Did we need another opportunity to build that list of the best London coffee shops or grow that gallery of saved posts of cafes to visit? We don’t think we ever need an excuse but lockdown 2.0 is the perfect opportunity to explore online and plan those visits post lockdown!

In the past few years, cafés and independent coffee shops have been dominating the London scene. From beautiful floral accented cafes such as Double Shot and Palaette, to more minimalist and sleek, such as Omotesando and Rosslyn, there is truly a cup of coffee to please everyone from the coffee connoisseur, to the newcomer. For a guide on the best cafes and coffee shops in London and to sign yourself up to reminiscing about hours spent chatting and relaxing in a café, keep reading.

Australia has one of the strongest brunch games, nailing aesthetic and serving stellar coffee. An all-time favourite encapsulating both of these, Aussie special Abuelo had to feature on our list. Serving up the most delightful jammy figs, mascarpone and honey toast, small but equally delightful treats of lamingtons and excellent cups of flat whites, they certainly need to be on your list for best London coffee shops.

Weekends are undoubtedly our favourite part of the week, but even more so when it comes to Juliet’s Quality Food. Savouries grace the menu Monday to Sunday, meaning you can treat yourself to their famous Poached Eggs on Sourdough any day. The magic touch to making theirs a step above the rest? Espresso hollandaise. If sunset-saturated runny yolks and the best hollandaise weren’t enough to convince you, then their weekend sourdough bread end waffle specials should. Not afraid to experiment with flavours, scroll through their Instagram for dreamy waffle breakdown profiles of ‘Sicilian Blood Orange, Toasted Cascara Marshmallow & Candied Kumquat’, ‘English Russet Apple, Burnt Cassia Bark Cream, Hot Butter Crumble & Chewy Apple Jam’ and ‘Pear Cooked in Safflower Caramel, Fresh Buttermilk Ice Cream & House Made Macadamia Miso Meringue’. To top it off, they do a particularly excellent chai latte and, whilst it might not be weather appropriate for now, keep their iced coffee firmly on your radar. For the full experience at one of the best London café and coffee shops, visit here on a weekend.

If you’re looking for a quiet spot, away from Central London, White Mulberries is your answer. It would be an absolute sin to visit and not try one of their outstanding banana breads paired with a cup of coffee. Whilst you can’t go wrong with any of the 5 options, we highly recommend the Maple Pecan, Mascarpone and Banana. Think warm, gently toasted banana bread, caramelised, crunchy pecans and creamy mascarpone all in perfect proportions – magical. Their Hays Galleria branch may be more accessible but the added views at their original location are without a doubt worth the journey.

Finally, one not to be missed – Catalyst Coffee Roasters. Located in Chancery Lane, this spot cement themselves firmly as one of the best London coffee shops, serving food as good as their coffee and coffee as good as their food. Though their menu may not be extensive, everything on their menu is satisfying and nothing short of impressive. Their adventurous take on the ‘Avocado Baba Ganoush on Sourdough’ with zaatar and ingenious coffee sriracha is an explosion of flavours with every bite. Don’t underestimate their ‘Pancakes with Crème Fraiche, Coffee Maple Syrup and Seasonal Fruit’ either. This supersize pancake is a fluffy dream and the grilling of the banana amplifies its flavour, as well as giving it a caramel-ly, sticky-soft texture. Affordable, friendly staff and delicious – not much more you could ask for. Note they aren’t open on the weekends, probably for good reason too, otherwise we’d be there much too often. If interested, they sell some of their coffee beans and products such as *THAT* coffee sriracha online.

Other highly rated cafés and coffee shops that we recommend you to visit include Story, who’s French toast and coffees are a winning combination, Esters, a Stoke Newington café featuring colourful contemporary interiors and impeccable coffee, Half Cup, a gem just off of Kings Cross with a seasonal changing menu and the Instagram favourite French toast, and Ozone, a place that almost everyone will have heard of or passed by at some point. For those more focused on the coffee, the best London coffee shops must also include Prufrock, Monmouth, %Arabica and The Gentlemen Baristas.

Now it is time for you to decide which you’ll be heading to once doors reopen again. To stay close to our findings and favourites, be sure to keep an eye out and follow us on our social here.

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