Tim Horton's - Reviewed

When your working day starts at 5 am coffee fast becomes an integral part of it. A lifeline through the bleak hours, that warm trickle of energy when every ounce of your head is begging for you to be in bed. Layers of flavour, dark, bitter, dry, chocolatey, a twist of berries, tart, it doesn't just taste of coffee. Coffee has become my new 'thing'. I love to take time making a pot in the morning, warming my cup, adding the right temperature water, grinding it just so to create a cup of coffee I can sit back and enjoy on those days I'm not up at the sparrows. So when I found that there was a new coffee shop just around the corner from my place of work, I was curious to give it a go.

A decent looking building, mind you to be OK looking in Milton Keynes isn't tricky.

A decent looking building, mind you to be OK looking in Milton Keynes isn't tricky.

Tim Horton's. If you're reading this in Canada you'll immediately know what I'm on about and likely already be thinking about a Timbit. If you aren't, chances are you're wondering what the hell a Timbit is. Allow me to fill you in.

Tim Horton was a hockey player in Canada who in 1964 opened a coffee shop in Hamilton, in Ontario, Canada. 1976 saw the introduction of the Timbit, basically the middle bit of a ring doughnut, and it becomes a firm favourite.

As the coffee shops grew in popularity, having spread across Canada, they finally breached the southern border. 1984 saw them open a branch in Tonawanda, New York. The expansion of the brand continued through the years, with the 2000th Timmy Ho's opening in the Millennium in Toronto.

And then in 2017, the news came that after caffeinating the Great White North for just over 50 years, Tim Horton's would be coming across the Atlantic to the UK.

And then three years later I've finally gotten round to going to one for a sip of that life-giving nectar.

How can the insides of a coffee-shop scream Canada?

How can the insides of a coffee-shop scream Canada?

Well, after another 5 am start I was short of caffeine by 8 am when a break rolled around so off to Tim Horton's I went. I didn't go for the drive-in and considering they had not long opened for the day and it wasn't busy, it was safe enough to venture inside and take a gander.

Doughnuts, bagels and an entire bottom shelf filled with Timbits. Which at 39p a go I can see me fast becoming a fan of!

Doughnuts, bagels and an entire bottom shelf filled with Timbits. Which at 39p a go I can see me fast becoming a fan of!

I won't say anything on the vibe of the place as under the current COVID rules here in the UK you can't go in and sit down for a drink, take-aways only. The menu was broad, but not so overwhelming that you'd struggle to pick something before you reach the front of the queue. The baked goods looked incredible and sat neatly arranged in their cabinet. In the end, I opted for a medium black coffee made from their dark roast and an apple fritter.

Wouldn't say no if someone offered me another one of those fritters!

Wouldn't say no if someone offered me another one of those fritters!

The coffee was very good. Deep and rich with an expensive tasting bitter note. It tasted premium and had a gentle mouthfeel, smooth and almost oily, not thin and watery like some cheap coffees end up.

Ignore the Starbucks in the background, Timmy's is where it's at!

Ignore the Starbucks in the background, Timmy's is where it's at!

The apple fritter was alright, far less apple in it than I'd anticipated, richer instead with cinnamon, which isn't a problem as I love the stuff.

Looks strange, tastes pretty decent.

Looks strange, tastes pretty decent.

The price of the two, £3.78. £1.99 for the coffee, £1.79 for the fritter, which is a very good pricing strategy as they are both reasonable sizes for each product and both have a quality that exceeds their price tags. Add in the novelty of the whole thing, the fact that they aren't Costa or Starbucks. Would I go back? Yes.