London may be famous for its pubs and high teas, but its coffee scene is also experiencing a boom. From London institutions like Monmouth to cutting-edge new spots like Workshop, from epic church environs like The Wren to re-purposed underground toilet settings like The Attendant, your choices for finding the perfect cup of coffee in London are endless.
Here are five of the best cafes in London:
The Wren
In the shadow of Saint Paul’s cathedral, housed in the atmospheric surrounds of the re-purposed Saint Nicholas Cole Abbey, newcomer The Wren boasts some of the most unique surrounds — and best coffee — in London. The space is large and airy, but the ambiance is still somehow quaint and comfy.
Workshop
Workshop is quickly earning itself a reputation as one of London’s finest purveyors of coffee. The quirky décor and relaxed vibe, not to mention the exquisite coffee, make it the perfect spot to unwind over an espresso.
Fernandez & Wells
Fernandez & Wells has a number of locations in fashionable parts of the city, including near Leicester Square and in the courtyard of Kings College London and the Courtauld Gallery, but my favorite is tucked away down a little Soho street. Espressos and milky coffees alike reign here, and they serve patisseries worthy of France.
Monmouth Coffee
When it comes to coffee, Monmouth is a veritable London institution. The shopfront right near the Borough Market, just south of London Bridge, tends to draw the most visitors; however, I’m a fan of the Monmouth Street, Covent Garden branch, if only for its location in the midst of some of the city’s best shopping streets, Seven Dials.
The Attendant
Subterranean Fitzrovia café The Attendant is set in one of the most bizarre spaces in all of Europe: a re-purposed Victorian men’s bathroom. Porcelain urinal stalls have been transformed into surprisingly fitting personalized benches, reading lamps and old hand dryers alike sit side-by-side on the walls, and the floor alternates between original tiling and bright new astroturf. If it sounds just a little distasteful, believe me, it’s not. With top-notch coffee, sparkling clean spaces, quirky decorations and delicious snacks, The Attendant is all charm and definitely no grime.
Do you have a favorite London cafe? Please share in the comments below.
-By Gemma King
Top coffee image courtesy of FookPhoto.com via Shutterstock.
Jessica Festa is the editor of the travel sites Jessie on a Journey (http://jessieonajourney.com) and Epicure & Culture (http://epicureandculture.com). Along with blogging at We Blog The World, her byline has appeared in publications like Huffington Post, Gadling, Fodor’s, Travel + Escape, Matador, Viator, The Culture-Ist and many others. After getting her BA/MA in Communication from the State University of New York at Albany, she realized she wasn’t really to stop backpacking and made travel her full time job. Some of her most memorable experiences include studying abroad in Sydney, teaching English in Thailand, doing orphanage work in Ghana, hiking her way through South America and traveling solo through Europe. She has a passion for backpacking, adventure, hiking, wine and getting off the beaten path.
