Costa Coffee

You're in Allerton, that bit of south Liverpool that's proper residential, and this Costa is exactly what you'd expect—functional, familiar, and honestly, sometimes that's all you need. The coffee is competent rather than inspiring, the kind of place where you know what you're getting before you walk in. It's the sort of spot locals pop into for a quick flat white and a muffin before heading to work, or where you'll find people camped out with laptops for longer than they probably should be. The chain formula means it's clean, the staff are usually alright, and there's enough seating to actually sit down, which counts for something.