After the coffee houses of Rome, Paris, and Berlin, what is the first big capital city that comes into your mind? To me, it’s definitely London and it was about time to review its finest cafés as well. We learned a lot from the English people. The fashion, the language, the breakfast, the tea afternoon, just to mention a few. But they also feel at home in coffee culture.
They have a few hundred years of experience in this field. Coffee appeared in London at the end of the XVII. century, just as in other Western big cities. The citizens quickly got addicted to the black drink, which also became a source of inspiration: coffee houses began to serve as an art center.
Button’s café opened in 1712, which became one of the favorite places of poets, authors, and journalists. They gathered around the long tables and spent entire nights here discussing literature. The scene has since gone through many changes, specialty cafés rule the scene nowadays, chains were somewhat pushed into the background. We tried to gather the top 10 cafés of London City, which was not an easy task.
10. Exmouth
- Address: 83 Whitechapel High Street, London E1 7QX, England
- Telephone: +44 20 7377 1010
- Opening hours: Mon-Sun 7:00 am – 8:00 pm
- More information about the coffee house: http://www.exmouthcoffee.co.uk/
Exmouth Coffee Company is a popular place located right next to Whitechapel Art Gallery and KFC. The interior is so eclectic, rustic and trendy with the drawings, the traveler’s notes and scribbles on the main wall and the fab drawings of landmarks in the corridor and toilet. Dishes are made on site in a preparation area at the back. You will feel like your at home.
The staff is very friendly and professional. Be aware of the crowd at lunch (12-1 pm), you’d be better off if you arrive in the right time. The perfect place to work a little bit with your laptop or to charge your phone in a really nice atmosphere with free wi-fi. Locals admire this place a lot, which is always a good sign. The prices are reasonable.
The coffee is fantastic here, which is made from selfroasted beans. You can choose from delicious long blacks, flat whites, lattes, cappuccinos. Exmouth offers a huge selection of fresh, home-made dishes with veggie and meat options. The portions are so large and filling. Filled croissants, pies, quiche, pizza and sandwiches, cakes… The ham and cheese foccaccias are definitely a must try! I would not miss this place if I were in London City! Recommended.
9. Over Under Coffee
- Address: 181A Earl’s Court Road, London SW5 9RD, England
- Telephone: +44 7944 494555
- Opening hours: Mon-Fri 6:30 am – 4:30 pm, Sat-Sun 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
- More information about the coffee house: https://www.overundercoffee.com/
Over Under Coffee is a hidden gem located in a side street crowded with franchise coffees near Earls Court tube station. The relaxed atmosphere of the place will definitely blow your mind. The perfect spot to sit down with a coffee and chill out after a tiring day in the hustle of bustle of London. The owners are young, promising entrepreneurs and the café is so cool and trendy!
Invite your friends or your family to this beautiful, fresh London café. If you want to know how great coffee tastes like, don’t miss the experience this café offers you. Seems like a Kiwi-English heritage. The staff is very friendly and attentive.
Their coffees are phenomenal, especially the cold press, which is so refreshing after a long day of work. Professional baristas operate the machines. You can buy coffee for home use, which is single sourced. They change the type and the origin of the coffee every three months, which makes the place so exciting.
The flat white is so creamy with the almond milk, it is a must try! The food is also very tasty, you should definitely taste the smoked chicken sandwich and the chia pudding. The avocado toast with chilli, micro coriander and a fried egg on top is delicious too. Don’t miss it.
8. Regency Cafe
- Address: 17-19 Regency Street, Pimlico, London SW1P 4BY, England
- Telephone: +44 20 7821 6596
- Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7:00 am – 2:30 pm, 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Sat 7:00 am – 12:00 pm
- More information about the coffee house: http://regencycafe.co.uk/
If you are looking for a traditional English breakfast, Regency may be the proper place for you. But it is also ideal for an office lunch. The atmosphere is so vibrant and youthful with the art deco interior. The service is wonderful and polite. When you enter, the owner will shake your hand and call you by your name when your food is ready.
You will feel like you are among friends. Filmmakers appreciate this London café a lot, there is a chance that someone will shoot a film about the people while you are having your breakfast for a movie. The line can be quite long, but the food arrives very quickly and it is fresh.
The prices are high, but the quality will compensate you. This might be the ideal place to organize a Birthday Party. The inside can be cold on winter days and you cannot sit down at a table before you do not order.
Coffees are delicious and of high quality. Just taste the cappuccino! Set Breakfast Deal with the Bubble and Squeak is a must try. The English breakfast consists of eggs, bacon, sausages, beans, fried tomatoes and hush browns. So fresh, hot and delicious! You will love it. The salads, the sandwiches, the omelets, the chips, the burgers and the pies are also great. Highly recommended.
7. Monmouth Coffee – The Borough
- Address: 2 Park Street, London SE1 9AB, England
- Telephone: +44 20 7940 9960
- Opening hours: Mon-Sat 7:30 am – 6:00 pm
- More information about the coffee house: http://www.monmouthcoffee.co.uk/
This cozy London café is located near the Borough Market, in the heart of the capital at London Bridge. When you enter, you will suddenly feel that amazing smell of coffee. The interior is so nice and inviting with its rustic decor, having the feeling of a marketplace.
You will enjoy the atmosphere. The queue can be quite long (20-30 minutes), but it is definitely worth it. The staff is so attentive and they will give you advice if you cannot decide.
This is the perfect place to spend a day watching the people passing by and listening to the outdoor noises while you sip your lovely cup of coffee. You can invite your colleagues, your family or your friends here, nobody will be disappointed, that’s for sure.
You can choose from any coffee from around the world for a reasonable price of £ 2.70 . The variety is so wide and the selection of filter coffees is regularly changing just to keep your attention alive. They source their coffee beans from farms around the world, they roast and grind their own beans. You can even buy some of the grains -that retain their freshness for 2 weeks- to takeaway.
The Double cappuccino with a homemade dark chocolate truffle is definitely a must try. The smooth, silky latte is amazing. The amounts of flavor will simply fascinate you. Attention, you can easily get addicted to this place! Don’t miss the croissants and the pastries. Don’t miss this fantastic London coffee shop.
6. Etnacoffee
- Address: 3 Victoria Arcade | Victoria Arcade, London SW1E 5ND, England
- Telephone: +44 20 8127 8588
- Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7:00 am – 8:30 pm, Sat-Sun 9:00 am – 8:30 pm
- More information about the coffee house: http://www.etnacoffee.net/
Located near Victoria, Etancoffee is a nice place for lunch and coffee. They offer tasty Sicilian street food made from fresh ingredients. When you enter, you will hear Italian words giving the place an authentic feel. The girl prepares your food right in front of you! Have you been already to the magical Italian island? Visit this place out of nostalgia. Are you preparing a journey there? Also worth a try.
Finding it may be a bit hard because it is tucked away in a passage across the street from Paddington station, but the quality of their coffee will definitely compensate you. Victoria Coach Station is also nearby (10-15 minutes of walk). Seating options are limited, so you are better off if you don’t arrive in the peak time. The atmosphere is cozy and vibrant, the serving is so helpful.
At Etnacoffee, you will get original Italian coffee. So enjoyable, but if you love strong flavors, you may be disappointed. Their espresso is just perfect! They offer a great selection of savory and sweet food, at a reasonable price! The cannolis and the ragu arancini are fresh and amazing. And the aubergine cartocciata! The Arancino alla Norma! Heaven on Earth. Highly recommended. It would be a sin to miss it.
5. E Pellicci
- Address: E 332 Bethnal Green Road, London E2 0AG, England
- Telephone: +44 20 7739 4873
- Opening hours: Mon-Sat 7:00 am – 4:00 pm
- More information about the coffee house: http://epellicci.com/
Another little piece of Italy in the hustle and bustle of sweet London City. A good old traditional east end cafe with Italian and English home cooked food served in amazing portions. Everything is made from fresh and well-prepared ingredients. When you enter you will feel like you are at home, the atmosphere with the colorful interior is so unique.
One of the best choices for breakfast and lunch in the capital of the UK. E Pellicci was founded by a strong Italian mother at the beginning of the 20th century and it is still run by the same family. They remain true to their roots.
The legacy is passed from generation to generation. The lovely, friendly atmosphere with the original hand-carved wooden inserts on the walls from the 40’s will definitely enchant you! The service is quick and friendly, the waiters are so funny with that typical Italian hospitality! Prices are reasonable, for two you will pay only 15£.
The coffees are so amazing! So authentically prepared from freshly roasted beans. The cappuccino is definitely a must try. The pancakes with fresh fruits are so delicious! Big appealing plates full of delicious savory food are available. It’s nice that you can make your own breakfast and you can take one from their menu. Try it.
4. Raison D’etre
- Address: 18 Bute Street | South Kensington, London SW7 3EX, England
- Telephone: +44 20 7584 5008
- Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7.30 am-5.30 pm, Sat 8 am- 4 pm
- More information about the coffee house: http://www.raisondetrecafe.com/
Having a fabulous brunch with your family in the fancy Raison D’etre, a small London café hidden off a side road is an amazing experience. A wonderful spot to sit in, eat and watch the world go by in one of the most fabulous areas of London, the atmosphere is so cozy and lovely. If you are fed up with Costa-type places, this London coffee house is for you.
Portions are so big and the food so tasty! The service is polite and friendly and always smiling. The owner is British- French and he is always eager to help you. If you are in a hurry between the museums in the neighborhood, you can just grab a bite and a coffee and a panini and take away.
Coffees are delicious. You can choose from a wide variety, you should definitely try the flat white which is so refreshing. Are you vegan? They will remove the cheese from the food, so you will be happy. They offer wonderful options of baguettes, paninis, and salads, all prepared from fresh ingredients. The chicken pesto toasted focaccia and the pesto parmigiana are a must try. Don’t miss it.
3. The Calabash of Culture
- Address: 21 Sydenham Road, London SE26 5EX, England
- Telephone: +44 7718 480821
- Opening hours: Mon-Wed 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Thu 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm, Sat 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
- More information about the coffee house: https://www.facebook.com/CalabashOfCulture
This tiny, little London café located at the center of Sydenham high street is so relaxing. The exquisitely natural atmosphere with the nice music and the rustic, eclectic décor will overwhelm you when you enter. You can choose one of the intellectual books from the shelf and occupy yourself. The staff and the owner are very friendly and polite.
The menu has small, medium and large positions which give you the opportunity to try more than one of the dishes from the menu. The portions are so satisfying. However, if you are in a rush, this place may not be ideal for you: the queue can be quite long. Prices are reasonable.
You will feel like you are at a Parisian café. They have a wide variety of tasty coffees, which are so full of taste and flavors and so high quality. The food is marvelous, perfect for vegans. Everything is healthy, fresh.
The bean stew, the lentil and mushroom curries served with three types of salad and your choice of grain are definitely a must try! The chickpea dish and the cauliflower rice are amazing. The filling raw desserts such as raw carrot cake, chocolate brownie sundae are so delicious. You should try this place while you are in London city!
2. Kennington Lane Cafe
- Address: 383 Kennington Lane | Vauxhall, London, England
- Telephone: +44 20 7735 5853
- Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7:00 am – 4:00 pm, Sat 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, Sun 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- More information about the coffee house: http://kenningtonlanecafe.co.uk/
Do you want a genuine English fry up? Kennington Lane Cafe is the place for you! This London café is located near Vauxhall. The atmosphere is so chill and friendly. The staff keeps the place proper and clean and they are very friendly. The server will probably tell you about his childhood in war-torn Cyprus.
The owner is so accommodating, he takes the time to chat to every customer that enters this London coffee shop. If you miss that good old fashioned cooking, Kennington Lane Café may be a good choice for you.
Coffees are super amazing! You can drink one of the best cappuccinos in town. So full of flavors and aromas, good ratio of acid and body… You can have a very good English breakfast here (drink included), which is so huge! And only for 7 pounds each!
The juicy and soft roast chicken with hickory BBQ is a must try. Veggie brunch is also available for vegans. The menu includes omelets, baked potatoes, rolls, soups and daily specials. The steak and kidney pudding is steamed to perfection. The fish and chps are divine. This is definitely one of the best London cafés… Don’t miss it, an amazing experience.
1. The Crepe Factory
- Address: 297 North End Road, London W14 9NS, England
- Telephone: +44 20 7385 2563
- Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10.00 am-23.00 pm, Sat 10.00-23.30, Sun 9.00 am – 23.30 pm
- More information about the coffee house: https://www.facebook.com/thecrepefactoryuk/
The Crepe Factory is a nice, little London café located in a store front on a non-descriptive street in the neighborhood of Earl’s Court and Fulham. You will be surprised by the amazing service and the kind personality of the waitress, Margarita.
They will make you feel like you were at home, so welcoming. The atmosphere is so cozy and comfortable. All the foods are delicious and homemade, you can see the chef cooking in the front window which gives an authentic feel. Only fresh ingredients are used. This place is the highest rated restaurant in all of London, but the prices are affordable.
The coffees are freshly prepared, they put great emphasis on the quality. Taste the cappuccino, it is so full of flavors! The espresso and the hot chocolate are also delicious. Here you can eat one of the best crepes in the capital of the UK.
You can choose from a wide range of these delicacies from simple to fancy and savory and sweet. Homemade ice cream is also available: the pineapple coconut and the tiramisu are definitely a must try! If you are really hungry, I would recommend mushroom with chicken. Don’t miss this place while you are hanging out in London City. You will like it, I promise you.
Summary
A good coffee shop is about good coffee, good atmosphere, good baristas and delicious snacks. The spread of specialty cafés in the UK capital started slowly, but it has accelerated recently, so by now, it was not easy to choose the TOP 10. Thank God there are fewer soulless chains, the English have recognized the charm of personality and quality.
The best cafés are in the East, but the West End also offers many options. However, further West you will find almost nothing. We wish you good luck in discovering the floating coffee scene of London city! It will be great fun!
Enjoyed our list? Don’t forget to check out our article about The 10 Best Cafés of Stockholm, Sweden as well!