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Rating: 4/5

Unless you’re regularly around the Teachers College area of campus you may be unfamiliar with Fluid Espresso, which is located on the corner of Union East and Forth Streets next to the Campus Wonderful Store. The small coffee bar is buzzing early in the morning, especially with University staff, but the place closes pretty early in the afternoon as they’re usually cleaned out of food just after midday.

Fluid Espresso has a few seats and a bench, and some cute wee boxes they pop outside on sunny days, but it’s usually so busy that you’re better off getting takeaway. This café uses the popular Allpress beans, and the baristas make an excellent cappuccino – ideal for those walking to uni from the Dundas/Harbour Terrace area.

Fluid’s treatment of their beans is pretty admirable – they can cram a triple shot into a small cup without it tasting too bitter. M and G recommend the muffins and sandwiches they have on offer. Fluid also has a pretty good stamp card system – although often you have to stamp your own card, Fluid trusts you not to snake a few extras.

There is nothing worse in M’s book than having to wait an eternity for a long black or cup of tea behind a backlog of milky coffees when all you need is a dash of water in a cup. Fluid is one of those great cafés that seem to understand that frustration, and so they don’t piss around when they are pumping out the orders.

Fluid is a popular hangout for those milling around PolyTech, T-Col and the Bill Robertson Library. As it’s such a hot spot, don’t expect to waltz in and out of this wee coffee bar without having to wait in a sizeable line. Around peak times, ain’t no thang to see a line going out the door onto the street with a crowd around the counter as everyone waits for their coffee fix. However, M and G find it a blessing to be able to get a great takeaway espresso in such an isolated corner of campus.