Intenso Espresso Bar

Had the misfortune of spending 20 mins in this place while waiting for a business meeting. I wasn’t expecting to find anything particularly special in this part of Hove. Noisy environment even though it was pretty dead inside and forced to listen to the manager (I assume that who he was) talking patronisingly to the few other customers present. Avoid.

This unassuming little coffee bar at the less salubrious end of Portland Road (is there a more salubrious end?!) is one of my favourite places to wile away a couple of hours with a hot drink and a good book.
Probably off most people’s radar due to its less than central location, it’s a true hidden gem. What makes its so special you ask? — well, the staff for one. The girls that greet us treat us like old friends every time we come here, and we have a good old gossip as if in deed we were. We are never made to feel like we are wasting space if our drinks have long since been finished and we haven’t ordered another. The seating is comfy and well spaced out, and the décor is eclectic — old record sleeves adorn the walls, there is a wooded rocking horse that greets you as you walk through the door and there is numerous other memorabilia from around the world.
The music too is fascinating, being worldly, soulful, and most importantly being played at a volume that does not prevent you reading or talking.
This coffee house seems to appeal to a wide range of people from grubby workman, to older couples, to yummy mummy’s — the children’s room at the back scattered with toys is a great place to bring the little ones.
The drinks here are also great — my boyfriend swears by the new gold blend coffee, praise indeed from a Brazilian! And I’m slowly working my way through the different flavours of chai latte, my current favourite being the spiced.
They do a good range of sandwiches, paninis and bagels here as a very decent price, as well as homemade cakes, biscuits and other treats.
Go on, venture down this end of town and give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.

This café on the corner of Hogarth Road is a gem in the long uninspiring stretch that is Portland Road. You queue at the counter to order and wait while it is prepared. Generous mugs of cappuccino, one decaf, were appreciated by my friends. I had the Green and Blacks organic hot chocolate without the extra cream and marshmallows. I don’t know what it is with hot chocolate, but lots of establishments serve it luke warm but here it was hot. Great. There was a wide range of teas on offer too. We weren’t eating but I noticed the snacks included biscotti and Tyrrells crisps, one of my favourite brands. We three sat in comfy chairs round a table in the corner for about an hour and a half. No-​one bothered us to order again. Intenso has been there for less than a year but was busy with a clientele that included local workmen and mums and toddlers. I was amazed that a street that looked so empty of people had such a thriving café. But its success is well deserved. The only fly in the ointment was the local car parking: residents only in the side streets and £1.50 for 2 hours in Portland Road.