{"id":5068,"date":"2017-09-07T05:16:07","date_gmt":"2017-09-07T05:16:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aussiepizzas.com\/PIZZADELIVERY\/my-favourite-london-speciality-coffee-shops\/"},"modified":"2017-09-07T05:16:07","modified_gmt":"2017-09-07T05:16:07","slug":"my-favourite-london-speciality-coffee-shops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.aussiepizzas.com\/PIZZADELIVERY\/my-favourite-london-speciality-coffee-shops\/","title":{"rendered":"My Favourite London Speciality Coffee Shops"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve been writing about London’s first forays and then larger leaps into the speciality coffee world since I started this blog in 2007.  Last year, to try to rectify the fact that some of my oldest favourites were among the most sparsely documented on this blog, I updated my reviews of spots like Flat White<\/a>, Fernandez & Wells<\/a> in Beak Street and Workshop’s Clerkenwell caf\u00e9<\/a> (which I’ve loved since its St Ali days). Sadly, the latter two have since closed… I hope it wasn’t something I said!<\/p>\n

I compiled my first concise London coffee guide in 2011<\/a>, updating it in 2012<\/a> and 2014<\/a>. I’ve long been meaning to compile another update but I knew a top ten would barely even scratch the surface these days. And because friends, family and others often ask for my recommendations, I needed something more in-depth.<\/p>\n

<\/a>
Here, then, is a guide and map comprising 100 London speciality coffee shops and caf\u00e9s, from Crouch End to Clapham and Dalston to Deptford. These are my personal favourites based on my own experiences and by no means represent a fully comprehensive list (scroll to the end for some of my favourite London coffee websites and blogs) \u2014 there is a central\/eastern bias, for example, as I live in Bermondsey, work in King’s Cross and rarely venture west of Hyde Park.<\/p>\n

I’ve written about more than 100 coffee spots<\/a> over the years, and visited more still but some have since closed and some have changed. My tastes have changed too, especially as the city’s speciality coffee scene burgeoned and boomed, spreading from Soho and Shoreditch, into other central areas and then way beyond. As with my New York coffee guide<\/a>, some of the featured venues have sister branches, and rather than listing every location I’ve visited, I’ve selected my favourites.<\/p>\n

I still have a long coffee to-do list for London and I will be updating this guide and map over time, but asterisked venues below (purple in the map) are my current favourites. I’ve linked below my reviews, and for more information, including my photos and details of other branches, please check out my accompanying Google Map<\/a>. Finally, this Flickr album<\/a> includes many photos of these and other London coffee spots.<\/p>\n

80 Stone Cafe<\/a> 7a St George’s Circus, London SE1 6HS (Elephant & Castle) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Alchemy<\/a> 8 Ludgate Broadway, London EC4V 6DU (City) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* Allpress<\/a> 55 Dalston Lane, London E8 2NG (Dalston) Review<\/a>
58 Redchurch Street, London E2 7DP (Shoreditch) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* Association Coffee<\/a> 12 Creechurch Lane, London EC3A 5AY (City) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

The Attendant<\/a> 27a Foley Street, London W1W 6DY (Fitzrovia) Review<\/a>
74 Great Eastern St, London EC2A (Shoreditch) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Bar Termini<\/a> 7 Old Compton Street, London, W1D 5JE (Soho) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

The Black Lab<\/a> 18 Clapham Common Southside, London SW4 7AB (Clapham) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

The Black Penny<\/a> 34 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AA (Covent Garden) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Black Swan Yard<\/a> 37 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF  (Bermondsey)<\/p>\n

Brooklyn Coffee<\/a> 139 Commercial Street, London E1 6BJ (Shoreditch) Review<\/a>

<\/a> Browns of Brockley<\/a> 5 Coulgate Street, London SE4 2RW (Brockley) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Bulldog Edition at the Ace Hotel<\/a> 100 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JQ (Shoreditch) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Canada Water Cafe<\/a> 40 Surrey Quays Road, London SE16 7DX (Canada Water) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* Caravan<\/a> 1 Granary Square, London N1C 4AA (King’s Cross) Review<\/a>
30 Great Guildford Street, London SE1 0HS\ufeff (Bankside) Review<\/p>\n

* Catalyst Cafe<\/a> 48 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8LT (Clerkenwell) Review<\/a>

<\/a> Climpson & Sons<\/a> 67 Broadway Market, London E8 4PH (Hackney) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Coffee Circus<\/a> 136 Crouch Hill, London N8 9DX (Crouch End) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Coffee Island<\/a> 5 Upper St Martin’s Lane, London, WC2H 9NY (Covent Garden) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Coffee Works Project<\/a> 96-98 Islington High Street, London N1 8EG (Islington) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Coleman Coffee<\/a> Unit 5, Dockley Road, London SE16 3SF (Bermondsey) Review<\/a>
20 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RJ (Waterloo) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Craft Coffee<\/a> Battle Bridge Place, King’s Cross, London, N1C (King’s Cross) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

CREAM<\/a> 31 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EY (Shoreditch) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* Curators Coffee Gallery<\/a> 51 Margaret Street, London W1W 8SG (Fitzrovia) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Daily Goods<\/a> 36 Camberwell Church Street, London SE5 8QZ (Camberwell) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Daisy Green<\/a> 20 Seymour Street, London W1H 7HX (Marylebone) Review<\/a>

<\/a> Department of Coffee & Social Affairs<\/a> 14-16 Leather Lane, London EC1N 7SU (Clerkenwell) Review<\/a>

<\/a> Embassy East<\/a> 285 Hoxton Street, London, N1 5JX (Hoxton) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

The Espresso Room<\/a> 31-35 Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3HZ (Bloomsbury) Review<\/a>
23 Southampton Row, London WC1B 5HA (Holborn) Review [Formerly Free State; review<\/a>]
24 New Row, London WC2N 4LA (Covent Garden) [Formerly New Row Coffee; review<\/a>]<\/p>\n

Federation Coffee<\/a> Unit 77-78 Brixton Market, Coldharbour Lane, London SW9 8PS (Brixton) Review<\/a>

<\/a>Fernandez & Wells<\/a> 43 Lexington Street, London W1F 9AL (Soho) Review (of now-closed Beak Street location)<\/a><\/p>\n

Fix 126 <\/a>126 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3PJ (Shoreditch) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* Flat White<\/a> 17 Berwick Street, London W1F 0PT (Soho) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Four Corners<\/a> 12 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RJ (Waterloo) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Fowlds<\/a> 3 Addington Square, London SE5 7JZ (Camberwell) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Frequency Coffee<\/a> 121 King’s Cross Road, London WC1X 9NH (King’s Cross) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Friends of Ours<\/a> 61 Pitfield Street, London N1 6BU (Shoreditch) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* The Gentlemen Baristas<\/a> 63 Union Street, London, SE1 1SG (London Bridge) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Half Cup<\/a> 100-102 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NT (Bloomsbury) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Hej<\/a> 1 Bermondsey Square, London SE1 3UN (Bermondsey) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Hopper Coffee<\/a> 4 Roger St, London WC1N 2JX (Bloomsbury) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* HR Higgins<\/a> 79 Duke Street, London W1K 5AS (Mayfair) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Hubbard & Bell<\/a> 199\u2013206 High Holborn, London WC1V 7BD (Holborn) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Iris & June<\/a> 1 Howick Place, London SW1P 1BH (Victoria) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* Kaffeine<\/a> 66 Great Titchfield Street, London W1W 7QJ (Fitzrovia) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Lantana<\/a> 13 Charlotte Place, London W1T 1SN (Fitzrovia) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

London Grind<\/a> 2 London Bridge, London SE1 9RA (London Bridge) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

London Velo<\/a> 18 Deptford High Street, London SE8 4AF (Deptford) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Louie Louie<\/a> 347 Walworth Road, London, SE17 2AL (Walworth) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Lumberjack<\/a> 70 Camberwell Church Street, London, SE5 8QZ (Camberwell) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Lundenwic<\/a> 45 Aldwych, London WC2B 4DW (Covent Garden) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Machine<\/a> 97 Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 4TW (Bermondsey) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Macintyre Coffee<\/a> 428 St John Street, London EC1V 4NJ (Islington) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Milk<\/a> 18\u201320 Bedford Hill, London SW12 9RG (Balham) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* Milkbar<\/a> 3 Bateman Street, London W1D 4AG (Soho) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Modern Society<\/a> 33 Redchurch Street, London E2 7DJ (Shoreditch) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Monmouth Coffee<\/a> Arch 3 Spa North, Dockley Road, London SE16 4EJ (Bermondsey) Review<\/a>
2 Park Street, London SE1 9AB (Borough) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Monocle Cafe<\/a> 18 Chiltern Street, London W1U 7QA (Marylebone) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Mouse Tail<\/a> 211 Borough High Street, London SE1 1JA (Borough) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

The New Black<\/a> 10 Philpot Lane, London, EC3M 8AA (City) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Notes<\/a> 1 Pancras Square, London N1C 4AG (King’s Cross) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Nude Espresso<\/a> 26 Hanbury Street, London E1 6QR (Shoreditch) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Old Spike Roastery<\/a> 54 Peckham Rye, London SE15 4JR (Peckham) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* Origin Coffee<\/a> 65 Charlotte Road, London EC2A 3PE (Shoreditch) Review<\/a>
96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB (King’s Cross) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* Ozone Coffee Roasters<\/a> 11 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4AQ (Shoreditch) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Pattern Coffee<\/a> 82 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DN (King’s Cross) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

The Pigeon Hole<\/a> 2 Datchelor Place, London SE5 7AP (Camberwell) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* Prufrock Coffee<\/a> 23-25 Leather Lane, London EC1N 7TE (Clerkenwell) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Red Lion Coffee Co<\/a> Batavia Road, London, SE14 6AX (New Cross) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* Redemption Roasters<\/a> 84b Lamb’s Conduit Street, London, WC1N 3LR (Bloomsbury) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* Saint Espresso<\/a> Angel House, 26 Pentonville Road, London N1 9HJ (Islington) Review<\/a>
214 Baker Street, London NW1 5RT (Marylebone) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Sans Pere<\/a> 84 Great Eastern Street, London EC2A 3JL (Shoreditch) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* Second Shot<\/a> 475 Bethnal Green Road, London E2 9QH (Bethnal Green) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Shoreditch Grind<\/a> 213 Old Street, London EC1V 9NR (Shoreditch) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Small White Elephant<\/a> 28 Choumert Road, London SE15 4RE (Peckham) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Soho Grind<\/a> 19 Beak Street, London W1F 9RP (Soho) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

St David Coffee House<\/a> 5 David’s Road, London SE23 3EP (Forest Hill) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Store Street Espresso<\/a> 40 Store Street, London WC1E 7DB (Bloomsbury) Review<\/a>
54 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9RG (King’s Cross) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

TAB x TAB<\/a> 14-16 Westbourne Grove, London W2 5RH (Notting Hill) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

TAP Coffee<\/a> 193 Wardour Street, London W1F 8ZF (Soho) Review<\/a>
114 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 5AH (Fitzrovia) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Terrone<\/a> Netil Market, 3-23 Westgate Street, London E8 3RL (Hackney) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Timberyard<\/a> 7 Upper St Martin’s Lane, London WC2H 9DL (Covent Garden) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* Treves & Hyde<\/a> 15-17 Leman Street, London E1 8EN (Whitechapel) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Vagabond x Trade Union<\/a> 3 Thomas More Street, London E1W 1YW (Wapping) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* Velasquez and Van Wezel<\/a> 78 Park Road, London N8 8JQ (Crouch End) Review<\/a>

<\/a> The Watch House<\/a> 199 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3UW (Bermondsey) Review<\/a>
31 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2YR (Bermondsey) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* White Mulberries<\/a> Ivory House D3, St Katharine Docks, London E1W 1AT (Wapping) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

* Workshop Coffee<\/a> 80 Mortimer Street, London W1W 7FE (Fitzrovia) Review<\/a>
1 Barrett Street, London W1U 1DN (Marylebone) Review<\/a><\/p>\n

Other resources: <\/i>
My list is far from comprehensive but luckily, there are myriad resources for finding the best coffee in London. The London’s Best Coffee website<\/a> (and accompanying Best Coffee app<\/a>) is my first port of call when visiting a new neighbourhood. And if you’re interested in the history of London’s coffee shops, editor Phil Wain’s fascinating and thorough five-part series<\/a> is a must-read.<\/p>\n

Some coffee blogs with particularly good coverage of London coffee shops include: Bean There at<\/a> (they can fill many of the West London gaps in my map), Bean Thinking<\/a> (for a scientific take), Brian’s Coffee Spot<\/a> and Cups of London Coffee<\/a>. And only last week, while I was finishing off this guide, I spotted James Hansen’s excellent Eater shortlist of 15 of London’s best coffee shops<\/a>, which has added a few cafes to my to-do list.<\/p>\n

Finally, if you prefer your coffee recommendations in print format, check out Caffeine <\/i>magazine<\/a> for suggestions in London and beyond.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’ve been writing about London’s first forays and then larger leaps into the speciality coffee world since I started this blog in 2007.  Last year, to try to rectify the fact that some of my oldest favourites were among the … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5068","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pizza"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aussiepizzas.com\/PIZZADELIVERY\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5068","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aussiepizzas.com\/PIZZADELIVERY\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aussiepizzas.com\/PIZZADELIVERY\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aussiepizzas.com\/PIZZADELIVERY\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5068"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.aussiepizzas.com\/PIZZADELIVERY\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5068\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aussiepizzas.com\/PIZZADELIVERY\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5068"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aussiepizzas.com\/PIZZADELIVERY\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5068"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aussiepizzas.com\/PIZZADELIVERY\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5068"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}