From creamy cappuccinos to luscious lattes, here’s where to pitch up for London’s best cups of coffee
London’s streets are no strangers to coffee shops. In fact, there’s an almost endless abundance to choose from throughout the city. Whether you’re rushing around in the heart of central or taking a leisurely stroll through suburbia, there’s coffee to be found almost everywhere you go.
Since the 1600’s, we’ve been queueing for a dose of the drink that even those in the 17th century proclaimed to ‘prevent drowsiness and make one fit for business.’ Flash forward to nowadays, and a city as fast paced as London still needs a drink that’s equally as stimulating and exciting to fuel it.
Get your fix from one of the city’s most acclaimed coffee shops – here are our top brews.
1 Notes
Visit Notes if you prefer a lighter roast and a sweeter, creamier latte. Coffee connoisseurs, this independent cafe takes their coffee seriously. They even have their own roastery to ensure the finest drink.
Find out more here.
2 Prufock
A former Victorian bookshop, Prufock coffee is ideal for those enjoy both arty decor and fantastically brewed beverages.
Found in Clerkenwell, Prufock offers a range of Square Mile drinks for coffee enthusiasts – as well as homemade food, coffee tastings and special events too.
Find out more here.
3 Tart
Perfectly situated next to Clapham Common, Tart is a firm favourite with coffee addicts. They stock Volcano coffee beans from a small gourmet roastery based in Dulwich and have their own house roast (which at the moment is The Mount).
What’s more, their baristas are trained by the nearby roastery so you can rest assured your brew will always be up to scratch.
Find out more here.
4 Nude Espresso
Nude Espresso offers just the right mix of spacious seating, ambient environment and consistently delectable coffee. With their own micro-roastery based in Shoreditch, they pride themselves on delivering high quality drinks – their iced coffee is our personal favourite.
Find out more here.
5 The Attendant
If you like quirky venues, you’ll love The Attendant. Transformed into a unique cafe from what was once an abandoned underground Victorian toilet, the former gentleman’s convenience can be found in the heart of London’s Fizrovia.
The cafe still features the original porcelain urinals, designed by Doulton & Co in 1890, which have been turned into one long seating table. With coffee beans sourced from The Caravan Roastery and a healthy range of meals on offer, it’s perfect for those looking for a more distinctive coffee experience.
Find out more here.
6 Workshop Coffee, Clerkenwell
Having recently opened a massive roastery in Bethnal Green, Workshop Coffee promise a smooth cup of artisan coffee. Indulgent, rich and crafted straight from its source – we can’t resist a morning stop off here.
Find out more here.
7 Taylor St Baristas
Whether you’re taking a seat on a church pew or ordering a takeaway from the sleek wooded bar, Taylor Street Baristas offers nine locations across the city to enjoy.
Visit for a mixture of house blend and global guest coffees – but we can’t get enough of their seriously sweet cappuccino that keeps customers coming back for more.
Find out more here.
8 Fernandez & Wells
Founded by Jorge and Rick, whose partnership was solidified by their love of great coffee, Fernandez & Wells’ cafes have a whole host of hand-picked blends to offer.
While their blends move with the seasons, their ‘Has Bean Roasted Stumpy’ – a drink that’s very similar to a mini flat white, is a firm favourite with the locals. Don’t take it from us, but it’s utterly superb.
Find out more here.
9 Kaffeine
Whilst it might be too small a venue to stay for prolonged catch ups, Kaffeine’s staff are ecstatic about their coffee and knowledgable at the same time. Their creamy cappuccinos are our favourite – and efficient service means you’ll never queue for too long to try one.
Find out more here.
10 Climpson & Sons
One of London’s best-loved roasteries, Climpson & Sons’ flagship cafe on Broadway Market never fails to be packed with eager customers.
Visit for superb expresso blends and single origin coffees – which are put on rotation each season to provide customers with differing and varied tastes.
Find out more here.
11 Alchemy Coffee
Offering coffee from Guatemala, Costa Rica and El Salvador (to name just a few) Alchemy Coffee cafe is the ideal pit stop when you’re looking for a sip of excellence.
As well as exquisite expresso, the quaint Alchemy Cafe offers hand brewed filter and cold brewed coffees – plus a selection of delicious light lunches to complete the line up.
Find out more here.
12 Farm Girl
If you like your coffee as beautiful as it delicious, order away at Farm Girl. Serving everything from Long Blacks to delicate Rose Lattes, this chic spot is perfect for a morning of chatting (and photo snapping).
Find out more here.
