Coffee Paradise — Downtown

A 30ml double shot from our house blend, pulled in 27 seconds. Dense, syrupy and served with a glass of sparkling water to reset your palate first.

Laminated over three days with French butter and baked each morning at six. Warmed to order, which takes a couple of minutes and is worth the wait.

Equal thirds espresso, steamed milk and foam in a 180ml cup, dusted with cocoa unless you ask us not to. The foam is stretched properly, so it holds to the last sip.

A single shot lengthened with a lot of steamed milk and a thin cap of foam. The mildest thing on the espresso list, and the one to start with if you do not usually drink coffee.

Two ristretto shots under a thin layer of steamed milk, poured at about 60°C so the espresso still leads. Less foam than a cappuccino and a smaller cup than a latte — the one to order if you want to taste the beans through the milk.

A double espresso lengthened with hot water, poured espresso-last so the crema survives. Black, clean and long — about fifteen calories, and the drink most of our regulars work through the afternoon on.

Equal parts espresso and warm milk in a 120ml glass. The milk is there to cut the acidity rather than to fill the cup, which is exactly what makes it the barista's own order at the end of a shift.

Espresso stirred through 70% dark chocolate before the steamed milk goes in, so it reads as coffee with chocolate rather than hot chocolate with coffee. Finished with a little unsweetened cream.

Finely ground beans brought up slowly in a copper cezve, never boiled, and poured grounds and all so the foam sits on top. Served with a glass of water and a cube of Turkish delight. Tell us if you want it sweetened — it has to be decided before it goes on the heat.

Lightly roasted beans ground with green cardamom and brewed in a dallah, the way it is served at home across Iraq and Kurdistan. Pale, aromatic and barely bitter. Poured in small cups, and we will keep refilling until you tilt the cup.

A double shot poured over cold milk and ice, in that order, so it layers before you stir it. We pull the shot a little shorter than usual — cold milk flattens coffee, and a longer shot would disappear into it.

Steeped for sixteen hours in cold water and never heated, which leaves it about two thirds less acidic than hot coffee. Strong without being sharp. Served black over ice; ask and we will add milk.

Vanilla-sweetened cold milk, ice, then espresso marked on top and a caramel lattice over it. Built in layers on purpose — drink it as it comes for a sweet first half and a strong second, or stir it once for the same thing all the way down.

One scoop of vanilla gelato with a hot double shot poured over it at the table. Half dessert, half coffee, and best eaten in the first two minutes while the espresso is still cutting through the cream.

Yesterday's croissant split, soaked in rum syrup, filled with frangipane and baked again until the top crackles. Heavier than the plain one and meant to be shared — or not.

Forty sheets of filo, clarified butter between each, packed with Kurdish pistachio and cut into diamonds. Syruped warm and left overnight so it sets without going soft. Two pieces per plate.

Enriched dough rolled with cinnamon and brown sugar, proved overnight and iced while still warm so the glaze sinks into the folds. We bake a tray at eight and another at two.

Pulled from the oven while the middle is still loose, so it sets fudgy rather than cakey. 70% chocolate and a little sea salt on top. Ask for it warmed and it comes with cream.

Baked low and slow in a water bath so it never cracks, on a digestive base with a lot of butter. Dense and barely sweet — it is there to stand up to an espresso, not to compete with it.

The Iraqi date cookie, made the way it is made at Eid: a cardamom dough wrapped around a date paste worked with a little rose water, rolled and cut into spirals. Four to a plate, and better with cardamom coffee.