I tried authentic iced coffee at family-run Guildford cafe and was transported to the Mediterranean

I took the trip into Guildford town centre to visit Street Cups, an authentic, family-run Greek coffee shop in Chapel Street. I was first drawn to visit when I found out that iced coffee originates from Greece.

Now, I am a self-proclaimed coffee enthusiast - I enjoy all types of coffee, especially iced coffee, so I thought I must try an iced coffee in its original and most authentic form. And Street Cups did not let me down.

Sitting at the the top of the cobbles, Street Cups is near everywhere you would want to visit in Guildford town centre, and is just a two minute walk from the Castle. The café is not hard to miss as it has a beautifully organised and modern seating area just outside the front door.

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As I opened the door to the cafe I felt a light Mediterranean ambience, almost as if it was July and I was back on holiday in Cyprus, not in 2C heat in Guildford town centre. It had a warming aroma of coffee and freshly baked Greek treats, this sort of atmosphere is hard to find, especially in Guildford which in recent years has become dominated by coffeehouse chains which just don't have the same feel as a family-run business.

I was greeted by the lovely Greek baristas and staff, who were part of the extended family who run Street Cups. The barista was happy to give me a run through of all the authentic coffees on offer, as well as the wide range of the freshly baked Greek and Mediterranean sweet and savoury pastries which were arranged behind the counter.

There was a wide range of drinks and coffees on offer, from all your classic Italian style coffees that we all know and love, to some very interesting signature shakes, with flavours of either avocado or strawberry. While these did intrigue me, I knew I had to do what I came for; to try an authentic Greek iced coffee.

Greece is said to be where the frappé originates from, an iconic iced coffee which is made using instant coffee. Now, I did not intend to travel to Street Cups to buy a glorified instant coffee with ice; luckily, the frappé has a more upmarket, little brother known as the freddo. This is a cold coffee made with espresso, ice and cold milk froth. The freddo is said to be a staple in Greek coffee culture.

The savoury foods which caught my eye were the pastries, each made with authentic Greek flaky phyllo (filo) dough. There were a variety of fillings, such as spanakopita which includes a creamy feta cheese and spinach filling, this is an iconic Greek savoury treat which I cannot recommend enough. On the sweeter side, you can choose from a variety of small bites from Greece and the Mediterranean, as well as some quintessentially Greek Christmas options.

Upon hearing the barista's recommendations, I opted for a freddo cappuccino and some sweet treats, this totalled £5.80. I went for three different treats, first, a kourabiedes; a buttery-almond type biscuit which honestly disintegrated in my mouth, it was delicious.

Next, I had an Italian-style chocolate shortbread, which was almost like a sandwich with coconut filling in the middle. And finally, arguably my favourite of the three was a Christmas exclusive, the melomakarona cookies, which are a fairly simple biscuit themselves, but are drenched in honey and nuts, these were lovely and I could've had many more.

The freddo cappuccino was refreshing, simple, but I appreciate that more and more, as coffee culture becomes evermore about adding lots of different flavoured syrups. I would definitely recommend giving a freddo a try as its an example of something being at its best when it is in its most simplest form.

Overall Street Cups provides a breath of fresh air in the ever saturated café scene in Guildford's town centre, the Greek twist, as well as the lovely indoor and outdoor seating areas really gives an extra splash of character which many coffee shops, both chain and independent, don't have. Interestingly, Guildford is beginning to have its own 'Greek corner' in Chapel Street, with Street Cups and the well-renowned kebab restaurant, Meet the Greek.

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