It is no surprise that London, a metropolitan melting pot of culture and taste, has a vibrant coffee scene. From modern, minimalist spaces to cosy cafes and local roasteries, the capital boasts an enormous range of top-quality coffee options catering to every preference and profile. Whether you’re a coffee connoisseur, a visiting victim of jet lag or simply seeking a cosy spot to savour a brilliant brew, we’ve scouted out the best coffee shops in London.

Climpson & Sons, Hackney

Best for: UK-roasted specialty coffee

Climpson & Sons is an East London institution. A B Corp-certified producer, Climpson & Sons is a pioneer in the evolving UK specialty coffee scene, now boasting a cafe and restaurant in Hackney and its own roastery in Leyton.

Serving (and selling) its own roasts, Climpson offers a total of nine brews – the most popular export being The Baron, a crowd-pleasing espresso that is now served in cafes, restaurants and living rooms globally, and originates from Daterra, Brazil, one of the most sustainable farms in the world. Other local favourites include The Estate and the Broadway Blend, the latter being the go-to espresso served on Broadway Market boasting flavours of cocoa, apple and treacle.

The cafe in Broadway Market is rustic yet charming and feels more like a place you would find in a quaint country village than in the heart of London. Mouth-watering daily-changing pastries fill the front window with descriptions and prices scribbled on the glass in white marker. With a strong sense of community, you’ll often see locals lingering outside the storefront catching up over a brew.

The team at Climpson is constantly exploring the best flavour profiles and extraction techniques and, with a commitment to sustainability and ethical sourcing, the coffee here not only has character but a transparent story too. Also offering coffee workshops, professional certifications, subscriptions and brewing guides, Climpson & Sons is a must-visit for any coffee enthusiast.

67 Broadway Market, E8 4PH; Commercial Street, Old Spitalfields Market, E1 6EW; visit climpsonandsons.com

Omotesando Koffee, Fitzrovia

Best for: A fresh perspective on coffee culture

Located in Fitzrovia, set back from the hustle and bustle of Tottenham Court Road, is Omotesando Koffee. This coffee shop offers a slice of escapism with its modern Japanese coffee culture and calming atmosphere, guaranteed to transport you to Tokyo (without the nine-hour time difference).

Omotesando was born in Tokyo’s Omotesando Hill neighbourhood but has since grown into a global chain with a reputation as a leader in Asia’s modern coffee scene. Its first European outpost definitely follows suit with a highly minimalist wooden interior, featuring a wood-framed counter (where you pay first and then take your ticket directly to the barista), floor-to-ceiling windows, and bar seating that runs the entire length of the store.

Omotesando’s ethos is based on the idea of ‘shokunin’ – a lifelong dedication to one’s craft – hence the single barista concept and open station allowing you to watch the meticulous process that goes into each pour. Similar to its design, Omotesando’s offering is also minimalist, including a house blend (exclusively roasted by Assembly) and a weekly-changing light-roast single-origin pour-over (also available on batch brew). For the ultimate experience, try Omotesando’s signature iced cappuccino paired with one of its perfectly square kashis (a unique Japanese baked custard pastry) while subconsciously looking up BA reward flights to Japan.

8 Newman Street, W1T 1PB, visit ooo-koffee.com

Tease, Mayfair and South Kensington

Best for: An alternative caffeine fix

Whether you’re health-focused, caffeine-conscious or both, Tease is the perfect coffee shop for you. Situated in the heart of South Kensington, and now also with a newly-opened site in Mayfair, there’s a decidedly LA vibe about Tease, with its sunshine yellow exterior and elevated beverages.

Tease prides itself on its innovative, wellness-focused menu (which is 100 per cent refined sugar-free) developed by an ex-Annabel’s mixologist. Its offering includes an innovative selection of both caffeinated and non-caffeinated hot and iced beverages, cleverly incorporating superfoods, adaptogens and natural energy boosters to cater to every type of mood. Refreshing iced teas, ceremonial grade matcha lattes, decaf options made with chicory root fibre and mushroom lattes are customer favourites here and it's not uncommon to see Royal Borough locals picking up their second or third cup of the day. For those who do prefer their caffeine the traditional way, Tease uses Caravan's Organic Market Blend and serves up one of the area's best flat whites.

19 Harrington Road, South Kensington, SW7 3ES; 32 Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, W1K 2HJ

Noxy Brothers, across London

Best for: Change-making coffee

There is a reason Noxy Brothers, which started as a single cart in an office building in West London, now has five bustling locations across the city, including Burlington Arcade, The Strand, Paddington, Russell Square and Old Street. A diamond in the rough in a city saturated with ubiquitous coffee chains, Noxy has made a name for itself among office dwellers by delivering specialty coffee and the kind of service where the baristas remember your name, order and serve you with a genuine smile.

Its signature blend is a fusion of beans from Brazil and Nicaragua offering a nuanced, rich flavour with notes of dark chocolate, caramel and hazelnut. The team behind Noxy, London-born friends JP and Hoss, are dedicated to keeping their offering fresh and on trend, curating a monthly-rotating special sourced from global suppliers, ensuring that those looking for something new and exciting don’t need to look far.

Noxy’s most unique location is nestled in the historic Burlington Arcade in Piccadilly, where it holds court among the arcade's long-standing luxury brands and boutiques. With queues out the door most days, and a few tables lining the walls of the historic arcade (for those lucky to secure a spot), Noxy Brothers has not only revitalised the arcade but has also given Londoners a compelling reason to opt out of mundane coffee from the usual suspects.

Visit noxybrothers.com

Layla, Notting Hill

Best for: Good coffee and great pastries

There is only one place to go for coffee and pastries on a Sunday morning in Notting Hill: the Layla Bakery. Layla is a small, unassuming bakery and coffee shop known for its use of some of London’s finest flours. Conveniently located at the very end of Portobello Road (far beyond the chaos of Portobello Market), you’ll find locals, coffee connoisseurs and pastry fanatics sitting side-by-side on the long wooden benches that line both the interior and exterior of this Scandi-style hotspot. Layla’s prime position means that golden morning sunlight (on the days there is any) fills the space making the perfectly stacked rows of fresh loaves, croissants and sweet treats that much more enticing.

Layla sources its coffee from independently-owned, Brixton-based roaster, Assembly. The flavour profile is nutty with a medium-full body: a well-rounded blend that is as equally suited to milky drinks as it is to a pain au chocolate or sausage roll. The whole Layla experience is highly satisfying, Instagrammable and guaranteed to leave you on a caffeine high, with a full stomach and paper bag-clad sourdough in tow.

332 Portobello Rd, W10 5PQ, visit laylabakery.com

Monocle Cafe, Marylebone

Best for: Coffee and cultural affairs

Monocle Cafe is the Scandi-Japanese influenced lovechild of Monocle magazine and publisher Tyler Brûlé (founder of Wallpaper), situated on one of London’s trendiest addresses: Chiltern Street. The menu at Monocle consists of all your coffee staples, using beans from Workshop coffee as well as a selection of teas, iced beverages and a small alcoholic beverage menu if you’re looking for something a little stronger. Our favourite part of the cafe has to be the Monocle Briefing board – a framed board summarising key topics and quotes from that month's print magazine issue.

Despite its see-and-be-seen Marylebone location, the cafe is modest in both size and design. Narrow and long, the cafe has a variety of stool counter seating, a cosy nook in the back for those looking for some peace and quiet, and a larger lower ground floor reserved for the magazine’s subscribers. The team has also managed to squeeze in a pop-up shop with print, stationery and travel accessories from the Monocle Shop, as well as various editions of Monocle’s travel guides and other indie publications.

If you’re lucky enough to find a free seat, be sure to sample one of its famed Japanese milk bread sandos or Scandi cinnamon buns from renowned bakery Fabrique. It’s also a great spot to partake in some people-watching as a steady stream of trendy visitors pour in for their caffeine fix.

8 Chiltern St, W1U 7QA, visit monocle.com

Bar Italia, Soho

Best for: Italian coffee and Italian style

Not much has changed at the historic Bar Italia since it was opened by the Polledris family in 1949 – making it one of London’s oldest coffee shops and the only one on this list with its own Wikipedia page. To today’s passer-by, the cafe may seem slightly outdated but this institution is and has always been ‘la famiglia’ to Italian regulars and royalty (and converted Brits including Mick Jagger) who flock to the cafe for its classic Italian espresso (a secret house blend), cappuccinos, breakfast paninos and Italian ambience and warmth.

The walls here have a story or two to tell and are lined with black and white photographs of footballers, film stars and politicians who have all dropped in to sample the cafe’s Italian fare over the decades. A vintage Gaggia machine spurts out rocket-fuel espressos, which are best enjoyed in the traditional grab-and-go manner: knocked back standing at the counter and finished within seconds. Unlike any other coffee shop we know of, Bar Italia is open from 7am to 5am, only closing to give its dedicated staff enough time to clean the machines and restock the display with Italy’s finest delicacies. Its selection of fresh paninis, cannoli, tiramisu and cornettos (the croissant’s Italian cousin, extra sweet and often filled with jam) is unlike anything else you’ll find in the capital.

22 Frith St, W1D 4RF, baritaliasoho.co.uk

WatchHouse, across London

Best for: A modern coffee experience

Walking into any one of WatchHouse’s London locations is like walking into a particularly chic science lab. Each space has been carefully devised by a portfolio of architects and designers (the most notable by Kirkwood McCarthy) and almost all sites feature a futuristic central counter where customers can either sit and work or be distracted by the coffee chemists hard at work.

WatchHouse’s 1829 Espresso is the customer favourite. Originating from Yirgacheffe in Ethiopia, this espresso is roasted and brewed in-house specifically for a milk-based experience. For those looking for something more unique, WatchHouse also offers an impressive Rarities menu: its own collection of some of the world’s rarest and most exceptional coffees which are portioned and frozen by the in-house Coffee Quality Team to keep them at their peak flavour profile until ready to be enjoyed. If this wasn’t enough to spark your interest, WatchHouse also offers an extensive breakfast and brunch menu with all the staples, from poached eggs and porridge to sweetcorn fritters and plenty of vegan options too.

Tech junkies should head to WatchHouse St Mary Axe in the City of London, its largest space yet. A 3,900 square foot cafe set over three floors, where you can experience state-of-the-art brewing technology, including a custom brew bar and the latest systems from industry leaders 3Temp and ModBar. With 15 sites across London, we can almost guarantee an excellent cup of WatchHouse coffee is closer than you think.

Visit watchhouse.com

TomTom Coffee House, Belgravia

Best for: Coffee in an idyllic setting

Located on the corner of Elizabeth and Ebury Street in Belgravia, with plenty of outdoor seating, TomTom is the perfect coffee shop for those who want to sit, sip and watch the world go by.

TomTom uses Allpress’ famed espresso blend: a perfectly balanced South American medium roast that is sweet and complex with a smooth finish, combining beans from Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala and Sumatra. TomTom attributes freshness as the key to its coffee success, ensuring that its stock is used within two weeks of leaving the roasters – the optimum time in which to enjoy the perfect brew.

With a small on-site kitchen, TomTom offers an all-day food menu and serves breakfast dishes, including its signature avocado on toast with sweet chilli jam, buttermilk pancakes, cheese toasties, until 3pm. For a lighter bite, choose a green omelette, daily soup or acai bowl to accompany your coffee.

114 Ebury Street, SW1W 9QD, visit tomtomcoffee.co.uk

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