Faculty by name and nature – you’ll find caffeine alchemy in Brum’s answer to a coffee classroom. Opened in 2014 by former Saint Caffe owner Geoff Lam, nestled in the Piccadilly Arcade and 30 seconds from New Street Station, Faculty is on a mission to provide great coffee and enable customers to understand more about it.
There’s no room for sofas or comfy chairs – Faculty is a lab for coffee making. An intimate room with a slight pop-up vibe, its decor is stripped back and industrial, with wooden fittings, exposed brick and pipework aplenty. Appropriately though, there are a couple of old-school desks.
The coffee is a list of Square Mile regulars such as Sweet Shop and Red Brick, but don’t be surprised if something else is being served on espresso alongside fantastic single origins on V60 and AeroPress. Drop Coffee and Roundhill have made an appearance in the past, so if coffee variety is your thing, be sure to ask what's being served.
There’s a selection of lovely loose leaf teas, Madagascan Hot Chocolate and numerous delectable homemade treats from Sixteen Bakery, owned by Geoff’s wife, Lucy. Numerous and joyous quirks include very individual spoons with your cup.
Faculty is a two-way education – it values your feedback, so be open-minded, try different things and have fun.