In my view, Caffe Nero is a hidden gem compared to its rivals. I reckon its cakes outshine Costa's, its sandwiches surpass Starbucks', and it serves a decent cup of coffee.
So, I was thrilled to sample their new menu, particularly the pistachio hot chocolate. On a wintery Sunday morning, Caffe Nero provided the perfect refuge from the cold.
Cosily tucked away in a corner, we ordered the pistachio hot chocolate, caramelised pistachio latte, festive feast panini, brie, bacon and cranberry panini, and the profiterole cheesecake. As a pistachio lover, I'm already a big fan of Caffe Nero's chocolate and pistachio mousse cake, which is my usual order.
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When the hot chocolate arrived, I was charmed by the nut sprinkles on top. They were delightful to scoop out with the cream to reach the chocolate underneath, but that's when I hit a snag.
While I adore the sweet, almond-like taste of pistachio, the syrup in my hot chocolate was overly sweet for my liking. The chocolate itself had a good flavour, although it wasn't the thickest hot chocolate I've ever had, reports .
Initially, it was lovely, but it quickly became too cloying, and I regretted pairing it with the profiterole cheesecake.
My husband echoed my sentiments about his latte - initially unique and enjoyable, but eventually too sweet to finish. However, this could just be our personal tastes, as the pistachio hot chocolate has returned due to its popularity last year.
However, we found the paninis to be a delightful festive treat for lunch. The brie, bacon and cranberry combination is always a classic, and it's excellent for a break from Christmas shopping.
The bread has a wonderful crunch to it, but not hard like some crunchy breads, and the lovely salty bacon was complimented by the soft, creamy brie and the sweet cranberry. Even my four year old loved this - which is high praise as he usually prefers what we call the 'beige diet'.
The festive feast panini was filled with Christmas flavour, with delicious stuffing, moist turkey and cranberry offering another classic combo. Although, my husband mentioned he would have loved even more filling - but who wouldn't want more Christmas turkey?
The profiterole cheesecake was also a delight, with light choux pastry and a creamy yet not heavy cheesecake. It won't replace the chocolate and pistachio mousse cake for me, but it was a good alternative.
Perfect for a little coffee shop date over the festive season.
Caffè Nero Christmas menu includes:
