Step in, take a sip, and enjoy the show.
Coffee hangs like an amber orb in a double-walled cup. Test tubes and coffee beans roll across the counter, while canelés with blooming piped icing flowers sit to one side. With precision and passion at its core, one cannot help but feel entranced by a visit to Vibe With.
Vibe With of Houndsgate Street isn’t the most obvious of coffee shops. There’s even a sign outside alerting you to the fact that ‘This is a coffee shop’. With its dark and unassuming exterior, it could be easy to dismiss this spot at a first glance. But what a mistake that would be.
Tom and I visited on a Sunday afternoon, our gazes almost skipping past the coffee shop and roasters as we stepped onto the quiet street. Removed from the bustle of Nottingham’s city centre, I felt a sense of calm as we ducked in through the door, a contained space with a relaxed environment waiting for us within.
As you enter, the room is composed of a few tables along the left wall and one by the window to your right. Another bench sits against the main counter, creating the feel of a stage. By the window, a gleaming roasting machine catches the eye. A half wall divides the room, though you can still glimpse the rear half of the counter, where a second barista is whisking eggs, presumably for the matcha cakes Vibe With is known for. A love of matcha is evident from a display of three high-grade varieties, lined up and served in beautiful hand-painted ceramic bowls. At my glance, the barista informs me that they import the matcha from Japan. He goes on to explain the coffee menu and the different roasts on offer. The daily special is a Colombian coffee that's undergone a white wine fermentation process. I'm hooked.
Coffee Jargon
We order the Colombia Jairo Arcila Castillo, White Wine Fermentation for our flat white, and the Kenya Kainamui AA Washed for a pour-over. With the few tables occupied, we sit at the counter, unknowingly settling in for a coffee show. Our barista produces two test tubes filled with coffee beans, and as he begins to grind the contents, he tells us about the process. Frozen at what Vibe With considers the peak period for the beans, once thawed, they are believed to preserve the flavor longer and offer finer coffee.
He finishes grinding and offers us a smell of the freshly ground coffee. With seamless precision and a bit of flair, he empties the grounds into the espresso machine’s bucket and sets about preparing a V-60. A gentle hum comes from the espresso machine and a soothing swirl of hot water pours from a long-stemmed kettle.
Two coffees are set down before us. We sip as the barista explains the white wine fermentation process, which I find utterly intriguing. With no grapes involved, the name comes from the dry white wine characteristics imparted by the fermentation process. This subtle, dry booziness infused every sip, giving way to a creamy, full mouthfeel. A little rabbit emerged in the latte art. The Kenyan filter had a rich amber color, with green tea notes complemented by an earthy berry undertone that deepened as the cup emptied. Both coffees were intriguing and had a delicious clarity in their nature.
Summary
Having relocated to Houndsgate Street from Mansfield Road in December 2023, Vibe With have adapted to their new space by roasting after hours and maintaining a flowing workspace.
A theatrical laboratory has manifested here, one where coffee, matcha and mouthwatering desserts sit centre stage. The meticulous and creative nature of Vibe With ensures that it is a coffee shop, roasters and spectacle that should not be missed.
Where to find Vibe With Coffee:
15 Hounds Gate,
Nottingham,
NG1 7AA
