Small Batch Coffee Roasters started in Brighton and Hove in 2006, and its first coffee shop opened next to Hove station. That café is still the flagship and was the original home of the roastery, and the house blend, Goldstone, takes its name from it. Small Batch sources from four continents and more than 20 countries, roasts in small batches and logs its tastings in Cropster.

The roastery is now in Portslade, with two roasters, a Probat and a Loring Kestrel. Its Roastery Cafe sits about 15 metres from the roasters and serves food, takes laptops and dogs, and has seats outside. The Portslade roastery also hosts a Coffee School with home-brewing courses. The Hove café has the same set-up of food, outdoor seating, dogs and laptops, and a third café is near Brighton station. A coffee cart travels to events.

Goldstone is a contemporary espresso blend, roasted fairly light, and its current edition combines natural and washed coffees from Brazil, Kenya and Papua New Guinea. For its 20th birthday in 2026 Small Batch brought co-founder Alan Tomlins back to the roastery to rebuild the original 2006 recipe, released as a limited OG Goldstone from three washed coffees. Throwback is a traditional blend made without dark roasting or Robusta, and Blue Note, from washed Papua New Guinea and Guatemala, was designed for filter.

Coffee on the shelf

Photograph: Small Batch Coffee Roasters