11 Of the Best Coffee Shops In London You Need To Visit To Get Your Caffeine Fix

Serving sustainably-sourced coffee in an airy and sunlit flagship café on Richmond Street, with wooden shelves and table tops amalgamated with grey sofas and green shrubs scattered tastefully in an almost white interior, this café is the definition of minimalism.

With an award-winning selection of coffee, the café also serves fresh and seasonal brunch and lunch. A homemade apple crumble muffin and a cappuccino on your way to work is suitable fuel for the day. However, if you’re visiting for lunch, we recommend the Hippo Bun with eggs and vegetables.

Better yet, Kiss the Hippo is all set to open its second store in Fitzrovia on 25th September.

50 George Street, Richmond London TW9 1HJ

Ever tried a beetroot, blue algae or activated charcoal-coloured latte? Well, here you can. The inviting Miami-meets-London décor at this café is not only Instagramable, but serves delectable pink breakfast bowls with granola, yoghurt, berries and edible flowers.

The pistachio and pink colour scheme runs throughout the café, from the front door to the cushioned chairs and sofas. Even the toilets are painted with palm trees on its pink walls. The pink and white-coloured cutlery with gold trims may scream British afternoon tea, but the atmosphere here delivers a real Miami beach vibe – perfect for those who missed out on a sunny holiday this year.

The only hiccup at Palm Vaults is its no reservation policy, but the dog-friendly rule makes up for it.

411 Mare Street, Hackney, London, E8 1HY

An ever-expanding coffee chain across London, Grind & Co.’s exquisite artisan java is a staple for Londoners and tourists alike. Despite coffee and brunch being the go-to menu option at Grind, the place also turns into a restaurant that serves expresso martinis late into the night.

Located outside Liverpool Street Station, this café is one of the chicest coffee digs in town with its contemporary grey and midnight blue interiors with marble table tops and green shrubs decorating the ceiling.

38 Broadgate Circle, Liverpool Street, London, EC2M 1QS

The Watch House Café is a fairly recent addition to the London coffee scene after opening in April this year and is just a two-minute walk from Spitalfields Market. Located in a Grade II Victorian building, the café has stayed try to its decorative origins, with rugged walls and large windows that bathe the café in natural light.

Our top tip? Grab its ‘oldest and trustiest’ espresso to taste undertones of nougat, chocolate and orange with a sweet or savoury pastry.

199 Bermondsey St, Bermondsey, London SE1 3UW

For flat white lovers, this independent Australian and New Zealand-inspired café is one of our favourite coffee spots in London. Located just off Great Titchfield Street, the café boasts ample stools outside next to its large glass window front for anyone in urgent need of a shopping pit stop in the sunshine

With a menu that changes weekly, depending on availability of produce and culinary influences, you’ll be spoilt for choice with the café’s baked treats, pastries and breakfast options. We recommend the blueberry bread and chocolate espresso cookie with a rejuvenating flat white.

Founded in 1998 with a team of three working in its provincial New Zealand surf town location, this café has landed in the Northern Hemisphere and brought with it some seriously smoothly-roasted cups of coffee.

As if a coffee bar wasn’t enough, this branch has a roastery and eatery. We advise trying its Espresso tonic on ice and loosing yourself with a book surrounded by the café’s brick and wooden interiors.

This could possibly be the only café built inside an old metal factory which has had its features restored from the 19th Century and
boast an industrial dining room, cocktail and coffee bar on Bankside.

Roasting various filter and espresso coffees, Caravan ensures top-notch quality and flavour in each cup thanks to its new roasting technology and custom-built espresso machine fixed on the coffee bar.

A restaurant at heart, Caravan also has a breakfast, lunch and dinner menu offering the likes of in-house charcuterie, a cheese board, pizzas and endless glasses of bubbly.

The only downside here is the five-person or more reservation on weekends. But when you have coffee that tastes this good, we'd say it's worth the early morning visit to nab a table.

30, Great Guildford Street, London SE1 0HS

Overflowing with flowers and interior shades of pink and purple, its no wonder this coffee spot has over 342,000 followers on Instagram.

Serving Spanish velvet lattes, cappuccinos topped with teddy bear art and an elaborate brunch and afternoon tea menu, the Hans Crescent branch has a carousel unicorn which is an essential visit for those in need of coffee and a new photo for their Insta grid. Head of coffee at EL&N Café, Joao Almedia – who is also a three-time UK barista championship finalist - is an expert in latte art so, rest assured, you’re in safe hands.

For an EL&N Café newbie, it’s mandatory (kind of) to taste its new ginger Spanish latte and iced Nutella milkshake.

42, Hans Crescent Kinghtsbridge, SW1X OLZ

Serving an in-house espresso blend from their roastery inside a former Victorian toilet, Attendant is anything but grimey. With green bar stools replacing urinals, the café has retained its toilet tiles which makes it both quirky and an must-see for locals and visitors from overseas.

Differentiating itself from high street coffee chains, Attendant's co-founders, Ryan and Bosh, prioritise serving sustainable and ethically-sourced coffee and brunch. We recommend grabbing a cup of coffee and trying their weekend-only Breakfast Brioche at the Fitzrovia branch.

27a Foley Street, London W1W 6DY

Espresso lovers in Brixton need to head down to Federation for a unique espresso blend made by Curve Roasters in Margate. The coffee on offer here changes from season to season and its owners welcome guest roasters around the world in a bid to experiment with new flavours to delight their customers. With an all-black themed décor, open glass windows and foliage in the seating area, this café emits a laid-back Scandi vibe.

Its bakery menu includes a mouth-watering grilled cheese sandwich (you won’t regret biting into this one) and an espresso-soaked banana bread.

Brixton Village Café, Unit 77-78 Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8PS

With a roastery located in Brighton, this London-based coffee shop offers single origin coffee developed by roast master Dumo Mathema. With an evolving seasonal menu - with staples like banana breads, cupcakes and brownies (freshly baked each morning for delivery to all their outlets) - the coffee spot is always experimenting with its brews - both hot and cold.

With branches in London, Manchester and Bristol pop, our favourite is the brand’s contemporary Paddington café (think brick and wood interior).

Unit 4, 2 Kingdom Street, Paddington London, W2 6BD