Here in this part of Dorset we're lucky to have a traditional family-run Brewery down the road in Blandford Forum - Hall & Woodhouse Breweries. Now, not only do they brew some of the greatest beers I've ever tasted but they also run some of the best pubs and hotels in the area. Near the centre of Blandford is the Crown Hotel, a wonderful place in it's own right but it has an offshoot - "The Half Crown Café".
The Half Crown Café is on the Market Place in Blandford and is a wonderful place to sit and watch the world go by, read the daily papers and sample their really nice snacks - not a 'greasy-spoon' or 'fry-up' type of café but a tasty gateaux, home-made soup, and sandwich with a fresh salad & coleslaw garnish type of café.
It also serves the best Espresso and Americano coffee in Dorset, maybe the whole of Britain... Why the "Half Crown" can get it so right when most other places get their coffee disastrously wrong is a mystery to me, I'm just grateful that I get a fantastic coffee when I need one !!!
Today whilst waiting for Sue to trawl around the shops I settled down in the café with a few of the café-supplied newspapers and an Americano coffee during the very short wait for a bowl of Roast Parsnip Soup and warm Roll to be served. Later, when Sue decided to have a breather from her minute examination of every product in every shop in Blandford (trust me - it's true, not an exaggeration) we had a couple more Americanos but this time moved to one of the soft leather sofas in the café. Pure bliss !!!
So thank you Hall & Woodhouse and the Crown Hotel for allowing the Half Crown Café to exist! It's a ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark world of bad coffee... 
P.S. Their Americano is what I class as a 'real' americano - a double espresso topped up with hot water and served with a nice piece of chocolate on the side, not just a black filter coffee as served by some places...
