For some of us, coffee is our life’s blood. It’s a necessary part of our morning, whether it comes from a pot, a pod, or your favorite roasters down the street. Everyone has a particular way they like their Cup o’ Joe and their barista who makes it like no one else. Coffee in London predates the national love of tea, and the first coffee shop opened in the city in 1652. Today, there seem to be as many coffee shops as there are pubs within Greater London, so it can be hard to choose which ones are the best. We have identified five of our favorite spots for the ban below, and you can let us know your favorites in the comments.
Monmouth Coffee Co. – Covent Garden
Well before artisan coffee and mustachioed baristas were on every corner, Monmouth Coffee Co. opened in Seven Dials, Covent Garden. Since 1978, it’s been a popular place in the London coffee scene and has inspired several other coffee shops whose owners started at Monmouth. Serving coffee with beans that are locally and ethically sourced, you’ll taste the difference for yourself when you visit the original location at 27 Monmouth St or their other two locations.
Prufrock Coffee – Farringdon
One of the best things about Prufrock isn’t that they serve Square Mile Coffee (though that’s certainly a wonderful reason to go) but they also have a barista training program to help inspire new members of the trade and help them succeed. You don’t have to be looking for a new job to give their course a try and you might find that you’ll be able to make a cup as good as any of the pros. You can also buy your own bags to make at home, so once you finish the course, you can give your new skills a whirl.
Kaffeine – Fitzrovia
If you want to get a buzz from some Down Under coffee roasters, Kaffeine is the place for you. Both of Kaffeine’s two locations in Fitzrovia pride themselves in bringing the Aussie and New Zealander style of coffee to London. Both locations play host to guest roasters on the weekends and offer artisanal sandwiches and baked goods to go with your brew. You can also buy their coffee by the bag to take home and roast it yourself.
Ozone – Shoreditch
While Monmouth may have started the craze long before there was a demand, Ozone got on board when the artisanal coffee kicked off in the 1990s. Ozone has been a part of Shoreditch’s coffee scene since 1998 and offers not only a variety of coffee beans, but brewing methods such as Aeropress, Syphon, and its own roastery. What’s more, they don’t just sell you the beans, but you can also purchase your own coffee-making kits from them to make Ozone’s coffee when you get home. And much like Monmouth and Square Mile, they supply other coffee shops with their beans.
Federation Coffee – Brixton
Certainly one of the draws to Brixton Village Market, Federation Coffee is a place for people who want their coffee to look as good as it tastes. Federation offers its own house blend, and the foam artistry is some of the best in London. The interior is simple, but that’s because all the energy is put into producing the best coffee around. Of course, that’s not all Foundation is known for and its bakery offers a number of delectable treats including sourdough toast with any number of quality toppings. Plenty reviewers believe the food alone is worth going to, even if you don’t drink coffee.
Author: John Rabon
John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.