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London’s cafe culture isn’t just about coffee and tea, it is a journey into different flavours, creative spaces, and unique experiences. Each cafe tells its own story, whether it’s a cosy corner in a historic building or a sleek modern space.
London is home to some of the best coffee shops out there, and the capital’s coffee community of artisan roasters and independent shops is ever-growing and often competitive. You can experience the best cafes in London on your Europe Trip from India.
So, how to choose the right cafe? We’ve got normal ones and posh ones. Massive ones and tiny ones. Ones with loads of cake, and ones with loads of sandwiches. All of them, thankfully, with coffee and tea. This list is our attempt to bring together the best ones.
Top 29 Best London Cafes
Here is a list of some of the best London cafes that you must explore:
On Monmouth Street in Seven Dials, the original Monmouth Coffee opened in 1978, long before artisan coffee meant anything to most people. The staff are precisely trained in the different tasting notes of the beans, so they can help you find your perfect cup of coffee.
A third branch opening, in the Bermondsey railway arches where the Monmouth HQ is. It opens on Saturdays only. It is among the best cafes in London. If you are planning on cafe hopping in London this place is a must-visit.
This has been Family-run since 1949, cafe and bar in London it serves rocket-fuel espresso and plenty of Mediterranean shrugs from the aproned waiters.
It’s open from 7 am until 4 am so coffee time can easily fit into Negroni hour. Grab a table outside and watch the busy Frith Street, as colorful as the red-and-green neon Bar Italia sign overhead. Some of the traditional resorts & hotels in London are surrounded here.
Rosslyn is located in the heart of this city, and is one of the top cafes in London. It is quite busy on weekday mornings. The staff here know loyal customers by name which is quite impressive. Carefully sourced Brazilian and Honduran single-origin roasts and a two-bean blend from Nicaragua and El Salvador have been allotted to filter, espresso, and milk-based drinks, respectively.
The milk is always perfectly silky, the latté art is always expertly done. It is among the best cafes in London. It is one of the best photography spots, making it one of the Instagrammable cafes in London that you must try.
Another one of the top cafes in London is Brunswick East, the courtyard of Dalston’s creative hub. This Aussie-owned gem mixes cozy studio vibes with a serious love of coffee. House beans are sourced from Alchemy, guest names appear on rotation and there’s an equally tempting Antipodean-style menu.
Plus there are ceramic exhibitions and weekend brunch & yoga sessions for the wholesome extroverts. There’s also a bakehouse branch in Hackney Downs, which specializes in cake, patisserie, and sourdoughs. It is among the best cafes in London
Rons occupies the front unit of Holdron’s Arcade on Peckham’s Rye Lane. It is an all-vegan café which will serve you the best flat white in the area. It’s a cozy space but it’s full of love, and the owners are dead serious about the coffee, which is consistently delicious. Food-wise, everything is plant-based including the patisserie, though the crisp-then-soft cinnamon roll will quiet all doubters. It is among the most Instagrammable cafes in London.
The super charming Pavilion is one of the famous cafes In London. Grab a coffee to accompany you on a walk around Victoria Park, or sit on nearby benches with Sri Lankan-inspired brunch and breakfast items. Dal with roti is always a good choice, but if you’re after something a little stickier, then the cheese and kimchi toastie is the one for you. The Pavilion is one of the best cafes in London with a view, so if that is something you are after, then place is a must visit.
Milk is the most fashionable breakfast and brunch spot; it is chic rather than cute. You should visit here just for coffee and the extremely good-looking espresso machine. Try their French toast made with homemade brioche, strawberries, and Tonka Chantilly cream. Pancakes, Macerated red plums, blackcurrant cheesecake, and cocoa honey tulle are a must-try. It is one of the most popular cafes in London.
The Dusty Knuckle Is one of those places that deserves the hype. The rotating sandwich menu is great, but the pro tip is to go on a Saturday for the egg chilli cheese; a crispy, salty, spicy mess of a sandwich with a runny yolk, coriander, and green chillies, sandwiched between two slices of focaccia.
For something sweet, try the cardamom bun and the feta and honey swirl. The vibes inside are nice and chaotic as there is no wifi, the staff are all very friendly, and there’s pizza on the weekends. It is among the best cafes in London.
Today Bread is a sweet little sourdough bakery and artisan coffee shop in Walthamstow’s Grade II listed Central Parade. Grab a loaf and settle in for lunch of the house toastie with tomato relish, cheddar, and red Leicester, or soup, wraps, and salads. Don’t miss out on Mozzo coffee. It is one of the most popular cafes in London.
E5 Bakehouse was founded in 2010 by Ben Mcklnnon when he collected his first oven from a carpenter under a Hackney railway arch. Now it is located in eight, a stone’s throw from London Fields. Indoors are quite busy from dawn to dusk with tables of drinkers and diners feasting on delicious lunch.
This place serves very good coffee and wine and of course the famous E5 loaves, buns, and cakes. It is one of the most aesthetic cafes in London that will make your Insta feed stand out.
Fair Shot is a social enterprise Cafe registered under a UK charity that works with young adults with learning disabilities and autism. They also make coffee with small batches of beans from the curious roo. You can also have soups are sarnie if you are hungry. It is among the great cafes in london that you can try.
Must Try: Seasonal brunch dishes, salads, speciality coffee pastries
Approximate Price: ₹315
12. Ace Café
This roadside café has been through some changes over the years since it first opened in 1938. It is being rebuilt after a World War II bomb raid, closing down and re-opening again years later. but it has stayed true to its biker roots.
The space holds regular bike and classic car events, catering to motorheads from all over. Cafe-style breakfasts come with eggs, bacon, and the sweet smell of petrol. It is among the famous cafes in London.
Though it’s a restaurant and cocktail bar, its dedicated espresso bar is a magnet for London Bridge’s caffeine heads. Visit here for a weekday breakfast or weekend brunch to pump up your afternoon or enjoy a post-work from down after a long black, a flat white, or a latte. Grind also does its bit for the environment by using compostable, plastic-free coffee pods.
Must Try: Full British breakfast, burgers, fish & chips, desserts
Approximate Price: ₹1050 Onwards
Minimal interiors let the truly innovative menu shine through. You won’t find standard avocado toast here; instead, you’ll get anything from salt beef and sauerkraut croque madames to a merguez sausage and fried egg sloppy breakfast bun. Burnt imports its beans from east London favourites Climpson & Sons, and pastries from the Dusty Knuckle.
Formerly a pop-up espresso bar in a converted taxi, this now-permanent café by the Thames has a coffee roaster in its dining area constantly pumping out beans. The menu offers much more than Java, though. Try the rose petal beetroot latte if you fancy something both healthy and pretty. There’s a proper brunch menu, too. It is among the best riverside cafe in London.
This spot on the Hammersmith riverside has a breezy two floors and a courtyard, where an abundance of natural light penetrates through some very tastefully done crittall-style windows. The food here is as important as the coffee which comes from Ozone. The ever-rotating, totally seasonal menu ranges from kimchi-fried rice to black rice porridge with miso sauce.
Family-run Karaway Bakery is now selling its incredible award-winning rye breads and Eastern European cakes in a tiny café situated in Westfield Stratford. The choice is puzzling, but sampling is encouraged, and it’s all backed up by decent coffee and sandwiches.
London’s unwavering love for all things Scandinavian, this Danish chain Ole & Steen has taken over London gradually. It’s a super slick cafe. You must try the dark chocolate swirls, apple pie, savory rolls, and best of all, cinnamon slices.
Must Try: Danish pastries, toasties breakfast bundles
Approximate Price: ₹230 onwards
19. Highness Cafe & Tea room
It’s all about tea and cake at Highness Café, a homely spot in Highbury with mismatched wooden tables and a menu that’s written on a chalkboard above the counter. You must try thick peanut butter brownies, iced blood-orange cakes, and plump sultana scones.
Birdhouse is the Clapham coffee bar of your dreams. Everything is intended to soothe, the staff is lovely, the sandwiches are great and the warm banana bread is irresistible. With a perfect espresso, it’s a guaranteed cure for those rainy-day blues.
On a mission to bring some Melbourne magic to the streets of Hammersmith, this school Australian Cafe brews up some yummy coffee. It uses Square Mile’s red brick beans for espresso and serves brunch-style food like kimchi and cheddar toast which is a best seller.
Bühler & Co is a cozy cafe in London. It’s a pretty spot and one of the best cafes in London where people come for some delicious coffee and yummy pastries. With comfy seating and soft lighting, the atmosphere is warm and inviting. Their pastries are freshly baked daily with a variety of croissants, muffins, and cakes.
A lovely neighborhood café housed within West Hampstead’s Grade II-listed St James Church, the Sanctuary is now part of a community hub that includes a post office, gift shop, and debt-advice center. Coffee and cakes are all worth the money.
A tiny decorated place with a total commitment to quality across the board, Lowry & Baker on Portobello Road is a local godsend. Food is served on unmatched crockery, but the perfectly brewed coffee with beans from Monmouth comes in well-warmed white cups. It is among the best cafes in London.
From the quirky décor to the massive windows giving a full view of the Archway, this family-owned spot is perfect for a leisurely catch-up. There’s just one blend of coffee on offer, but it’s decent enough especially with food from cooked breakfasts, sandwiches, salads, and home-baked cakes.
If you are looking for healthy eating in Notting Hill, this branch of a cute mini-chain from Australia is your place to be. Colourful interiors and non-stop sunny service are matched by a healthy menu bursting with bright, zingy ingredients. Coffee and cake are a bit different, too. This place is one of the best cafes in London with a view of green plants and flowers, which is an absolute delight to the eyes.
This cozy Soho store has been caffeinating Londoners since it opened back in 1887. Stepping inside the signature red-fronted Old Compton Street shop feels like a journey back in time. Shiny mocha pots of all sizes, packs of filter papers, cafetiѐres, and copper Turkish coffee makers. There’s also a hefty selection of loose-leaf teas. Sadly it’s takeaway or standing room only but for that price, no one is complaining. It is among the best cafes in London.
This sleek and high-end Japanese specialty coffee shop has made its way over to the UK, simultaneously opening up in Covent Garden and East London’s Broadway Market. There’s a stylish and clean feel here, with exposed brick, bone-white counters, and the signature coffee machine, a customized Slayer Espresso, as the star of the show.
%Arabica roasts its beans on-site in the case of the flagship on Broadway Market and founder Kenneth Shoji has visited each supplier to select the beans for the space personally. Go classic with a flat white or espresso macchiato, or opt for the Spanish latte, made with sticky condensed milk.
New Zealand coffee main Allures Espresso Roastery and Cafe, Dalston brought its smooth roasted beans to London in 2010, when it opened a cafe and roasters on Redchurch Street. It soon became the Shoreditch coffee spot of choice and was so popular in 2015 that it had outgrown the space and moved into an airy old factory in Dalston keeping the red church street as a little espresso bar. It sells fruity filters and silky espressos. The sandwiches and breakfast platters are a must-try.
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