While Londoners remain largely tea drinkers, coffee lovers are growing in numbers.
With coffee houses, cafés, and coffee-serving restaurants mushrooming throughout the city, it is only a matter of time before the coffee-versus-tea debate tips in the former’s favour.
If you are visiting the city and you are dying for a caffeine kick, these 19 best places to get coffee in London should do the trick.
1. Association Coffee
Ask any coffee-loving Londoner where the best place to get coffee, and you will get Association Coffee as the answer. Their gourmet coffee is faultless, with their baristas preparing each cup with the precision focus and attention of a seasoned microbiologist at work.
2. Kiss the Hippo Coffee
This London coffee shop does not only serve world-class caffeinated beverages. They also have a corner for takeaways and gifts, including coffee pods for Nespresso machines and other single-serve coffee makers. Kiss the Hippo also has Taster Packs to surprise you when you return home.
3. Monmouth Coffee
Enjoying a delicious cup of coffee is not the only thing worth doing in Monmouth. It is also one of the best places to bring home a bag of fresh coffee beans roasted to perfection. They can even personalise your coffee grounds to meet your coffee-making style. Monmouth also has plenty of gifts and accessories for coffee lovers.
4. Host Café
If you are a first-time visitor to London, there is a chance you will mistake the historical and beautiful Mansion House as nothing more than a religious building. However, walk inside, and you can experience heavenly coffee no super-automatic espresso machine can ever replicate.
5. Origin
One of London’s best places to enjoy a cup of coffee also happens to be one of its pioneers in educating Londoners and the rest of the world about the splendid drink. Every cup gets the same kind of respect and care that British grannies put into every dish they serve.
6. 39 Steps Coffee Haus
If you wonder how this café got its name, it is the number of steps needed to deliver the perfect cup, from picking the coffee bean in the bush to placing the cup right on your table. It is a fascinating coffee-drinking journey that only this London coffee house can provide.
7. The Grind
Do you fancy a Cortado coffee in London or perhaps a hip espresso martini? You might want to give The Grind a try. With its offbeat interiors and hipster staff, enjoying espresso-based drinks is magical in this London coffee house.
8. Store Street Espresso
It may have a laid-back interior décor, but Store Street is a haven for coffee lovers who want to get away from the London City hustle and bustle. The neighbourhood is quiet, perfect for appreciating the café’s artisan caffeinated beverages and tantalising treats.
9. Artisan Coffee
No other coffee house is as passionate about the coffee they serve as Artisan. Caffeinated beverages complement Artisan’s heavenly food, transporting you to a realm you never knew existed. And while their latte machines are not the best, you know that only the best espresso can come from a V60.
10. Kapihan
If you are looking for the strongest coffee you can down while adoring the bustle of the city, Kapihan is the place to go. This London coffee shop features Philippine ‘Barako’ coffee, a Liberica variety known for its floral and fruity hints. Pair a cup with Filipino pastries to complete your experience.
11. Prufrock Coffee
With its quaint interior, enjoying a latte or a cappuccino is dreamy at Prufrock. Not only is the coffee exceptional. They also have foods their chefs prepare from scratch. It is the kind of London dining experience any visitor will want to have.
12. Rosslyn
It may be the new kid on the block, but Rosslyn is redefining how people should enjoy high-end coffee. Without pomp and fanfare, you can expect only the best coffee drinks from this homely café. It is perfect for Instagrammers, too.
13. Coleman Coffee
Jack Coleman’s contribution to the London coffee scene is more than the mesmerizing espressos, piccolos, and cappuccinos. This Arabica-serving coffee shop also supplies many of the city’s top coffee houses with the best coffee roasts. You can bring a bag home if you like to make your coffee drinking more worthwhile.
14. Attendant
If you want a different coffee-drinking experience, Attendant has something for you. This subterranean cavern offers more than splendid house-roasted Arabica coffee. It also has fascinating sandwiches and tummy-filling salads while you sit on repurposed authentic Victorian urinals.
15. Campbell & Syme Cafe
Most coffee shops serve coffee from multi-origin beans. If you are the type of caffeine addict who prefers his drink from a single source, Campbell & Syme is the way to go. Their Honduran coffee is to die for, while the Sidamo, Ethiopia-sourced coffee is worth checking out.
16. Bar Italia
One of London’s longest-running, family-operated coffee houses, Bar Italia is the best place to get your classic Italian caffeinated beverages. Take your pick from espressos, ristrettos, marocchinos, and caffe lattes served by aproned waiters. Drink your coffee in one of the outdoor tables and enjoy the action on Frifth Street.
17. Benk + Bo
A favourite of digital nomads, the working spaces of Benk + Bo is perfect for accomplishing tasks while enjoying a fascinating cup of coffee. The in-house bakery can also supply you with delectable pastries, complementing your drink.
18. Kaffeine
Kaffeine’s greatest attraction is its guest roaster every weekend, producing some of the city’s best roasts to go into each cup. The café serves Square Mile coffee, stimulating your senses as you feast on its beautiful décor and delicious cakes.
19. Workshop Coffee
One of the city’s multi-site coffee house brands, Workshop is the perfect place to indulge in sweet espressos and comforting milk-based coffee drinks. It is a nice place to relax with your loved ones while relishing the full flavours and aromas of freshly brewed coffee.
Conclusion
These 19 best places to get coffee in London are worth adding to any serious traveling caffeine addict’s wish list. With their quaint British charm and a Londoner’s wit, enjoying a cup in any of these places can make your London adventures more worthwhile.
About the Author
Charles Vallena is the founder and managing editor of Cuppabean.com, a coffee blog that helps people make better coffee by providing expert insights, recipes, and in-depth reviews on coffee makers. Follow Cuppabean on Facebook here.
