The 26 best coffee shops in London
London is home to some of the best coffee shops out there, and the capital's coffee community of artisan roasters and independent shops is ever-growing – and often competitive. Third-wave coffee culture was largely brought to London by Antipodean expats in the early 2000s; first in foodie central corners such as Soho, before spreading east and eventually dominating all corners of the capital.
But where can you find the very best coffee in London? A good cup of joe should have that rich roasted flavour, deep brown colour and the perfect milk-to-coffee ratio. And luckily, coffee lovers are spoiled for choice in the capital. From silky-smooth hipster brews and social enterprises to the best Italian espresso, we've curated a list of the best coffee in London – arranged by location – as picked by the editors of Condé Nast Traveller.
Best coffee shops in London
Trent McMinnThe best coffee shops in Central London
Monmouth Coffee, Seven Dials
The original Monmouth Coffee, on pretty Monmouth Street in Seven Dials, opened way back in 1978, long before artisan coffee meant anything to most people. Founder Anita Leroy is one half of a Covent Garden power couple with Neal’s Yard Dairy founder Randolph Hodgson. In 2007, they opened a second – and now their best-known – branch at Borough Market (you’ll have seen the queues winding around the corner on Saturday mornings). The staff are meticulously trained in the different tasting notes of the beans, so they can help you find your perfect cup of coffee. A third opening, in the Bermondsey railway arches where the Monmouth HQ is, opens on Saturdays only, and this spot is more of an insider’s secret than the first two. For now, anyway.
Address: Monmouth Coffee Company, 27 Monmouth Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9EU
Other locations: Borough Market and Bermondsey
Website: monmouthcoffee.co.uk
Matthew BuckBar Italia, Soho
This is as close as London gets to a true-blue Italian coffee experience. Family-run since 1949, it serves rocket-fuel espresso and plenty of Mediterranean shrugs from the aproned waiters. It's open from 7am until 4am so coffee time can easily segue into Negroni hour. Grab a table outside and watch the hubbub of Frith Street – as colourful as the red-and-green neon Bar Italia sign overhead.
Address: Bar Italia, 22 Frith Street, Soho, London W1D 4RF
Website: baritaliasoho.co.uk
Kaffeine, Fitzrovia
Kaffeine is probably the closest thing you’ll find to the New Zealand coffee shop scene in London. A buzzing slip of a place with red brick walls, box-crate tables and smart black accents. Countertops heave with piles of artisan sandwiches, inventive salads, and freshly baked sweet treats – the banana bread, served toasted and smothered in butter is a must (and a fixture of most good Kiwi cafés). The coffee, meanwhile, is strong, smooth and consistently great. It’s such a popular spot that you may have to share a table with a stranger, but don’t be put off – the crowd here is always friendly. And if there’s no room to squeeze in at the Great Titchfield Street original, they’ve opened a slightly bigger version just five minutes walk away on Eastcastle Street too. Olivia Holborow
Address: Kaffeine, 66 Great Titchfield Street, Fitzrovia, London W1W 7QJ
Other locations: Fiztrovia
Website: kaffeine.co.uk
Algerian Coffee Stores, Soho
Less a coffee shop, more full-blown coffee institution, this cosy Soho store has been caffeinating Londoners since it opened back in 1887. Although they may not have been sipping lattes back in the day, stepping inside the signature red-fronted Old Compton Street shop feels like a journey back in time – and one look at the old black and white photos on their website shows that the displays have barely changed. Wooden shelves are stacked floor to ceiling with canisters of freshly roasted beans from around the world and all the coffee-making accoutrements you could wish for: shiny mocha pots of all sizes, packs of filter papers, cafetiѐres and copper Turkish coffee makers. There’s also a hefty selection of loose-leaf teas, if you’re so inclined. But aside from stocking all you need for your morning home brew, they also have a trusty Astoria coffee machine plonked neatly in the middle of the cramped shop, which serves up some of the cheapest – and best – coffee in town. For around £1, you can get a single (or double) syrupy espresso or for around £1.20, they’ll make you a strong latte or cappuccino. Sadly it’s take away or standing room only but for that price, no one is complaining. Sonya Barber
Address: Algerian Coffee Stores, 52 Old Compton Street, Soho, London W1D 4PB
Website: algeriancoffeestores.com
Workshop Coffee, Fitzrovia
The coffee itself, rather than the shop, is the thing here. Aiming to create the best possible brew available each year, Workshop pushed our caffeine habit to addiction when we subscribed to its delivery service to receive an always satisfying surprise bag through the door every month. Each one arrived with a neat postcard showing where our coffee had hailed from, detailing the place and people behind it, from Rwanda to El Salvador and Brazil to Ethiopia. The central London shop, one of a handful of Workshops in London, is more of a stop-and-hop sort of joint but there is a communal space out back, bordered by benches and with a library vibe, should you fancy some quiet time with your cup and a book. Becky Lucas
Address: Workshop Coffee, 80 Mortimer Street, Fitzrovia, London W1W 7FE
Other location: Marylebone
Website: workshopcoffee.com
%Arabica, Covent Garden
This sleek and high-end Japanese speciality coffee shop has made its way over to the UK, simultaneously opening up in Covent Garden and East London’s Broadway Market. There’s a stylish and clean feel here, with exposed brick, bone-white counters and the signature coffee machine, a customised Slayer Espresso, as the star of the show. And the coffee is as serious as the aesthetic is cool. %Arabica roasts its own beans (on-site in the case of the flagship on Broadway Market) and founder Kenneth Shoji has visited each supplier to personally select the beans for the space. Go classic with a flat white or espresso macchiato, or opt for the Spanish latte, made with sticky condensed milk. Pro tip: their Kyoto Arashiyama store is worth the journey halfway across the world. Katharine Sohn
Address: %Arabica London, 5 King Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8HN
Other locations: Spitalfields Market, Broadway Market an Mayfair
Website: arabica.coffee
Omotesando Koffee, Fitzrovia
This Fitzrovia coffee shop is no typical third-wave spot. It’s part of Eiichi Kunitomo’s group of cafés, which he started as a one-man operation in Tokyo in 2011. Offshoots have since popped up in Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore – and here, for the first time, in Europe. The minimalist space has to be one of the most Zen places to get a caffeine hit in central London. Inside, there are concrete walls and stripped-back wooden surfaces with room for a handful of people to perch and people-watch, and a cubic counter sitting smartly in the centre, where you can take a seat and chat to your barista about precisely how you’d like your coffee made. Sarah James
Address: Omotesando Koffee, Rathbone Square, London W1T 1PB
Website: ooo-koffee.com
Kiss the Hippo, Fitzrovia
Is this the world’s most conscientious coffee shop? Since opening its first location in Richmond a couple of years ago, Kiss the Hippo has gone from strength to ethical strength. Beans are sourced direct from farmers; the café supports a number of charities, including Rainforest Trust UK and the National Literacy Trust, and partners with the Just a Drop clean water foundation; packaging is biodegradable; the food menu is locavorious (try the eggs Benedict or white-chocolate-iced cinnamon roll – customer favourites for good reason); and most impressively, its in-house roastery produces blends and single-origin options certified organic by the Soil Association and uses 80 per cent less fuel than traditional methods. To top it all off, Kiss the Hippo’s baristas make killer coffee. Try the mellow Guatemalan beans if you’re a drip-coffee lover or the Colombian/Honduran George Street Blend if you’re partial to a velvety flat white. Lauren Hepburn
Address: Kiss the Hippo, 51 Margaret Street, Fitzrovia, London W1W 8SG
Other locations: Richmond, King's Cross and Shoreditch
Website: kissthehippo.com
Lever & Bloom, Bloomsbury
Technically this is a bright red coffee cart, not shop, sitting on Byng Place in Bloomsbury come rain or shine. But while your order is, by necessity, of the takeaway variety, Lever & Bloom has all the charm of your favourite neighbourhood café. Barista Mounir knows his customers by name (as well as their orders, made with Climpson & Sons beans), while business partner Elena supplies the sell-out pastries. Try the Moroccan ghriba – an almond cookie made with superfood matcha. Sarah James
Address: Lever & Bloom, Byng Place, Bloomsbury, London, WC1E 7JJ
Website: leverandbloomcoffee.co.uk
Joe WoodhouseThe best coffee shops in East London
Allpress Espresso Roastery and Café, Dalston
New Zealand coffee mainstay Allpress Espresso brought its signature smooth roasted beans and laidback surfer vibe to London in 2010, when it opened a café and roastery on Redchurch Street. It soon became the Shoreditch coffee spot of choice and was so popular that in 2015, when the lease came up, it realised it had outgrown the space and moved to an airy old joiner’s factory in Dalston, keeping an outpost on Redchurch Street as a friendly little espresso bar. The Hackney mothership is a coffee connoisseur’s dream, selling fruity filters, silky espressos, powerful cold brews and freshly ground beans right next to where the roasting magic happens. This is bean-to-cup in all its glory. The sandwiches and breakfast platters aren’t half bad either, and on a sunny day, the leafy front garden is a surprisingly peaceful space to sip a morning brew. By Sonya Barber
Address: Allpress Espresso Roastery and Café, 55 Dalston Lane, London E8 2NG
Website: allpressespresso.com
Ozone Coffee, Shoreditch
This East London coffee roastery has been around since 1998, making it one of the best-established spots on the relatively new artisan coffee scene. The Shoreditch headquarters come with a hipster-friendly sign ('coffee', with a big arrow, spray painted in white onto the brick wall next to the door) and baristas clad in denim aprons. But their beans supply some of London’s finest cafés (including Mud and But First Coffee, which both feature on this list), and the knowledgeable staff pull some of the best espresso shots in the city – not just a pretty face, then, but a brilliant place for a caffeine hit at one of the original coffee greats. Sarah James
Address: Ozone Coffee, 11 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4AQ
Other locations: London Fields, Ludgate Hill and Creechurch Lane
Website: ozonecoffee.co.uk
PressOrigin, Shoreditch
Tucked away on a quiet lane off frenetic Old Street, Origin is where Shoreditch’s true coffee devotees go for their daily brew. The shop is typically East-London sleek, with concrete floors and clean lines, but there’s a rarer neighbourhood feel to it and the baristas greet many people by name. The coffee itself is a ritual, produced with the sort of care that means you’ll never be served a bad cup. In an area replete with great coffee shops, this is one of the best, offering a precious break from the busyness of London life. Olivia Holborow
Address: Origin, 65 Charlotte Road, London EC2A 3PE
Other locations: Porthleven, King's Cross and Southwark
Website: origincoffee.co.uk
Rex FeaturesThe Towpath Café, Haggerston
We love a place that refuses to serve coffee in wasteful takeaway cups. The setting right on the canal is very peaceful – watch a family of swans or a chugging narrowboat drift by – and the food is delicious, cooked up in a tiny kitchen just a few feet from the water. The oozy grilled cheese sandwich comes with tangy quince jelly, the fried eggs are topped with dukka and coriander; and then, the perfect flat white.
Address: The Towpath Café, 42 De Beauvoir Cres, Haggerston, London N1 5SB
Website: towpathlondon.com
Flying Horse Coffee at Mare Street Market, Hackney
This indoor market in Hackney is one of a flurry of food halls that’s arrived in the city in the past few years. Inside, it’s one of the prettiest spots in this largely industrial part of town: there’s black and white tiled floors, turquoise tiles, huge plants in terracotta pots dotting the floor and a neon ‘Liquor Store’ sign hovering over a floor-to-ceiling bottle shop. Settle in to caffeinate with Flying Horse Coffee, the in-house roastery and order a super-smooth, Melbourne style flat white. If you’re on the go, there’s a hole in the wall to grab a stride-by latte, and if the weather’s good, there’s seating outside. Buy a croissant from Mare Street Market’s deli or a bunch of sunny tulips from indie florist Rebel Rebel, which occupies the space opposite. Sarah James
Address: Mare Street Market, 117 Mare Street, London E8 4RU
Website: marestreetmarket.com
Rosslyn, The City
Rosslyn would be a hipster speciality-coffee heaven if it weren’t for its location in the heart of the City. Instead suited City folk queue up on busy weekday mornings and rather than Polaroids pages of The Financial Times are pinned to the wall. The staff here know loyal customers by name and, impressively, ETA; one financier tells me this is the only café she’ll go to near her office. It’s no surprise, considering how brilliant the coffee is (not to mention the buttery pains au chocolat). Carefully sourced Brazilian and Honduran single-origin roasts and a two-bean blend from Nicaragua and El Salvador have been alloted to filter, espresso and milk-based drinks respectively; the milk is always perfectly silky; the latté art always expertly done. With St Paul’s, Barbican, Leadenhall Market and the Bank of England all just a short walk away, a day exploring London’s most historic sights should start right here. Lauren Hepburn
Address: Rosslyn, 78 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4N 4SJ
Other locations: Old Broad Street and London Wall
Website: rosslyncoffee.com
Sam CornishPrufrock Coffee, Farringdon
Prufrock was dominating the artisan coffee game way before #latteart was a thing. The coffee here has won awards, and the extensive menu goes beyond espresso-based drinks – there’s also a lovingly curated list of filter coffees on offer at the brew bar which changes its menu weekly. The almond croissant is very good, but for a proper London brunch session, try the Field Mushrooms with aioli and Graceburn cheese. To drink: the iced filter coffee is always worth ordering, weather be damned. Sarah James
Address: Prufrock Coffee, 23-25 Leather Lane, Clerkenwell, London, EC1N 7TE
Website: prufrockcoffee.com
Sarah JamesThe best coffee shops in North London
Intermission, West Hampstead
The midst of the pandemic turned out to be a surprisingly brilliant time for this tiny coffee shop – at the nexus of West Hampstead’s train stations – to open. As the neighbourhood buzzed with one-time city slickers now working from home, the arrival of a coffee shop worthy of Soho or Borough Market was a welcome addition to the food scene here. Queues wind from the door daily, as locals wait patiently for smooth flat whites and expertly made cold brews in cute pastel cups illustrated by Brooklyn-based Tomi Um. And the team ensures that every aspect is as sustainable as possible, from the supply chain to the biodegradable lids. Sarah James
Address: Intermission, Unit 2, Hardy Building, Heritage Lane, London NW6 2BR
Website: intermission.coffeeThe Coffee Jar, Camden
This dinky coffee shop is just far enough away from super-crowded Camden Market that – even on a weekend – you should be able to squeeze into the narrow table by the window (a prime people-watching spot to take in the area’s diverse population). Loved by Yotam Ottolenghi, a Camden local, it is a cosy spot filled with lots of dark wood and a countertop heaving with homemade treats. And if you’re not that hungry the friendly staff can make up half portions of any of the brunch dishes, which include simple plates such as smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels. Coffee is made using Monmouth beans (one of our favourite central London roasters) and served in mismatched boho crockery. In the summer, spill outside and take up a seat on the benches in front of the black and white shopfront with a mason-jar iced latte.
Address: The Coffee Jar, 83 Parkway, Camden Town, London NW1 7PP
Website: twitter.com/thecoffeejar
Lo-Fi, Crouch End
Pint-sized independent coffee shop Lo-Fi opened in Crouch End in October 2020 amid the darkest days of lockdown, immediately demonstrating its strong and larger-than-life personality. Set up by couple Jade Summers and Jameson Gilvarry (and their pug, Juno), it focuses on local produce, sustainability and creating a friendly vibe, the latter of which it masters via its charismatic, coffee-nut baristas including Yellow from Taiwan and Elisa from Italy. The fresh croissants, energy bombs (especially the blood orange and cinnamon option) and banana bread are all too pretty to pass, and there are grilled sandwiches and a multitude of toast options on offer, too – but it’s the coffee that you come for. Crafted to your exact preference with whichever type of milk or froth design you might be in the mood for, the bean game here is so strong it regularly has people queueing outside the bijou half-a-shop space for it.
What’s more, Jameson is also known as AD:mE in his guise as resident DJ with Ministry of Sound and Ritual London, so it’s no surprise that Lo-Fi has a listening space where you can check out vinyl while you sip, or that it is partnering with the second Flashback record store in Crouch End opening up over the road, which will feature a small Lo-Fi coffee bar. Follow @LoFicoffeeuk on Instagram or Facebook for the latest on which DJs are stopping in to play – previous guests include Andy Bell, founding member of the band Ride and former Oasis guitarist, Simone Marie, bassist with Primal Scream, and Gregorio Soave, the producer and performer pictured here digging a latte. Becky Lucas
Address: Lo-Fi, 11 Broadway Parade, London N8 9DE
Website: loficoffee.co.uk
The best coffee shops in South London
The Gentleman Baristas, Borough
This indie family of coffee shops has grown quickly since it began in Southwark in 2014, opening branches in Fitzrovia, super-cool South London spots Flat Iron Square and Vinegar Yard and out east in Poplar. But our favourite is still the second outpost, in Borough, just a few quiet streets away from the chaos of Borough Market. Behind the smart green façade are two cosy rooms with lots of exposed brick, a chalkboard menu and fresh pastries towering on the counter. Grab a table in the back and order a coffee – made using the Gentlemen Baristas’ own beans, which come in six single-origin options from Brazilian to Kenyan – and a slice of thick sourdough toast slathered in housemade peanut butter.
Address: The Gentlemen Baristas, 63 Union St, London SE1 1SG
Website: thegentlemenbaristas.com
Sune RasmusseGrove Lane Deli
Perfectly positioned on Camberwell’s Grove Lane lives Grove Lane Deli, with its forest green exterior and airy windows drawing you inside. The interior is light and inviting, with a buzzing bakery and oodles of gooey, delicious buns that will have you wondering why you’d ever go anywhere else. Window sills are filled with flowers, delicious olive oils, natural wines and various chocolates to buy for a weekend well spent. But, most importantly, their baristas are serving up the best flat white I have ever had, and that’s saying a lot as someone who was a roaster and barista in my past life. It’s strong without a bitter aftertaste, and they’ve achieved the perfect balance of creamy oat milk. The slither of pavement outside is dotted with little tables to soak up the sun while enjoying the ideal coffee (and bun), so make your way over to Camberwell and fast. Amber Port
Address: Grove Lane Deli, 4a Grove Ln, London SE5 8SY
Website: grovelanedeli.com
Redemption Roasters, Dulwich Village
Created with a mission to help offenders reintegrate into society, Redemption Roasters’ roastery is located inside HMP The Mount and the company also pledges to help prisoners find work upon release. It’s the largest employer of its own graduates, and the brand also focuses on supporting local and independent suppliers.
Sure, your daily coffee is socially impactful, it’s also delicious; the El Diablo blend has a sweet, fruity taste, while the Aylesbury has nutty undertones. The brand recently opened its newest store in Dulwich Village, taking its total number of shops to seven, each offering various lunch, brunch and pastry options alongside extensive coffee menus. Abigail Malbon
Address: Redemption Roasters, 29 Dulwich Village, London SE21 7BN
Other locations: Bloomsbury, Broadgate, Covent Garden, Farringdon, Hampstead Heath, Holborn, Islington, King's Cross and Piccadilly
Website: redemptionroasters.comBlackbird Bakery, Peckham
Some of London’s best sourdough comes from this south-of-the-river chain – with bakeries in Crystal Palace, Balham and East Dulwich, as well as under the arches of Queens Road Peckham station. The counter is packed with tasty cakes and tarts – lime and courgette, or carrot with thick layers of cream-cheese frosting. Everything (even the jam and cereal) is homemade and the croissants are big and full of delicate layers. Most importantly the coffee is locally roasted and always freshly ground. Find freelancers working here all day, and a long but fast-moving queue for coffee, always.
Address: Blackbird Bakery, 134 Queen's Road, Peckham, London SE15 2ND
Other locations: East Dulwich, Crystal Palace, Streatham, Sydenham, Herne Hill, Balham, West Norwood and Beckenham
Website: blackbirdbakerylondon.co.uk
Old Spike, Peckham
This Peckham pit stop roasts its own beans and dishes up consistently brilliant specialist coffee, but it also offers job training for the homeless. Since arriving on the Peckham scene in 2015, the original shop has spurned a sibling, Spike + Earl, and is also on the menu at local beloved restaurant Coal Rooms. They also make a mean pastel de nata.
Address: Old Spike Roastery, 4jr, 54 Peckham Rye, London SE15 4JR
Other locations: Elephant and Castle, Piccadilly and Fenchurch St
Website: oldspikeroastery.comFederation Coffee, Brixton
Federation’s fresh pastries, latte art and sourdough toast with toppings such as artichoke and white beans or goat's cheese and blackberry have enticed locals into Brixton Village for the best part of a decade. In 2015, it was bought by neighbouring restaurant Salon, and has since upped its coffee game to match Salon’s exacting standards, with London-roasted beans and bespoke blends. The energy here is focused solely on the coffee (rather than the decor) – it’s simple but smart, and smiley baristas will give you just as much of a pick-me-up as the caffeine. Anna Prendergast
Address: 77-78, Brixton Village and Market Row Markets, Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, London SW9 8PS
Website: federation.coffee
The best coffee shops in West London
Coffee Plant, Notting Hill
This no-frills institution on Portobello Road started life as a coffee-roasting/magazine-publishing combo. The magazine has since folded but the coffee is still brewing. Tourists get their lattes at the chain up the road; old-hand Notting Hillers come her for the best macchiato in the West and to stock up on a fine supply of organic and fairtrade beans.
Address: Coffee Plant, 180 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London W11 2EB
Website: coffee.uk.com