Twitter was buzzing with news that leading broadsheet The Guardian opened its first coffee shop in Shoreditch last week to engage with the technology community there.

Reactions were mixed to the leftist publication extending its empire east from King’s Cross to Boxpark in Bethnal Green Road with its #guardiancoffee outlet.

Graphic designer @brodiemarsh was complimentary, tweeting: “A guardian coffee angel just visited me and delivered a gift like no other. The Iron Men approve!”.

Isla Stones also approved of the coffee, saying: “Have had the best Flat white so far at #guardiancoffee! Amazing stuff.”

But novelist and East Londoner Grace Dent was less impressed, tweeting: “Someone dipping their testicles in tepid tap water would be more pleasant than Guardian coffee.”

A spokeswoman from The Guardian said: “#guardiancoffee is a fantastic example of how we are bringing our open journalism approach to life, by taking our leading technology reporting to where technology actually is: driving real-time debate and engagement among the creative technology community.

“Our head of technology Jemima Kiss will be getting to know the key players from London’s Tech City, and interviewing the people whose ideas are shaping the future – all fuelled by some really good coffee.

“People will also be able to drop in to find out more about our innovative approach to storytelling.”

The slimline pop-up coffee shop features Shoreditch-themed wallpaper and iPads where customers can gain access to the media giant’s news website. Nude Espresso coffee is priced from £2.50 upwards and a bottle of water cost £2.