The Definitive UNSW Coffee Review

We tried out coffee from twelve locations on campus, tasting their flat whites and iced lattes (or equivalent) at the smallest available sizes to determine which cafes have objectively (read: according to us) the best caffeinated beverage.

XS Espresso

Cafe chain

Iced latte ($8)

Chloe: 7/10

Happily, I started off this quest with what I consider to be a really good iced coffee. It was bold, but not too overpowering. However, the price of the drink itself—eight whole dollars—brings my rating down significantly. To quote myself, “it’s a good iced latte, but it’s also an eight-dollar iced latte.”

Afnan: 7/10

As a Biotechnology & Biomolecular Sciences student, XS is one of my frequent haunts where I’ll often grab a drink before a lab. I can say without a doubt that the iced coffee remains worth it, despite the egregious $8 pricing. Although it was a little on the watery side, the flavour is bold and dark, with just the smallest hint of sweetness, despite no sugar being added.

Flat white ($5.90)

Chloe: 2/10

After a really nice iced coffee, I was rather sourly disappointed. I found this coffee to be incredibly weak, practically tasting like watered-down milk with a sliver of coffee flavour if you really focus. I would like you to pay attention to this mention of weak coffee, as it will, unfortunately, become a common theme of our review.

Afnan: 3/10

That being said, their hot coffees are sadly not up to snuff. The flavour was very weak, and despite the wateriness of it, it had a weirdly strong milk taste. This last criticism might be me trying too hard to be a coffee snob, but I also felt like the level of microfoam was too much for a ‘flat’ white.

Gradueat

Small business

Iced latte ($6.50)

Chloe: 5.5/10

Although I did not enjoy this iced latte as much as the previous one, I would like to mention how nice the staff were here. I found the coffee itself weak and watery, and while I would drink it if I had to, it wasn’t particularly enjoyable.

Afnan: 4/10

Giving Gradueat low scores across the board hurts me, because I love their staff, but the iced latte only tasted like coffee in its aftertaste. Weak and watery are the only appropriate words to describe it.

Flat white ($4.50)

Chloe: 4/10

Sadly, this drink was weak, watery, and milky, none of the things that you really want in a coffee. I rated it higher because you could taste the coffee much more than at XS Espresso, albeit barely so.

Afnan: 4/10

Equally disappointing was the flat white I tried right after, which I described in the moment as having a “distinct taste of hot nothingness.” It sits somewhere between being more watery than the flat white from XS Espresso and more milky than the iced latte here. Although outside the scope of the review, I’d like to at least mention that I’ve enjoyed a mocha and double chocolate muffin here more than once, although now I’m questioning if the muffin did the heavy lifting in previous encounters.

Caffe Brioso

Small business

Iced latte ($6.60)

Chloe: 7.5/10

This iced latte was perhaps the most varied in taste, considering all of the ones I tried for this article. It was the perfect balance of bold and sweet, with a refreshing quality that I think would be great on a scorching hot day. However, something that I found in this coffee, and honestly have found in the iced drinks from this cafe previously, is that there is occasionally a slightly alcoholic aftertaste. I don’t know where that aftertaste comes from, but I do know it knocks the rating down.

Afnan: 7.5/10

I thought the cup was very cute; it was reminiscent of the ‘regular’ size boba drinks from Sharetea with its rounded shape. Similarly, it also suffers from being small, which I find to be a problem for a drink that costs over $6. In terms of taste, it was actually quite pleasant, with a slight but distinct sweetness to it, which paired well with its boldness. Overall, it was well-balanced and refreshing, with an almost fruity note, making it a great choice if you want to lounge around outside the Main Library.

Flat white ($4.20)

Chloe: 1/10

This was the most disappointing of all the flat whites, partially because the cup design is so pretty that I admittedly did get a little excited, but also because I just couldn’t taste any coffee at all. With others we have tested, I was able to, if I squinted, but this just tasted like sweet milk. Thus, to quote myself again, I gave this coffee such a low score because, “How can you rate the coffee if you can’t taste it?”

Afnan: 2/10

I believe there’s something special about the beans they use, because, like the iced latte, there was a lovely hint of sweetness to it (despite us not adding any sugar), but that’s where my praise for it ends. It was otherwise underwhelming in every aspect except for its milk-to-water ratio. This could hardly be called coffee, especially considering how there was no coffee flavour to be found.

The Little Marionette

Cafe chain

Iced latte ($?)

Chloe: 6/10

I will say, I really loved the decor in here, except for the fact that there were no visible prices available as far as we could see. For such a small shop, it really is beautiful. This iced latte was okay; it had a good balance of milk to punch, but just had an odd aftertaste I couldn’t put my finger on. It just tasted… slightly off. The uncanny valley of iced lattes, if you will.

Afnan: 4/10

As far as first impressions go, it was a mixed bag. Located above the Matthews Arcade, the café itself is quite cute, as are the cups; however, the lack of prices on the menu should’ve been a major red flag. I initially scored this a 5/10, but the taste is still stuck in my mouth in a bad way, and I have had to amend it. The blend is quite dark, and the drink itself was a good balance of milk to water, but there is a strange flavour to their coffee, and I couldn’t handle more than a single sip.

Flat white ($?)

Chloe: 4/10

My flat white had the same issue, where there was just an odd aftertaste, albeit less so, because my issues with having a weak coffee continued. At this point, I was beginning to question if I was actually more of a coffee tasting heavyweight than I thought, but the opinions of my reviewing partner seemed to back me up that maybe we were just unlucky with a streak of weak coffees. I did appreciate that they had their milk-to-water ratio down pat, though.

Afnan: 1/10

Again, I had been far too generous in my score for this initially, at a miraculous 3.5/10, which it is wholly undeserving of. To cover the positives, again, there was a good balance of milk to water, and the strange aftertaste was noticeably weaker. That being said, it was very weak, with no hint of coffee besides a lingering bitterness. I don’t think I’ll ever come back for a coffee here.

Plume

Cafe chain

Iced latte ($7.10)

Chloe: 8/10

Okay, I admit, I really haven’t had good experiences with Plume and was biased against this cafe coming into this review. Anyone who knows me and has discussed campus coffee with me will know this. So I was very, very happy and surprised when I took my first sip of this iced latte and was met with something really good. Just the right amount of boldness with a slightly nutty edge to the blend, which I really enjoyed, while also being really refreshing. This was just straight up, a really good iced latte.

Afnan: 8/10

I don’t think there is a single real flaw to the iced latte at Plume. It’s genuinely perfectly balanced in every way, with no standout qualities. It hits everything you want in an iced coffee. It’s bitter, but not too bitter. It’s milky and creamy, but not too much. All of that is tied together with a lovely nutty undercurrent. If you want a reliable drink to perk you up, this is it.

Flat white ($4.80)

Chloe: 5/10

While a 5/10 really isn’t anything to write home (or to you!) about, this coffee was really quite mediocre, which was weirdly appreciated after a few poor flat whites. To me, this is the baseline for a decent coffee. A little weak, but good texture and a nice milk-to-water ratio. Is it perfect? No. Is it good? Sort of? But it’s not bad, so I’ll take it.

Afnan: 5/10

After the standout performance of their iced latte, I was expecting a little more out of their hot alternatives. That being said, it’s still a decent cuppa, and at a reasonable price of $4.80, I would probably get it again. Perfectly balanced flavours with a nice bitter aftertaste, although its weak flavour is the only thing holding it back in the shadow of its icy older brother.

Soul Origin

Cafe chain

Iced latte ($6.90)

Chloe: 3.5/10

I enjoy strong coffee, but this was ridiculous. This was so strong that I pulled away, smacking my lips and could not stand more than the two sips I needed to write this review. I can’t comment on the texture or any ratios, because I was just too focused on the punch. The only reason I am giving this above a one is that I truly believe there is someone out there who loves their coffee super strong who would love this. I am just not that person.

Afnan: 5/10

As expected of a chain café, their drinks are certainly okay. The flavour of this was extremely strong, and it was unpleasantly watery. And yet, despite its glaring issues, it was still okay. While outside the scope of the review, I went and tried their blended iced latte at another time, and found it to be significantly better, so that would be my recommendation if you find yourself in need at a Soul Origin.

Flat white ($5.20)

Chloe: 4.5/10

Temperature-wise, this coffee was weirdly hot. I think that if I hadn’t let this cool for a few minutes after purchasing, I would have burnt the roof of my mouth off. Otherwise, I don’t really have any thoughts. Just a mid coffee. A little less mid than Plume, though, hence the lower rating.

Afnan: 5/10

My biggest gripe with this was the fact that it was so hot I nearly dropped it when I picked it up, and it burnt my tongue during the tasting. We didn’t even order it to be extra hot. It’s every bit as watery as their iced latte, and yet has a balanced flavour to it that saves it from a sub-five score.

Taste Baguette

Cafe chain

Iced latte ($7.20)

Chloe: 5/10

Firstly, I found the cup size to be oddly small, which is a particular shame considering the price of the drink itself, just over seven dollars, being higher than I would expect to pay for an iced latte. Similar to Soul Origin, this drink was too strong—perhaps not as horrible, but definitely a punch. I think this drink could be saved if you added some sugar, but really, who wants to do that?

Afnan: 4.5/10

First and foremost, what struck me about this drink is its size. Given that it costs a whopping $7.20 for what is an admittedly very small drink, I was already biased against it. Though even without that, I wouldn’t have rated it higher than I did. Rather than having the taste of an iced latte, it tasted more like a hot drink that had been left out too long. There was also a weirdly chalky aftertaste to it that I didn’t like. At the very least, it was bitter and decidedly strong.

Flat white ($4.70)

Chloe: 6/10

I think this coffee has potential, and it was honestly a relief to have a coffee to classify as “good” for once. But it seemed a little too watery, and like something was just holding it back. I could taste the potential for greatness, though, and it was truly above average, which is much, much appreciated.

Afnan: 5/10

Small, weak, and watery. It at least tasted better than its counterpart. I wish there was more to say, but there really isn’t. At least the food here makes up for the coffee.

Stellini Pasta Bar

Small business

Iced latte ($7)

Chloe: 8/10

Firstly, I found the cup size to be oddly small, which is a particular shame considering the price of the drink itself, just over seven dollars, being higher than I would expect to pay for an iced latte. Similar to Soul Origin, this drink was too strong—perhaps not as horrible, but definitely a punch. I think this drink could be saved if you added some sugar, but really, who wants to do that?

Afnan: 8.5/10

This was a complete surprise, and a pleasant one at that. We hadn’t initially had Stellini’s on our list of locations, but their iced coffee was so delicious that it would have been a crime not to include it. It had a fantastic texture and an even better mouthfeel, accompanied by notes of sweetness, creaminess, and best of all, a slow, building sensation of bitterness. Far and away, my favourite iced coffee on this list.

Flat white ($4.50)

Chloe: 4.5/10

As a broke university student and lover of coffee cup art, I enjoyed both the size of the coffee in relation to its price and the design on the cup (which I may or may not have forgotten to take a photo of). However, this ongoing trend of weak coffee on campus continues. At this point, I was almost starting to doubt my own coffee knowledge, but I have had good and balanced flat whites before, so hope was maintained…

Afnan: 5.5/10

Given how highly I praised the iced latte, it was to be expected that the flat white would fall short. In terms of the thickness of microfoam you’d want, they nailed it. The size of the drink was surprisingly tall, given that we ordered a small. Its texture was good, with a lovely balance between the water and milk, but it lacked some of that punchy bitterness you’d expect from a good coffee, which ultimately dragged it down.

Homeground

Arc-owned

Iced latte ($5.50)

Chloe: 8/10

Firstly, I appreciate the cheap coffee. And I also appreciated this drink, lots. Bold, but not too overpowering, and I am just a fan of Homeground’s blend. I do think that this drink is maybe a little bit too watery in texture, but the price brings my overall rating up. If there was just a little more milk in this, it would be perfect.

Afnan: 7.5/10

After so many rather disappointing tastings, I was excited to come down to my favourite café on campus and try what I know to be good coffee. It’s important to note that Homeground has the cheapest iced coffee on campus, at an astonishing $5.50 (which it shares with the next location on the list). The drink itself was interesting, with a nice, strong, bitter flavour that was just measured enough not to be overpowering. It was also quite watery, with minimal milk flavour, but it somehow felt cohesive.

Flat white ($4)

Chloe: 6.5/10

This coffee was HOT. Like lava hot, so hot we had to kind of awkwardly sit around waiting for it to cool down for a few minutes. However, once cooled down, this was a genuinely great flat white. Balanced, sweet but not too intense—and as I said before, I really do enjoy the blend that Homeground uses. If the first few sips of this coffee didn’t burn my mouth off, I would have rated this higher.

Afnan: 7/10

To no one's surprise, the first coffee to score above a 6 (in the hot drinks category at least) was this flat white at Homeground. Like with Soul Origin, the drink came out hotter than expected, which did affect the tasting experience. It was bitter and strong, with a lovely nutty quality to it. It was also a bit watery, but again, it was so hot that you could barely taste it.

Village Café

Small business

Iced latte ($7)

Chloe: 6/10

This coffee was intense, with a taste that lingered (I fear this would be a drink that would give you horrible coffee breath), but I think it is just about my limit as to how bold a coffee can be before it plummets in the ratings. Pretty mediocre overall, but bonus points for not only containing cylinder ice as the previous iced latte did, but for mixing in pebble ice, which is elite. If you are a true ice connoisseur, I would highly recommend it. Otherwise, it was okay.

Afnan: 6.5/10

This was quite a decent drink, not my favourite on the list, but certainly not a bad option if the other locations are unavailable for whatever reason. The bitter profile of the latte was powerful and expanding, and had an edge to it that I would describe as being almost chemical-like. It also left quite the lingering aftertaste.

Flat white ($4.50)

Chloe: 8.5/10

After many mediocre or just plain bad flat whites, I was finally met with a coffee to prove my doubts about campus coffee wrong. This coffee was perfectly balanced in boldness, with a really good, milky texture. As someone who admittedly prefers my coffee iced, this almost converted me to the other side. What a hidden gem.

Afnan: 9/10

From the second I popped the lid on the cup, I knew this one was going to be something special. Just appearance-wise, it had a beautiful colour and a layer of microfoam that was almost too thin. The taste of the coffee was creamy (without being too milky), and warmed you up from within as you sipped. The bitterness was good, and it left a very palatable aftertaste. My only critique, and the one thing that’s keeping it from a perfect score, is that it could have been a little stronger.

Maze Coffee

Small business

Iced latte ($7)

Chloe: 3/10

What a disappointment for the last iced latte of this review. This was far, far too strong; it almost tasted like bark. The texture was down pat in my opinion, so I will give it points for that, but this was just too much.

Afnan: 5/10

The first thing that hit me about this iced latte was that it was very, very strong, and that the first sip tasted dreadful. To my surprise, I actually found myself taking more sips, and the flavour profile grew on me the more I did. But because of the shock of that first sip, I can’t in good conscience give it a higher score than a five out of ten.

Flat white ($4.50)

Chloe: 7/10

Good temperature, texture, and mouthfeel. Similarly to the Village Cafe coffee, it had a nice balance with intensity without being overpowering. However, something just felt like it was missing, so it doesn’t make it into the higher rankings. While not the best flat white I’ve had on this journey, I am pleased that I got to end this review on a good note.

Afnan: 7/10

Luckily, the flatty was much nicer. Just like its neighbour, Village Café, the colour and foam thickness here were both great, as were the texture and mouthfeel. It was decently creamy and had a nice punch to the bitterness. Just a solid drink, overall.

Chloe

This has been a fun journey, except maybe not for my poor stomach. Undergoing this review has kind of turned me into a coffee snob. It seems that lower campus edges out on the hot coffee game, although you can definitely find a good iced latte across campus, a win for fellow iced drink appreciators. Perhaps the reason that we have convinced ourselves that UNSW has good coffee is out of a sleep-deprived desperation... or perhaps we just got unlucky that day, who knows. 

Chloe’s Favourites:

• Upper Campus: Caffe Brioso (just for the iced latte!)
• Middle Campus: Plume
• Lower Campus: Homeground

Afnan

As a caffeine-based organism, this was kind of an eye-opening experience, to say the least. In my desperate attempts to not fall asleep during lectures, I somehow hadn’t noticed that some of the coffee options here on campus are less than stellar. But at the same time, trying out all of these options gave me a better appreciation for our favourite bean, and I found some new favourites along the way. So… a win is a win? 

Afnan’s Favourites:

• Upper Campus: XS Espresso (it’s just so convenient)
• Middle Campus: Plume
• Lower Campus: Village Cafe (shoutout Homeground though)