Ah, the sultry scent of dark, velvet-roasted coffee beans! The smell alone is able to wake us up happy. The love of good coffee has inspired us hunt for the best coffee in London and here is a list of what we’ve found.
We guarantee that even Starbucks lovers will forgot those green-aproned baristas and follow this trail of independent coffee shops in London.
We’ve summed up each shop in less than a sentence so you don’t have to read much, that leaves you with more time to go and get a cup of Joe (and maybe a haircut too, don’t worry, you’ll see soon) at your favourite one!
Sharps Coffee Bar by Dunne Frankowski
Men, did you know you can come here to get your hair and beard trimmed whist you have a cup of coffee? Well, you do now!
Go: 9 Windmill Street, London. W1T 2JF
Giddy Up Coffee
Organic, artisan and Fair Trade coffee, what else do you need? Well, Giddy Up supports the Coffee Kids charity too.
Go: 18 Fortune Street, London EC1Y 0SB
Look Mum No Hands
Coffee. Cycling. Beer. Simple.
Go: 49 Old Street, London EC1V 9HX
The Proud Activist
Have a cup of coffee while you admire the gallery of wall art. Create conversion, make friends and get to know your community too.
Go: 2-10 Hertford Road, London. N1 5ET
Store St. Espresso
Artisan coffee in the heart of London
Go: 40 Store Street, London. WC1E 7DB
Prufrock Coffee
You don’t just get to drink the best coffee, you can also book a Latte Art Workshop and make it yourself or take part in their tastings.
Go: 23-25 Leather Lane. London. EC1N 7TE
Artisan
These guys know their coffee the way scientists know their atoms, no really, they are coffee scientists, one of the reasons why the taste is out of this world!
Go: 203 Upper Richmond Road, Putney, London, SW15 6SG
Monmouth Coffee
These guys have been pleasing coffee addicts since 1978. Located in Covent Garden, Bermondsy and The Borough, you won’t miss your Starbucks, we guarantee it.
Go: 27 Monmouth Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9EU
Tap
They love local, so go, make friends with them, and have a cup of their fine coffee too!
Go: 26 Rathbone Place, London. W1T1JD
The Attendant
Don’t be alarmed that this coffee shop was built a Former toilet because, that is part of the charm. We do not joke. The Attendant is quirky and quintessentially British Victorian.
Go: 27A Foley Street, London. W1W 6DY
Department of Coffee
We love these guys because of this, as well as their coffee. We’re coffee nerds now!
Go: 14-16 Leather Lane, London EC1N 7SU
Notes
Specialty coffee, plus wine bar, plus music and books. Can we live here please?
Go:31 St Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4ER. Plus locations in Covent Garden and Moorgate.
Wild and Wood
Church pews and 50’s music, oh and it was voted London’s Best Coffee Shop of the Year 201
Go: New Oxford Street 1 unit 19, London. WC1 A1BA
Monocle
Coffee and a Japanese breakfast whilst perusing through the Monocle Magazine, that’s a good start to any morning.
Go: 18 Chiltern Street. W1U 7QA
Ginger and White
Don’t expect a ‘grande’ here; this one is for serious coffee lovers only.
Go: 2 England’s Lane, London NW3 4TG
Fernandez and Wells
Coffee, sourdough based breads and cakes, cured meats and wine and cheese.
Go: Six locations around London
J and A
Fine coffee made and served by passionate owners, Johanna and Aoife Ledwidge
Go: 1+4 Sutton Lane. London. EC1M 5PU
Leyas
Go to experience the ‘Rogue’ espresso,which has notes of caramel, apricot and orange.
Go: 20 Camden Hight Street, London, NW1 0JH
The Haberdashery
Go for the vintage décor and because it’s been voted The Best Coffee Shop in London by Grazia Magazine.
Go: 22 Middle Lane, crouch end. London. N8 8PL. Also located in Stoke Newington
Scared Cafe
Mellow and Aromatic, the Sacred coffee and cafes are created to reflect the essence of a New Zealand café roast and blend.
Locations around London
That’s it folks! If you love the coffee of any other shops in London, let us know and we’ll add them to the list.
Are you a London Foodie ? Check out our London Supper Clubs, London Cooking Lessons & London Restaurant Experiences
All photo credits go to the shops named aside from: Store St Espresso via Urban 75 blog Prufrock Via Metro Wild and Wood via Mark Whitfield Ginger and White copyright of Jonathan Gregson