London’s coffee scene has been brewing for years with a new coffee shop popping at every corner of the city. Whether it is a frothy cappuccino, oat flat white or French press that gets you going, this city has you covered. We sourced the boroughs of London and included some of our personal favourites to bring you the very best independent coffee shops this city has to offer.
The House Babylon guide to the best coffee shops in London regardless of how you like it:
- Origin Coffee Shoreditch
Our top pick is around the corner from the office. Origin Coffee is an independently owned speciality coffee roaster that is bound by one central ethos; to source exceptional coffee through a sustainable, triple bottom line approach. The coffee is sourced directly from farmers across South America.
With a brew bar and illustrative mural taking centre stage, expect precision pours and artistic influences throughout.
2. Frequency
Frequency can be found in Kings cross and Angel. Their roasting journey is like no other, namely at the Tate Britain, where the museum hires our their state of the art roaster to help small coffee businesses. Every roast supports the museum and galleries. The preparation of the coffee in their espresso bar is the final step of a long chain and they give it the respect it deserves. A must try!
- Violet Cakes
Although famous for its cakes, and especially the cake they made for Prince Harry & Megan’s wedding Violet cakes produces some mean oat flat whites. On a sunny day you can find the locals hanging around the shop enjoying a coffee with some excellent cake.
Before opening the café in East London, Claire Ptak started from home and Broadway market. All the cakes are made with organic and low intervention ingredients.
Our choice to pair with their excellent oat milk flat white is the butterscotch blondies with caramel shards, almond polenta muffins and spelt cake with seasonal fruit.
- The Monocle Café
The Monocle café is situated on the charming Chiltern street in Marylebone. The café is a spin-off from Monocle magazine, the showcase of design consultant and publisher Tyler Brûlé. After a little stroll around the shops, enjoy a coffee made from Allpress beans. What is even better than their excellent coffee are the beautifully presented cakes by Lanka – a London-Japanese patisserie perfectly fusing Japan’s flavours with French baking.
Grab your coffee and tea flavoured cake and head over to the living room in the back for a relaxing read through their selection of magazines and books.
- Watch House – Bermondsey Street
Watch House is one of those spaces that are designed to sneakily take your breath away. Featuring minimal interiors, high ceilings and a giant U-shaped bar where you can sit down sip on your coffee and chat to your barrister. The shop was designed by the London based Kirkwood McCarthy who installed a floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a glimpse of the roaster and training room; customers enjoying a behind-the-scenes experience of what Watch House dub the ‘Modern Coffee experience’.
