I’m back in Scotland! Having to wait 14 days to get out of quarantine to finally get a nice cup of coffee was painful. But then, the generous 50% discount thanks to Mr. Rishi Sunak made the wait a little bearable. I visited the cafe on 26th August 2020.
Pacamara is a popular cafe here in Dundee. It is frequently visited by students due to its close proximity to the University of Dundee. It is usually quite crowded and you might want to reserve a table before making your way down.
Fun fact; their ice coffee milkshake contains a whole load of of caffeine and sugar. It’s ideal to start the day with or to feel fresh the morning after a night out. The ratio of coffee, milk and cream is done so well that you wouldn’t realise it contained three shots of espresso!
Ambience
A very cosy, slightly antique yet modern looking cafe. The well polished wooden chairs and tables compliment the pistachio coloured coffee machines, walls and facade beautifully. A lot of thought has been put in to coordinating the colours. The seating is reduced to keep in line with social distancing and there is a glass panel separating the tables. There is outdoor seating available which is ideal for a nice sunny day.
8/10
Aroma
Deep, dense acidic and bitter smell.
6/10
Presentation
A very well done rosetta. The cup matched the broader colour scheme of the cafe. The size of the cup was also just nice. A wee biscuit on the side would’ve complimented the pistachio green cup well.
7/10
Body and Taste
Thin bodied and not creamy at all. I would’ve preferred a slightly softer, creamier texture. The taste of the roast really came though the coffee. It was a little unbalanced and astringent but sweeter tones emerged later on. A lingering dry aftertaste.
7/10
Cost
A flat white costs £2.70. It was a little hard to compare the cost with the previous cafe’s I had visited as they were all in Singapore and so charged in Singapore dollars. However, £2.70 sounds quite reasonable. With the 50% discount offered during the ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ period, the coffee tasted even better.
7/10
The Verdict
I’ve always enjoyed the coffee at Pacamara. So, I must say that I was very slightly disappointed with the coffee during this visit. I had expected it to score much higher. However, their speciality coffee was unavailable that day and so that might’ve been a contributing factor. They also have a breakfast and lunch combination, almost a brunch menu, which is on the expensive side but is delicious. It goes along well with the coffee.
Overall score = 35/50 or 70%
(Read “My Review System” to interpret the score)
Fact Sheet
Coffee beans – Jailbreak: Red Blend from Hasbean that has different beans depending on the season.
Origin – 50% Nicaragua, 25% Guatemala and 25% Honduras Arabica beans
Roast – Medium to dark roast
Dairy-free/Vegan options – Available
Wifi – Not available
Charging ports – Available
Accessibility – Opposite the bus stop so very accessible by bus. Roadside parking available but spaces are usually taken up during the day.
Address
302 Perth Road
Dundee
DD2 1AU
Contact details –
+44 1382 527666
Opening hours –
Monday to Friday
8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Weekends
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Social Media
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/pacamaradundee/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pacamaradundee/
