In a city swarmed with chain restaurants and cafes, it’s always a bit messy trying to figure out which independent café you should be heading to next! Coffee addicts, bookworms and work-from-a-café kind of people will rejoice at this list, which has been carefully curated by our team to include all the independent cafes in London we’ve fallen in love with during our exploratory walks, and the ones that boast the best brews too!
1. Lantana Cafe
Moving seamlessly between Shoreditch, Fitzrovia and London Bridge, Lantana Cafe has become synonymous to artisan coffee and excellent all-day dining. Their house blend has gotten the balance in between strong taste and a tingling-taste-bud experience just right! If you’re looking for a laid-back spot where you can get some work done before meeting your friends, that’s your go-to place! Their outdoor seating area is worthy of its very own shout out too…
2. Cafe 1001
#NotYourAverageCafe they say, and we’re bound to agree. Not just because it doubles as a club, but also because it’s a magnet for Brick Lane’s crowds. Based in the heart of The Old Truman Brewery, Cafe 1001 has a bunch of nibbles to choose from on a weekend morning, and it’s particularly spectacular on a sunny weekend (well, also particularly packed). Explore its fantastic events list while sipping your splendid coffee in the East!
3. Look Mum No Hands!
With a unique description, this Cafe/Bar/Bicycle Workshop (yes, we’re as intrigued as you are), and a quirky name, “Look Mum No Hands!” has a reputation as a workstation/ coffee haven for the fanatics! Inclusive of a cool bicycle workshop, this laid-back coffee spot has two cycle infused locations that we can’t get enough of…
4. The Black Cab Coffee Co
You’ve definitely come across this brilliant coffee supplier if you have roamed around the crowded Brick Lane on a weekend. You would definitely remember them too, popping out of a black cab to serve excellent artisan coffee to crowds that flock around the curious brewers. Although the Black Cab Coffee locations aren’t the sitting and sipping type of spots, the journey that begun in 2012 has now found its home in the continuously evolving Vauxhall area, with a menu almost as appealing as their coffee offering!
5. Store.St Espresso
Excitingly minimal, perfectly cosy and dedicated to offering great quality of coffee; this right about sums up the Store.St Espresso’s magnificence. They have two locations in the city, with the Tavistock Place one offering scrumptious brunch options alongside their well brewed specialty coffees. If you feel like heading there with a good book, you’re set for a morning of coffee infused enjoyment!
