An espresso in London
The series. Part 2.
I promised I would tackle the immense task of generously sharing my favourite spots (always West, as I am a full on West London girlie / Kensington mum), so here I am, tackling the immense task of generously sharing my favourite coffee spots.
If you’ve ever lived in London, you might have suffered from its frenzy, its 100km/hour speed, its constant stream of energy. While NYC never sleeps, London never stops. It is a constant go go go. It thrives off stress and business and busyness.
In London, I understood for the first time why people do coke. I admit, in the midst of the first of numerous stressful periods the thought of taking something stronger than caffeine to survive the exhaustion crossed my mind (I love being dramatic, have intrusive thoughts and work in a world where cocaine chic was glorified). But do not fret, people, coffee still does it.
In the purest Lorelai Gilmore style (has anyone ever studied the Gilmore Girls effect that makes you crave diluted black coffee?) but with an European twist, I am still an espresso girl, I present you my favourite coffee places in LDN.
Hjem (see first post)
I moved to London in a lockdown hiatus. Everything was, as we would say in Catalan, a mig gas. You had to quarantine, wear masks and take tests. As a Southerner, we took those rules as we saw fit. My quarantine didn’t even last 24hours. You could leave the house to do essential things; buying food or going for a walk, in my case, of course, it was going for a coffee run.
My first coffee spot was, indeed, Hjem, a quaint sunny spot in the most yet less London looking street (it could be anywhere with money, from Genève or Zurich to LA). I might have idealised because for me it represented freedom (not that I had stayed locked in less than a day), and a bit of normality and European allure, that only spots with terraces have. People would gravitate towards the sun soaked square in front of the café with a takeaway cup in hand (coffee could be better, but almond milk is hand made) and their glorious cardamom buns. They are Danish, and they know what they are doing. I am in desperate need to try their bread.
If you want somewhere cute, with Eddie Redmayne as a regular and no wifi, and to eavesdrop on extravagant conversations, gossip girl worthy conversations from yummy parents that have drop off their kids at the nursery next door, this is your place.
Kuro Bakery
This might be the rudest place in London. I was actually told that they had no ice left during the hottest day of the year at the same time as they were taking ice from a massive and full ice container.
They couldn’t be less excited to be serving you, be fast, or fill your coffee cup to the top. If they can spare a couple seconds to go back to do nothing, spare a few ml of milk or throw away some matcha just to avoid giving it to you they probably will. At Kuro smiling is hard for baristas.
Unless you are a regular. If you are a regular they’ll remember your order, act surprised if you change your drink of choice and await for your reaction when they’ve adjusted the coffee machine, just to see if you notice an improvement. It is one of the few places that despite an initial rudeness, I go on a weekly, sometimes daily basis.
They also have a bakery next door where a pain au chocolat will taste somewhat similar to anything you would eat in the continent. My top tip is not to buy it full price, rather risk it all and fight for one of their TooGoodToGo bags. Retailing at £7 or £4 for a large or small bag, you can have a generous sample of their baked goods for what it should actually cost.
Rapha’s
This is without doubt my favourite coffee in London. Not café, as it is not a proper café per se, but their espresso IS SO GOOD. As Kuro, this is one of the few spots that have remembered my usual order. And as specialty coffee regular coffee consumer I’ll say it: in a city as big as London, it is really appreciated when someone remembers you.
It is located in the full heart of Soho, not the most cosiest of places, but they let you work without feeling publicly shamed or guilty, have wifi and St. John’s sweet treats. If the name rings a bell, you might be familiar with the cyclist world and their infamous caffeine addiction. And your suspicions are true, this is the Rapha’s that you can find in any overtaken by cyclists so their coffee must meet some standards and it doesn’t disappoint.
If you found yourself in central London and need a caffeine fix, a spot to work from, or kill time while people watch, do yourself a favour and try this place.
Carbon Kopi
This is West West. It might actually be the most populated coffee with work-from-homers.
It is a humbling spot, almost a parody of modern society. You leave your house in your cute outfit, your Mac and your creative job, ready to conquer the world with your outstanding skills, one-of-a-kind vision and unique ideas, to join a group of young professionals who think they’ll conquer the world with their outstanding skills, one-of-a-kind vision and unique ideas.
You almost feel too self-conscious to join the crowd, but they are so nice, no one cares. They do not force to keep ordering, the wifi is free, without having to shamefully request the password and they leave you alone.
There’s a hospital next door which makes it really busy at times and good to eavesdrop if you want a break of your arduous task of changing the world.
Oh, and the coffee is good and they sell TimTam individually, which sometimes a single chocolate biscuit is all you need in life.
The Hoarder
Truth be told, I wouldn’t have moved to my current flat nor West Ken if it wasn’t for this place. If you have had the pleasure to visit 123 you might know that it embodies the term “dodgy end” of a street. It is rather safe but the energy of the street is rather random and it houses more chicken shops than any other business.
It sits opposite The Prince a staple bar to uni English students in West. It is the crown jewel of Lillie Road and if you have visited Lillie Road, you might know that it is quite difficult to trump the renowned Lily Hotel (yes they couldn’t stick to the Lillie theme). Anyway, The Hoarder does one of my favourite coffees in town. They do not offer seating, only seating outside which in London is not always a choice. They also sell the random bits and bobs that this places tend to sell, candles, chocolate, Australian biscuits, fancy alcohol and spicy sauce (might look further into this phenomenon) and the Japanese old lady that is behind the counter most days, warms my heart.
Watchouse at Somerset
This has been a constant throughout my London life. Has seen it all: alone, new friends, home friends, colleagues. I’ve cried here, sat on the verge of panicking attacks, I’ve hidden from people, from covid, isolating myself reading during my first year to avoid getting Covid two days before going home for Christmas. I’ve written my newsletter, my MA project, job applications, re-done my CV, bought Arctic Monkeys tickets, flights, you name it.
This is one for the former Tumblr users. In fact, I think I had saved an aesthetic image of a window seat overlooking Somerset courtyard that must have been taken from where I am sitting right now (I know, META). This is where you romanticise London, overlooking pensively the skating rink that appears in Love Actually’s opening scene.
But let’s be real, since I first came, prices have gone up, and they’ve implemented a 90-minute time slot during “peak periods”, that they will implement even when the place is empty. Their system is a bit confusing and I have left a couple times forgetting to pay.
Blank Street
Don’t judge me for including this one, it is last and least.
Apparently started in NYC, as an alternative to well known coffee chains that lacked quality, and democratise specialty coffee in big cities without extortionate prices.
They have taken over London, and you can find a venue in almost every area of the city which is good, if are in desperate need of a coffee and want you avoid the holy trinity —Costa, Nero and Pret— or refuse Starbucks prices.
I have to admit, it is a bit of a hit or a miss. While the one in South Kensington, for example, lives up to their claims, and I’ve gotten outfit compliments every single time I’ve been (not biased at all) the one in Paddington reminded me of station coffee, never better said, which made me want to quite coffee for good.
Special mentions
Brood Roastery: An understated spot in Islington. I am just going to say that this is where I’ve had the best espresso in my three years in London.
Guillam: Might have been the second coffee spot I’ve had in London when I moved. It is opposite “Lady Diana’s favourite pizza place”. The coffee is consistently good. They’ve risen prices and broke my heart when they changed their pastry offer and removed the best banana bread I’ve ever had (even better than mine and that’s says a lot).
Kaffeine: I used to go quite often when I was in uni, my parents stumbled on it and loved it)
Climpsons & Co: a Broadway Market classic, my fellow sybarite Lottie Collins discovered me this place. I am planning on buying their beans for home (I HARDLY EVER MAKE COFFEE AT HOME, so that says something)
Department of Coffee and Social Affairs: another one in central London. They are really nice, give away free pastries if they see you suffering and do the Neighbourhood Card Discount. As a downside, they are slow and always busy.
Ozone: They rule East London. A staple, but not my favourite.
Dovedales Bakery: One of Peckham’s sweets spots. Hate to admit it but I love Peckham’s energy.
The Roasting Party: Good coffee. As my dad would say: ‘molt correcte’.
Kiss the Hipo: Really good but too expensive for what it is.
Read the first part of the series below:
I finish writing this with a caffeine high (there was no other way), and my only hope is that if you are in London, you take this gloomy Sunday as an opportunity to embark on my favourite activity to seats at a café and read. Please do also send me your personal favourite and fight me on mine.
Christmas song of the day: ‘Come On! Let’s Boogey to the Elf Dance!’ - Sufjan Stevens. (This song gives me the same energy as a double espresso).