Amt Coffee - Bristol

One minute to go until the train leaves. Do I run for it? It 's platform 11! I pass AMT Coffee. Hmm... maybe I 'll wait 'till the next one. The above diatribe often goes through my mind when making that vital commuter decision to run, or not to run? Truth be told, it doesn 't take much to sway me away from running but the lure of a coffee and a pretzel is far too tempting to just jog on past. It 's surprising that for such a busy station that there 's not more in the way of refreshments at Bristol Temple Meads. But if you have to make a choice for where to get a coffee, I 'd always chose AMT over the Pumpkin Cafe 's sat on the platforms. Cheaper, tastier and vitally quicker AMT offers a good selection of coffees, teas and snacks to make a long wait much more pleasant. The downside is that they don 't offer a place to sit, and due to their popularity there 's always a queue. But if you 've got time to kill, pop down to see the friendly folks at AMT and they 'll give you something scrummy to pass the time with.

Probably the best place to grab a coffee within the station, even though it's only of average quality. While I was commuting between Keynsham and Cardiff for a while, I used to buy a slightly over sweet take away hot chocolate or a coffee from here nearly every day while I awaited my connection, in the absence of any better place to buy one. It was not the best quality in the world, but by no means the worst either. I haven't tried the thick milkshakes they shout about on their signs, mainly because I've usually been freezing cold and needing something to warm me up. The pre packaged snacks on sale include pretzels, muffins, overpriced dried fruits and nuts, and chocolate nut bars or flapjacks nothing particularly inspiring or good value. AMT is a simple standalone snack bar in the middle of the station's underground walkway, so there's nowhere to sit but to be honest I think I'd rather head upstairs into the daylight than linger down there anyway.

Nothing like that fist cappuccino of the day at stupid o'clock, when you're starting your London commute, served with a smile well actually it's more like a giggle. I think the lovely, very friendly and efficient Polish girl who works here finds my stupid face particularly hilarious or is just very happy all of the time. Either way they service is great, the coffee isn't bad either, certainly the best at Temple Meads. And you can usually always grab a cup in time for your train. It's hard to miss them really as they block your route to the platform, the snack choice isn't the most diverse, but they do have pretzels, which you don't see everywhere (or anywhere in this country) and their cheap and filling. But they are the masters of the cappuccino in an instant; obviously they have perfected their art being positioned in the heart of the rush hour. So if you don't think you have time to grab a coffee, think again sucker!

**** yeah! DYNAMITE iced lattes. I didn't mean to capitalize that last bit, but I hit the wrong key on my iPhone and I kinda like how it turned out. If you're running for a train and need a coffee boost, this is the place.

Just like the Pasty Store just next door, this place has proved a godsend for those mornings on my way to Bath when I simply haven 't had enough sleep, or have drunk to much the previous night, or a combination of the two. The queues are sometimes a bit of a bother if you 're running slightly behind schedule (like all the trains at Temple Meads, I suppose , but that is only testament to how good the coffees are at this tiny little booth/serving station. I always go for a mocha, as it 's simply the best thing for the mornings a nice shot in the arm, or slap in the face, depending on how you look at it (basically, it wakes you up in no uncertain terms maybe a kick in the seat? , but with the loveliness of chocolate to make you feel all good inside. I wouldn 't bother with any of the pre packaged food here, which is well overpriced, but the coffee is just right for those times that you find yourself at this station listening to some machine like voice in the sky say, I 'm sorry to inform you...