Reading books and regularly drinking coffee is a popular and often enjoyed pairing.
Many people find that caffeine can enhance their focus and alertness, making it conducive for extended reading sessions.
A shop which combines coffee and books therefore seems like a no brainer. However, in my experience, I’ve rarely seen this combination pulled off well. Usually one of the aspects is done in a slightly half-hearted manner, without the necessary dedication. The truth is that, however great the books are, bad coffee will leave a sour taste in the mouth.
Tills and Company in Portobello is an excellent exception. This second-hand bookshop, initially set up as an offshoot of Tills at the eastern end of the Meadows in 2023, has a very fine selection of titles, with care and attention evident throughout. This attention to quality includes their specialty coffee offer, making use of high-class locally roasted beans by Machina. The coffee is clearly not just an add-on. The coffee section, led by baristas Cass and Lily, works as a separate department, ensuring clear focus on the coffee making.
A popular spot
Having long frequented the original Tills Bookshop, I was keen to check out this relatively new venture in Portobello. It’s an area which is surprising short of high quality speciality coffee, though Tanifiki does a decent job. Earlier this year Tills and Company was put on the market by the owners. At present, the transition to a new owner is in process and this will lead to a change in name, but hopefully no change to what they offer. On my first visit the place was just too busy to contemplate sitting down for a coffee; every seat in every nook and cranny was occupied. The place was packed with people caffeinating, catching-up -and reading. This included the narrow alcove next to the window; best suited to those who regularly do yoga. I decided to return another day.
Enticing contents
Visiting on a quiet-ish Tuesday afternoon a couple of months later, I was in luck. Indeed, in comparison to most speciality coffee places in Edinburgh, seating capacity is high. Having wandered along the promenade in sunshine but into a stiff breeze, I was in need of refreshment and a calming spot. Tills and Company is on the High Street, about 5 minutes’ walk from the promenade. The green exterior draws the eye and the large windows allow your eyes to be caught by the enticing contents of the bookshelves.
The spacious bookshop has a separate entrance for the coffee section, with the option to either take away or sit in the bookshop. That’s either in the airy main section or in one of the alcoves. During the colder months, the little cosy recess for non-fiction books (which contains a particularly good selection of titles on philosophy, and politics, mixing classic texts with contemporary academic works) is particularly sought-after. During brighter weather, the central area is the clear first choice.
Perfectly formed
As we waited for our coffees to arrive, the sounds emanating from behind the coffee machine were promising. In particular, the texturing of the milk was done smoothly. It was not the awful howling, screeching sound you often get, resulting in burnt, flat, bubble less milk. Our cortados arrived, small and perfectly formed. The cortado should be an intense small drink, containing a roughly equal amount of textured milk and espresso, although the exact ratios have considerable regional variation. They could be described as small flat whites. In too many places they are excessively milky and, as a result, the flavour of the coffee muted, and muffled.
Rare and unique
Had this been the case at Tills, it would have been a pity, as the Brazilian beans used (by the highly regarded Edinburgh-based roasters Machina) were exceptional, far more subtle than tends to be the case with coffee from that country. Brazil is the world’s largest coffee producer, responsible for roughly 40 % of global coffee production. However, until recently, it tended not to be associated with specialty coffee. That is now changing. Brazilian specialty coffee is renowned for its balance, acidity, sweetness, and body.
The barista mentioned they were coming to the end of the Brazilian batch, and would be switching to another seasonal Machina coffee. The rotation of beans ensures that they are providing coffee with real freshness, as well as gently varying flavours over the year. Tills and Company generally offer two espresso options; one best suited to drinks involving milk, and another for black coffees. They also offer a batch brew, showcasing ‘rare and unique coffees’.
The baristas were keen to chat about coffee and happy to recommend beans for home brewing. Tills and Company also stocks a good selection of coffee making equipment and accessories. They’ve had success in guiding locals towards coffees they might appreciate. What came across clearly in the interaction was the enthusiasm for providing good coffee, not something that was merely passable, acceptable.
A writing stimulant
The atmosphere in the shop was ideal for reading, as well as writing. It is where I put together the first draft of this article, scratched into my notebook. Folky music flowed gently out of the speakers, engendering chilled vibes. There was space to think and absorb, with the people and traffic of Portobello rolling past the window. The soft-backed chairs next to the windows are ideal for those devouring or dipping into an interesting tome (a book on ‘Essaying’ was the choice for one reader I spied), while the lovely sweeping wooden table in the heart of the main room is perfect for those transferring thoughts and new ideas onto the page or screen.
Coffee has long been a stimulant used by writers, and at least one other of those sitting alongside me at the table was trying to turn their thoughts into words on their screen. Balzac’s words seem relevant here: “As soon as coffee is in your stomach, there is a general commotion. Ideas begin to move…similes arise, the paper is covered. Coffee is your ally and writing ceases to be a struggle.”
I scribbled into my notebook, feeling inspired by the interesting books I’d been browsing. I was hoping that the elegance of expression in them would rub off on me. I imagine that for many people who write here, the books on the shelves will stimulate new thoughts. Muriel Spark seemed to be igniting new ideas in the person busily lap-topping next to me. The atmosphere of the shop itself (and its customers) were sufficient to propel my pencil across the pages of my notebook.
The lovely coffee helped too.
