It’s almost time
for the London Coffee Festival, which showcases the best of the UK’s coffee
scene. Around this time a number of newspapers, magazines and websites will inevitably
publish self-described definitive lists of London’s “best” coffee. The same
names are rehashed and list members are incredibly predictable.
This year, I’d like to break from the
trend and highlight 20 coffee shops in London which I feel are often overlooked.
These are twenty coffee shops which are either new, small operations or places
which I think represent some of the best of London’s coffee scene. Big names
and chains are purposely left out.
These are, in no particular:
- Lanark Coffee
- Footnote Café
- The Gentlemen Baristas
- Carmelite Café
- 119 Lower Clapton
- Fingers Crossed
- 56 St James
- The Wren Coffee
- Drink, Shop, Dash
- Craving Coffee
- Coleman and Co. (technically a stand)
- Coffee Affair
- Craft Coffee
- Four Corners
- Tamp Coffee
- Knockbox
- Silhouette
- Small White Elephant
- Wood St Coffee
- Brookes and Gao
Each of these bring with it their unique charm to the London coffee
scene. From Lanark’s focus on great coffee, the Gentlemen Barista’s great focus
on customer service to Four Corner’s commitment to… well, eccentricity. Big
names like Caravan and Ozone will always be known as some of the best coffee
shops in London, but there are some absolutely amazing and innovative coffee
shops in the scene that deserve some attention as well.