London is filled to the brim with interesting cafes. Whether you’re looking for something luxurious, a place with some of the world’s best coffee or simply a nice place to work, London has it all.
The Best Luxury Cafes in London
Thomas’s Cafe
Set inside Burberry’s flagship store on Regent Street, Thomas’s Cafe is one of the few places you can find respite from the jostling crowds of central London. With a separate entrance on Vigo Street this cosy cafe was designed by The New Craftsmen, purveyors of handmade British homeware. Thomas’s Cafe serves food all day with the menu transitioning from scrambled eggs and cured salmon in the morning to afternoon tea before finishing with more indulgent dishes like lobster and river trout.
In terms of coffee you can expect to find classic drinks like lattes, cappuccinos and americanos, while the tea drinkers will love the cafe’s extensive list of loose leaf teas.
The Roseberry Lounge
While the Mandarin Oriental may be more well renowned for its afternoon tea than its cafe culture, the Roseberry Lounge is easily one of the capital’s most luxurious spots. Offering everything from Orange Pekoe tea from Sri Lanka through to globally sourced coffee, the Mandarin Oriental is worth visiting whether you’re in the mood to eat or not.
The Holborn Dining Room
Situated within the Rosewood Hotel, the Holborn Dining Room has become an institution in its own right. Offering visitors some of the world’s finest coffees and teas alongside an all-day menu, this is a spot perfect for
The Best Artisan Coffee Shops in London
Prufrock
Since opening its doors in 2011, Prufrock has been the beating heart of London’s speciality coffee scene. With a laid back vibe, the interior has white walls contrasting against the dark wood flooring. One of the most striking things about Prufrock is the variety of brewing techniques on offer, whether you want a hand poured drip filter coffee or a carefully crafted espresso you won’t be disappointed. Each member of the team at Prufrock are trained extensively in the cafe’s barista school in the cellar of the cafe, meaning you’ll be hard pushed to find a better coffee in all of central London.
Antipode
Antipode is the closest you can get to sipping a flat white in the Melbourne laneways without stepping foot on a plane. Focusing on serving fresh meals alongside exceptional coffee, you can expect to find dishes like shakshouka and home-cured sea trout with avocado and 48 hour proofed sourdough on the menu, while the coffee comes from the ever reliable Square Mile roasters.
Workshop Coffee
One of the few cafes in London that roast their own beans in-house, Workshop has long established itself as a connoisseur’s coffee shop. The barista’s experiment with brewing technique and bean blend, while the food on offer goes from bar snacks (think pig-skin grissini and corn frittettes) to proper sit down meals in the evening.
Monmouth Coffee
If you walk past Monmouth without seeing a queue then you’re in luck. One of this cafe’s most defining points, other than the dozen or so varieties of beans on offer, is the fact that without fail there will always a queue out the door. Don’t let that put you off though, as the coffee at Monmouth is some of the best in the city. The Elite Traveler top tip is to buy some beans to take home and ask for a coffee with your order as you’ll get served quicker, and best of all you’ll be able to make some delicious joe at home.
Kaffeine
One of London’s longest standing cafes, Kaffeine prides itself on being one of the first cafes to bring speciality coffee to the capital. Alongside an all-day food menu you can expect to find the baristas making a delicious brew with the cafe’s legendary Synesso Cyncra espresso machines.
The Espresso Room
The Espresso Room is perhaps London’s smallest speciality coffee venue, but don’t let that put you off. Owned by Ben Townsend, one of the capital’s biggest names in artisan coffee – Townsend works as a brewing teacher at the London School of Coffee alongside running two cafes (a smaller one on Great Ormond Street and a larger one in Holborn). With his skill and understanding of what makes a truly great cup of coffee you’ll never be disappointed.
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