The 10 Best Places To Get A Coffee In London

From Esquire

Once merely a reliable stimulant, it's no secret that coffee has long since gone the way of fine wine and whisky and become something crafted, considered and - let's be honest - bullshitted over by everyone from hipsters to your recently retired Dad.

But with outlets on every other street in London boasting about its organic and artisanal coffee credentials, how do you pick where to go?

To help we've rounded up the best of the bunch from around the capital.

1 | The Trending Bakery: Pophams Bakery

Pophams Bakery has become insta-famous in the short time it has been serving up artisan sourdough and croissants in N1, with head chef Florian recently winning best baker at the Young British Food & Drink awards. They also boast a seriously rich and smooth blend of coffee supplied by Kiwi company Ozone.

Insider tip: Pair your coffee order of choice with a maple bacon croissant or pain au chocolat and settle into one of their bespoke Tatara Workshop benches.

Pophams Bakery, 19 Prebend St, London N1 8PF

2 | The Super-Strength Option: Monmouth Coffee

For many Monmouth is the Holy Grail of coffee and addicts can be found queuing out the door at peak hours. It is widely credited to be the strongest hit around, their standard double shots being suitable only for the caffeine hardcore.

Insider tip: For the faint of heart start with a half-shot and work up. Even that will have you buzzing.

Monmouth Coffee, 27 Monmouth St, London WC2H 9EU

3 | The Industrial Supplier: Caravan Coffee Roasters

Caravan are The Godfather of coffee roasting. Their set up is housed within a vast Grade II listed Victorian grain store in Kings Cross. They also focus on home brewing and offer extensive guides on how to make your own at home online. Their roastery supplies blends to many notable places including The Espresso Room and Brooklyn Coffee.

Insider tip: Sack off the lid with your takeaway, they think the coffee breathes better without it.

Caravan, Granary Building, Granary Square, London N1C 4AA

4 | The single-origin obsessives: Notes coffee bar and roasters

Roasting their own single-origin coffee beans and serving them at several London locations, Notes offer serious coffee for those who want to know about the origin of what they're sipping. If you're less into the small print, just know that each cup is delicious.

Insider tip: Ask the baristas what blends are on offer, their staff are always well trained in the flavours of each bean and on hand to give recommendations.

Notes coffee bar and roasters, 31 St Martin's Ln, London WC2N 4ER

5 | The One With Explicit Content: F*ckoffee

This delicious organic eatery is adorned with 80s pop posters and random paraphernalia. It also churns out excellent coffee. Last year they were embroiled in a dispute where manager Adrian Jones was ordered to take down original offensive sign. Instead an asterisk was added to the expletive and said letter is now displayed in the toilet.

Insider tip: Make sure you get one of their equally PG loyalty cards.

F*ckoffee, 163 - 167 Bermondsey St, London, SE1 3UW, 020 7403 7655

6 | Heavy Flavour Rotation: Association Coffee

Priding themselves on having an ever-changing rota of espresso and single origin options. Their coffee suppliers are London based roasters Square Mile and Workshop who are both held in high esteem by coffee aficionados.

Insider tip: Order an espresso and drink it standing at their in-house brew bar as Italians do.

Association Coffee, No. 10/12 Creechurch Lane, London, EC3A 5AY, 020 7283 1155

7 | The Aussie Pioneers: Flat White

Opening in 2005, Flat White was one of the first places to bring the now much-loved Australian beverage to the UK and are considered a specialist when it comes to the short strong coffee with a name you're confident enough to say. They also serve antipodean influenced simple food and opened sister spot, Milkbar around the corner in 2008.

Insider tip: Order their eponymous favourite and call it a flattie if you dare.

Flat White, 17 Berwick St, London, W1F 0PT, 020 7734 0370

8 | The Swish Location: Department of Coffee and Social Affairs

Despite sounding like a location in a Harry Potter novel, DCSA (as those who know call it) have several sleek sites across London bedecked with emerald green tiles and artisanal coffee. Our favourite is the remodelled ironmongers on Leather Lane.

The wait after ordering is an encouraging sign of the care taken in each drink and the flavours are beyond anything you'd expect.

Insider tip: Subscribe to their coffee delivery service for a bag of rich 'Dark Horse' Espresso beans.

Department of Coffee and Social Affairs, 14–16 Leather Lane, London, EC1N 7SUk, 020 7419 6906

9 | The Best For Guilt-Free Sipping: Climpson & Sons

Climpson & Sons take their name from the butchers they took over from in Broadway Market. They have always focused on sustainability and ethical sourcing protocols and in 2013 purchased a roaster that reduced greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption by up to 80%.

Insider tip: Instagram that cuppa - 2 of their barista's were Top 10 in the UK Latte Art Championships, which actually exists.

Climpson & Sons, 67 Broadway Market, London E8 4PH

10 | The Hipster Hangout: Federation Coffee

Queues snake around Brixton Market on Saturday mornings for Federation's fragrant concoctions. Their house espresso is a bespoke blend created by coffee roasters Campbell & Syme in North London and their soy flat whites could sway even milk lovers.

Insider tip: Pick up some of their very popular Anzac biscuits.

Federation Coffee, Unit 77-78, Brixton Village, Coldharbour Ln, London, SW9 8PS

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