite roasters, Dak.
Coffees en route, we watched the sky turn to a bruised shade of purple outside. A contented sense of ease exists in this cosy coffee shop. The lateness of the day meant that the hectic rush hours had long gone, replaced instead with the slow slumbering calm that lurks in the hours before close. The baristas chatted and the people around us idly flicked through copies of Standart, happy to stretch their coffees and hot chocolates a little longer than usual.
Coffee Jargon
Our coffees came in two ceramic cups of pastel hues. Wooden boards with gently curved edges proved perfect vessels. For the flat white Tom had ordered a double washed Gesha from Quinido, Columbia by A.M.O.C. who are based in Rotterdam. Beautifully made this held a ripe peachy overtone with a subtle lime tanginess lingering on. Having tried A.M.O.C. once before, we loved getting the opportunity to try another of their coffees. As a roasters who give insightful and abundant information on the origins of their beans and the relationships they’ve built with farmers, it’s well worth having a look on their website while you sip their coffee.
For the filter we tried Blossoms Sookoo, an 86 hour anaerobic Ethiopian coffee. Honey gold on the pour, this tropical brew held notes of papaya and a pleasant juiciness throughout. Based in Manchester since 2020, Blossom write that they favour ‘sweet, clean and transparent cup profiles’, aligning with our own flavour preferences.
Summary
We were loath to leave the warmth of this coffee shop and like those around us let our coffees linger on, before continuing on into Manchester. With its minimalistic aesthetic and easy warmth (as well as an excitingly steep descent to the bathroom) we could readily uinderstand how this was a favourite with locals and passers through alike. For a space outside of the city but with all of the quality, take a trip to Oscillate.
Where to find Oscillate Coffee:
52 Flixton Rd,
Urmston,
Manchester,
M41 5AB
