I tried all the coffee shops in London so you don't have to

Best and worst coffee shops in London

As a Christmas present from my sister, I was gifted the cutest calendar where each month there is a different neighborhood or themed print of London. January can be such a depressing and cold month, so I figured this would be a fun little challenge to check off all the coffee shops listed on the calendar. Plus it’s a great way to explore new neighborhoods in London! Check out below a run down of all the coffee shops I went to.

*Also for reference, I always order an oat milk latte, with one sugar so they all have plant based milk alternatives :)

London Coffee Shops

*Last updated 19th Feb 2024

DEAR COCO- 9/10 I won’t shut up about this place because I just love a local story. The owner is an Aussie and he named the coffee shop after his daughter Coco. The best part is that this isn’t a coffee shop, it’s actually a tiny van parked out by Kew bridge along the river. Perfect for grabbing a cuppa coffee to stroll around Chiswick. To learn more about their story, find them on Instagram @dearcocolondon £3.30 Kew Bridge.

ANTIPODE- 9/10 Delicious but I took a point off for the barista acting a bit too hipster/snobby to me, which can only tell you how artisan and awesome this coffee was. Hammersmith

KISS THE HIPPO- 5/10 Not worth the commute out west in my opinion, with basically no seating. Richmond

OZONE- 7/10 I deem this one a solid choice in the East side especially since I’ve been back a few times. They have a good variety of seating as well as food. Shoreditch

STORY COFFEE- 8/10 I take back my bad review from 2022, they’ve definitely improved their coffee but I have yet though to try a bakery item. This has become a staple spot for me even with the £4 price tag. Clapham Junction

OVER UNDER- 10/10 Pink exterior, pink & green interior. Location, vibes, brunch, lots of space, good coffee…need I say more? They have a few locations now in London with an app punch card system so you can start getting free coffees! £3.80 Clapham Common

GENTLEMAN BARISTA- 8/10 Oak milk latte £3.50 . Cute brick exposed walls, fun baristas to chat with, and a rooftop garden. I’ll definitely be back in the summer to check that out! Also nearby Doughnut time if you want to have that perfect vegan doughnut and coffee combo. London Bridge

OMOTESANDO KOFFEE- 5/10 Matcha latte with oat milk was £4.50 and it was TINY. Very simple design but also very cramped space. We were all squished on top of each other just standing waiting for our coffees, so definitely wouldn’t come here if I needed to do work. The location wasn’t near anything, north of soho and about a 10 minute walk from Oxford Circus.

FORMATIVE- 3/10 Okay this was my least favorite. It seems like the place you’d come to if you worked in the area, but it’s pretty tucked back so otherwise you wouldn’t know it’s there. Ambiance was pretty crap in my opinion, very simple menu. Coffee tasted bitter, almost burnt? Yeah I wouldn’t bother unless you’re desperate. Victoria Station

FEDERATION- Good for takeaway, not to be seated. Kinda hard to find at first because it’s tucked away in the Brixton market which also means they have weird hours. Brixton

MONOCOLE CAFE- 6/10 Located in the cutest neighborhood with lots of fun shops and restaurants. Good oat milk latte, didn’t even need the sugar and it came in my favorite color coffee cup, emerald green. They have a few tables downstairs, but no wifi so not a good working coffee shop which is why I knocked a few points off. Marylebone

WATCH HOUSE- 9/10 Multiple locations, mostly around south London. They were awarded a Timeout winner for best coffee house, and I can see why. Best pricing as well at £3.30 for an oat milk latte. I went to the location in Southwark which didn’t have much seating and was located underneath the train so it was pretty noisey. Bermondsey

REDEMPTION- 7/10 Felt like my latte was a bit pricey and was super strong so if you’re more of a flat white kind of person you’ll love it. The music and vibes were pretty good though and there was plenty of space to come and work with free wifi. Also you can feel good about supporting this coffee shop as they are the first prison-based employment company. Plus had a cute garden in the back for summer iced coffees! Islington

ROSSLYN- 4/10 Only open weekdays since it’s customers are those working in the Financial district. Located across from Mansion house and cannon street stations, it’s a small corner coffee shop with no seating, and no wifi. I felt like without the extra ambiance perks, the coffee should have been exceptional, but I was underwhelmed. It’s right by my new office though so I might pop in every once and while since it was a strong coffee. Financial District

HOPPERS- 7/10 I have been here a few times, lovely baristas and nice atmosphere. Very Italian roots. Clapham North & Putney

Still on my list to try: Kaffeine, The Espresso Room, Chapter 72, Campbell & Syme, Intermission Coffee, Beany Green, Attendant, Arabica, and Prufrock

Okay so I wasn’t able to get to ALL the London coffee shops, that list would take days to get through! But I feel like that was a pretty decent amount of ones I could get to in January. From the reviews above my top suggestions are Under Over, Watch House, and Gentleman Barista. But don’t take my word for it! Feel free to use this list to go on your own hunt for the best coffee in London. 😉

And if you do try one and love it, let please share with me!

Sincerely,

Sarah

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