Faculty Coffee and Tea in Birmingham

It was open at 7:30 am, great start. They offer different bean choices. Nice, fresh tasting coffee, well made. I had a sourdough breakfast toast which was nice, but a warm plate would have made a difference. The place is spotless. Decor is a blend of shabby and designer, but that’s not a bad thing. It was comfy, roomy enough and the service was good. Good coffee and breakfast for just over £8 feels good to me.

2 cups and 2 visits in, but some of the best coffee I’ve had. Will now be my go to place when heading into the city from New St Station! A place for people who like real coffee, not silly things with sugar.

I had to wait on a seat, a man would not take his dog off the chair, dog smells. Disappointed as its normally favourite coffee place in Birmingham.

The best coffee I’ve had in a while and great friendly service. Should have asked what the beans were because it was that tasty, I need more. Also the vegan baked goods 👀😍 Thank you!

Nice flat white and warm croissant

محل صغير بسيط قهوته وكيكاته لذيذة تحديث: آخر زيارة 2018 واليوم زرته ب 2024

Update: their chocolate chip cookies are TO DIE FOR! 😍 A cute little café inside Piccadilly Arcade The oat milk flat white and oat milk cortado were a little too strong for my taste, but both great The V60 and The grilled cheese were perfect!

It’s really good. Very smooth and nice coffee!

Best coffee in the city, bar none.

I politely asked the waiter to warm my coffee up as it was cold. He replied very rude with no manners

Best coffee I've ever had. No need for sugar. It's a hidden gem. This should be visited.

Great coffee and the almond croissant is amazing!

Incredible spot, beautiful coffee, amazing vegan cakes and dog friendly. Can't fault it

Good range of teas... Ambience could be better

Great coffee, but zero ability to listen to the customer. I asked if I could have olive oil or butter instead of jam on my toasts, and received a “no, we can’t modify the menu”. You would think such a tiny demand should not be a problem, well not the case here. You better like their toasts exactly as the offer them

Tucked away from all the hussle bussle, top service. Bit crammed at times.

Not a fan! The coffee was tart and fruity, it didn't taste like coffee at all. Maybe it's just my taste buds. Service was okay but I wouldn't describe the staff as friendly. Awfully small chairs for a lady of my size!! Very small cafe. The coffee was pretty but a really weird taste. I won't be returning :(

Excellent coffee served by people who really take an interest in their trade. Always happy to discuss the coffee and techniques used to make it

Really nice place just by Birmingham Central…great specialty coffee n bites!

Wow what a lovely little find on our way back to the tram. Made very welcome. Although it’s not that big it’s set out very well. Lovely usual cakes, all home made I would imagine. We had coffee and cake very reasonably priced. A lot of people were having lunch, which looked amazing with sour dough sandwiches. Staff very friendly and made us very welcome. Some people popped in and took drinks away to drink on the go. Wish them all the best as they haven’t been open very long but we will be back next time we are in Birmingham

Always have an ever changing choice for pour over coffee, and there sweets and pastries are always great, specially the almond croissant

There's a rule about good coffee: you have to do a good single espresso. Every other coffee is just milk, sugar and syrups so you barely taste the coffee. You cannot cheat with a single espresso and I am always prepared to pay and not have it if I feel sympathy for them. When I ordered they kept saying something about making a double but I getting a single. I didn't quite understood why they were saying this (I know now) but after confirming it was a single and had crema, I was fine with "whatever". Their espresso is very poor: no crema, just blakc in the middle. It's not even an espresso. It looks like a shot of turkish black coffee. This is the deadly sin. Still, I am ok with this and nearly always they want to hear more and I am very happy to share my passion for espressos. I lost count of the times I actually helped the barista get it right. It's (nearly) always quite a friendly experience. Their approach, instead, was to repeadely say that they cannot do it because of their method (yes, they kept agreeing wiht me) and that it was my fault for not wanting a double espresso. It's like asking for chicken and getting beef and then it's your fault for choosing chicken because they didn't have chicken and now you have to have beef. It was this surreal. That still was (borderline) ok. We could have just agreed to disagree. What is NOT OK is someone (the owner?) aggressively maneuvering the little space and people queuing, going behind the counter, grabbing 3 coins, dumping them in my hand and shout GO GO GO. Literally shouting. No exaggeration. I can assure you I kept it civil, even if progressively annoyed with their attitude of blaming me for why their "method" could not do single espressos. I don't remember ever being shouted at.

A cosy place and a professional speciality Coffe.

Literally my favorite coffee place in Birmingham. Everything is 10/10. Very nice tasting coffee as they are a specialty cafe. The atmosphere is great as well. Can be crowded sometimes but it’s totally worth the wait!

Freshly baked cheese cake.Nice and relaxing cafe definitely recommended .well done ✅

One of the best in Birmingham - will always recommend.

Fantastic coffee, the barista is very knowledgeable and knows about the coffee. Loved the flavour and the perfection they make the coffee with. Probably the best coffee in Birmingham now

Firstly, the absence of sweetener options is downright ridiculous, when I asked, the barista's response was "no". It's 2023, and not accommodating basic preferences seems rather archaic for a coffee establishment and honestly quite snobby. To add insult to injury, the portion size for the price was disappointingly small. Also I wasn't asked whether I wanted to enjoy my coffee in-house or take it away. Overall, a rather underwhelming experience that left me questioning why I bothered going here.

Always a great selection of lovely homemade tasty cakes with a wide choice of teas.

Great spot for coffee and a snack near the station. I was in Birmingham for work and visited Faculty for a coffee before work on the first day and lunch on the second. Service was friendly and the food is simple and well executed. 'The Staple' doesn't look like much: a slice of toast, an egg, butter, salt and cheese, but it's somehow much more than the sum of its parts and was a surprisingly satisfying lunch. I tried both the peanut butter cookie sandwich and the dark chocolate cookie and both were excellent, not to mention generously sized! I'll definitely be visiting again next time I'm passing through Birmingham :)

I had a very positive experience with the owner and the manager of this store. The coffee is always fresh and I will be back again.

Nice tiny place in the city centre. Tasty cappuccino and well prepared espresso. Don't go here if you want some well dressed and cosy place, but definitely pay it a visit if.you like quality coffee and relaxed atmosphere.

Slightly burnt latte with a dry croissant that falls apart on you after the first bite

Excellent coffee. Would definitely come back 👍

cosy little coffeeshop located inside the alley mall (discovered on google maps), with delicious sourdough bread and fantastic coffee. staff were brilliant too.

Nice coffee and the best cinnamon roll i can remember eating! Will be back.

Delicious coffee and pastries! Staff are very friendly and welcoming, too! 🤩

The Faculty is one of the best coffee shop in Birmingham. The coffee taste great, even I’m not a coffee enthusiast I can still spot the differences. I also ordered a cinnamon bun and a matcha & sesame sliced cake, both are way above average. I was expecting a more oriental taste since it is a matcha recipe but turn out its a very good combination of west and east. Well done. The place is quite small, please be expected to wait for a table for a little while.

Absolutely love this place! Amazing range and quality of coffee, relaxed environment and the music taste is always immaculate! 🎉

Fantastic coffee and snacks at good prices. Very friendly and fast service. Relaxed but bright atmosphere.

A small coffee shop with a lovely affogato

Nth too special, the basque cheese cake was not bad, a good hideout nearby the station

Great coffee and try the baked cheesecake!

Horrendously rude staff, scoffed at a simple question and made us feel completely uncomfortable and awkward. Spend your money elsewhere and avoid these coffee snobs who give the coffee trade a bad name

Didn't even get to order a coffee as the server was so rude. Won't be visiting again.

Properly fantastic coffee, these guys are extracting everything from the bean giving a complex and sweet flavour profile.

Very friendly staff, however me and the Mrs reckon the flat white tasted weird kinda like gravy. 🫤

Great service, excellent coffee and very relaxing atmosphere. The coffee shop renovated since I last came. I had a nice snack (Anzac) which was really good too.

It was my first time here at Faculty today. It’s a small and snug cafe with nice coffee. They also have a small variety of bake goods and pastries too. We only ordered a latte and affogato as we already had lunch and we’re quite full. It’s a nice place to have a chat while enjoying a cuppa. Staff were also nice and friendly.

Always great coffee well prepared, the staff are really friendly. I often come in for a quick coffee before work and it's a nice vibe!

Lovely coffee shop. All staff are very helpful and polite, especially the lady with glasses! The handwritten signs are a nice touch too :-)

Quaint little coffee shop situated in the beautiful Piccadilly Arcade walkway, offering a small selection of bake goods which can be warmed up on request. I believe they rotate their coffee blends but nothing is really clearly signposted nor do the staff give the impression that they would be forthcoming with answers tool any questions you may have. The service is really a hit and miss but the main issue is that the staff do not seem to listen and would much rather snap at their customers at the first opportunity instead. I ordered a takeaway coffee and saw a customer came inside and spoke to one of the baristas to ask if it was table service or not. The barista muttered her response twice, not ever bothering to look up from her task at the time and when the customer looked confused and asked once more, she hastily replied “THE TILL” as if it were the most obvious thing in the world (even if it wasn’t, surely that isn’t a way to speak to people). You could see the customer was a little confused and embarrassed about the situation. I wish this was an isolated incident but I had a similar experience here with my sister, where answers were very abrupt and a nuisance. Unfortunately, it seems that this behaviour is exhibited by the hijabi woman, having noticed her behaviour on a number of different occasions. Surely if you are working a customer facing role, you should have some basic understanding of customer service. Even if you didn’t, I’m sure you would begin to understand once the same energy reciprocated.

Close to one star than three. It's good to use indie coffee stores where possible but not just for the sake of it. Cappuccino on the cool side and minuscule in size. Arrived about 5 mins after the cake. Somewhat cramped uncomfortable interior.

Coffee, both cappuccino and flat white good. Atmosphere fantastic. Very good choice of music and nice and attentive staff.

The Heisenberg of coffee. If i need super strong mental focus for the day i come here. Faculty coffee is on another level to other coffee

Repeat customers lost. Asked for a specific dessert from the front of the display cabinet and was denied. Was told "I don't make the rules"...

Lovely tasting coffee. I didn't eat here but the cakes looked amazing. Friendly service. Would definitely come again.

Had a first class flat white……just had to have another, great relaxed atmosphere

Just had one of the best coffee’s I have ever tasted.

Unfortunately I don’t get to visit as often as I used to but whenever I do the coffee is amazing. This place got me into “proper” coffee many years ago and the attention to detail is still as meticulous as ever. Geoff and Lucy have built a great place here. If people don’t appreciate the love these guys put into their work then there are plenty of high street coffee shops around

Best coffee of my life- normally I need sugar in my coffee but had absolutely no need, was perfectly smooth and beautiful flavours. Staff are so lovely, amazing vibes, tasty treats and coffee that is beyond brilliant. Love it.

Best coffee in Brum, the guy with the hair is great, lovely V60 orea.

Good selection of vegan pastries/ cakes

Very nice, snug café off Grand Central. Very good filter coffee, delicious kimchi grilled cheese, and excellent ambiance. And they have AC, a rarity around these parts. Would have been the perfect spot to get some work done had it not been for the surprising absence of a restroom! Had to pack up and leave (in a hurry!) when I found this out.

Finally, on my last day in Birmingham. I kept this place in my wish list and saving the best for the last. Look at the number of beans they have on shelves, one could imagine the traffic they have got. I had two latte during my visit. House espresso beans from Square Mile Coffee Roaster. Guest espresso beans from DAK coffee roaster - thermal shock process, this is unique and complex, sweet and full bodied like tasting milk chocolate with a hint of cinnamon.

Cracking little spot tucked away in the arcade, worth getting off the main street and swerving the Costa opposite. Chaps on service were dead on, pricing & quality of their espresso was top notch. Grab a brew, phone away, sit out front on the bench and look at the roof of the arcade 👌

المكان ملموم و حلو و القهوه لذيذه

Very small place. Good coffee and homemade cakes.

Friendly staff, delicious espresso and a good selection of fresh roasted Beans to purchase

If you want a proper coffee break and a proper quality coffe..desserts are really tasty as well! Every time enjoy to be there!! Favorite spot

Fantastic place, best coffee in town. 😊

Very high quality coffee! It was super delicious

A gateway to Birmingham, immediately accessible from leaving New Street station. A cosy venue which prioritises quality coffee.

Best cakes and pastries to go and coffee Great service too Local to the new st station Love a independent

Lovely. It’s a gem in city centre. The place is cosy and affordable. They have a small menu and pastries & cakes. Really tasty! I would definitely recommend it.

One of the best espresso ive tasted since i arrived in UK. Their Kalita pour over Ice Natural Anaerobic is mind blowing. The complexity of flavor notes, fermented dark fruits and astonishing smooth lavender notes. Looking forward to try more coffees. Passionate Barista! For brewing a great cup of coffee

Not a very pleasant experience as it felt like we were very unwanted in there. Shame as their standards on coffee are very high. But to wait 20 min for 2 flat whites and see others coming after you to get their coffee before you is a bit odd.

quite unpleasant experience. The coffee was good but the staff was not exactly rude I would say they seemed they don't care for their clients. Had to ask five times for some sugar that came after my coffee was already cold. Felt not welcomed in the whole experience. Will never visit again

Dávam päť aj keď kávička nebola presne podľa mojej chuti(organicka),ale koláčiky boly famózne a aj obsluha milá.

A nice little cafe right near new street station, warm & friendly staff and good coffee (though the servings are a tad small). Fully intend to return so I can sit in!

very polite and knowledgeable team. great coffee. served with a smile. great sweet and savoury treats too.

Such a lovely place with friendly staff and a warm atmosphere. The cafe was small but the service was perfect. The price was also acceptable we bought a black American, a latte and a cheesecake for 10£.

The coffee I tried in this cafe was really bad. Although the cafe had many good reviews, but the cup size was small. While this is not necessarily a problem, the taste of the coffee was dreadful. The milk was sour and disgusting, leaving me very disappointed.

Exceptional coffee and delicious baked goods. Had a manual pour over expertly brewed to perfection and kindly served by professional and knowledgable Baristas. Thank you so much and see you again soon! Highly recommend.

We both thoroughly enjoyed our experience and think of it fondly.

Very pleasant. Convenient to New Street station. We arrived at the airport less than an hour ago then into Birmingham and out the door to here! My daughter wanted a coffee stop with good reviews. This met the criteria. We were not disappointed: a very welcome Latte and Flat White with cakes. Perfect. Friendly and efficient staff too. All good here.

Lovely cakes, friendly staff and nice relaxing atmosphere! Definitely recommend going, one of the nicest in Birmingham!

Cosy coffee shop in a lovely little arcade away from the hustle and bustle of Birmingham. Great, knowledgeable and friendly staff. Cakes are to die for!

Beautiful coffee and friendly stuff! A must place if you like coffee

coffee is pretty nice but the vegan french toast is terrible, relatively overpriced and very dry, it tastes like plain toast and the banana on top is cold

The egg dish was delicious but the sour dough was hard.

Extremely good coffee served by friendly staff in small venue within the Victorian arcade. Wifi available. One of the best flat whites I've had recently. I think the cake is made in the adjoining unit where you can watch it being created. They are serious about serving you good coffee.

Everything I had was so good. Lovely well balanced flat white, delicious sandwich and very tasty bakewell tart. The staff were also very friendly. It's small so you might not get a table immediately, but it's worth the wait!

I get that it’s a small shop but it wasn’t busy. There were people sat at tables but already had their drinks There were about 3 staff behind the counter, we were trying to get a takeaway coffee and it took 15 minutes to come. Coffee and cakes were lovely and staff were nice but poor service and staff didn’t say sorry for the wait or anything 🙁

Unfortunately probably the worst coffee I've ever had. Great vibe, great staff and food just extremely awful coffee. Remember to look up.

We were looking for breakfast but we were keen not to frequent a chain option, of which Birmingham boasts an abundance. We found this down an arcade and loved it. The food was good, the coffee excellent and the ambience first class. It is well worth seeking out.

Finally found a good specialty coffee shop in West midlands. Ordered V60 filter coffee, beans was volcan azul from Costarica. Very sweet and fruity. Couldn’t recommend it enough if you prefer filter than milk-based.

Why waste money on chain coffee when you can have relaxing, tasty experience of coffee in here. What a gem! So much detail goes into make one cup of coffee may put someone off, but tou can taste it till the last drop-liquid love. There may not be "the usual pastries" available but patisserie on display is just what you need to indulge that special, precious coffee moment.. Enjoy!

The owners and staff here are super friendly. The coffee is so much better than that chain store rubbish and has anyone mentioned cakes. The basque cheese cake is heavenly.

Small,cozy, great coffee, best in town,friendly staff