Lightly Grilled Louisa Henry, Opposite Cafe
Edwina Attlee talks to the founder of indie student hangout Opposite Cafe, who are about to launch a second spot in the Victoria Quarter
Lightly Grilled: Louisa Henry, Opposite Cafe
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Lou Henry is leading a coffee revolution. Student favourite ‘Opposite’, by Leeds University, is growing up and going to work in the glittering surroundings of the Victoria Quarter. We meet Opposite’s owner and chief coffee taster Lou to find out what a serious business coffee really is.
Lou wrinkles her nose in distaste when talking about high street coffee chains; she describes the “huge, syrupy” vats that are so popular with the drinking public as “milkshakes”.
“We should be drinking much smaller cups, with two shots for a perfect taste,” she says. Lou, who is fanatical about her coffee, hadn’t made a single cup until five years ago when she opened the Opposite. Her baristas quickly won all the Northern heats of the UK barista championships and went on to win second place overall. This was the start of an obsession - Lou compares coffee tasting to wine tasting, but her fanaticism is more like that of a treasure hunter (imagine Indiana Jones with a whisk instead of a whip).
The new shop (being painted as we speak) is a space where Lou and other coffee connoisseurs can really indulge themselves. A grown-up Opposite, it will offer the same ethically and locally-sourced food and drink, but with that little bit extra. We can look forward to innovations like seasonal espressos - different blends of espresso beans from around the world depending on what greens are in season - and single origin coffee, really fair Fairtrade. The site also boasts a beautiful coffee machine that relies entirely on the skill of the barista, providing the customer with “tactile coffee”, yum!
Lou’s beans are sourced from world renown micro-roasters Square Mile Coffee and Has Bean. She is adamant about changing Britain’s coffee culture and, as the only specialist coffee shop in North England, she looks to be well on her way.
The original cafe by the Parkinson steps is still going strong, and is even open until nine in the evening this exam season. Combined with a sumptuous weekend brunch menu, Lou is keeping the flagging revision sessions going.
The shop in the Victoria Quarter will offer more ‘haute-couture’ coffee, with specific portions of beans ground to order, cup-by-cup for the customer. Lou describes the venture as experimental but concludes that “the flavour will be in the cup”, as her coffee will reflect the entire process behind a cup of coffee.” We’re just simply going to make the best coffee we can,” she says, “so that we do justice to the people who’ve grown it, farmed it and produced it.”
Posted on Wednesday 27th May 2009
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