There is something of a coffee fever reshaping the look and atmosphere of the streets of London, where each day sees the opening of a new café promising to bring the most refined blends and mandatory accompanying pastries to its neighborhood. And while coffee culture isn't new to the British capital — Pasqua Rosee's Head, London's oldest coffeehouse, opened in St. Michael's Alley, Cornhill, in 1652 — research shows it is at an all-time high (until tomorrow, at least). According to IBISWorld, the number of cafés and coffee shops in the whole of the UK was expected to reach 8,172 establishments by February 2024, with nearly 4,000 active in London alone. So how can you pick the best cafés in London?
For this curated selection of London coffee shops, merging recommendations from Livingetc's editors, we were after those hotspots infusing as much aroma and baked flavor into London's alleys as they channel modern interior design inspiration. Much like our restaurant design and hotel design roundups, this edit of cafés isn't just for the hot drinks and patisserie aficionados, but for those whose experience of taste reaches new heights when served within just as outstanding interiors.
1. Pophams Islington
There is something instantly homey, yet elegant and intellectual about the modern rustic decor of Pophams Islington — a brimming-with-energy cove situated in the heart of East London's creative community whose popularity has spiked drastically since its opening in 2017 (the business has since expanded to two new locations in Victoria Park and London Fields). Pairing stylish mid-century modern furniture with rattan pendant lights and a plethora of ceramic collectibles from the company's own artisanal home line, Pophams Islington is as much of a feast for the eyes as it is for the taste buds: "The intricate, crispy layers of Pophams' pastries are out of this world," Livingetc's Newsletter Editor Vivian Cheng tells me, and I can't agree more. Among founder Ollie Gold's revisited viennoiserie offerings, the golden-hued, fragrant cardamom bun, juicy bacon & maple, and moreish cross-laminated Gianduja are an absolute must.
2. Marchesi 1824
Call me biased, but nothing beats an authentic, old-style Italian pasticceria, let alone if conceived in the same retro-inspired style of trailblazing fashion designer Miuccia Prada's foremost collections. Owned by the Prada Group, Marchesi 1824 is all that and beyond: first opened in 2019 in the affluent Mayfair, this hidden-in-plain-sight gem is a celebration of Art Deco design nostalgia, unfolding across the velvety, textured Brat green seating, with overspilling-with-treats glass cabinets and dark wood finishes within its sumptuous interiors. Stepping inside this hyper-chic bakery was enough to teleport me back to Italy, my home country, and the grandeur of Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele arcade, where I got to try my first-ever Marchesi pasticcino, complete with their trademark hot chocolate. One of the longest-standing and most esteemed pastry shops in Milan, the business has just celebrated its 200th anniversary. As the festive period approaches, why not consider joining in the frenzy with their classic Panettone Milanese?
3. Yeast Bakery
Unit 1, Canal Place, 1-3 Sheep Ln, London E8 4QS
I first discovered Yeast Bakery while strolling along Andrews Road, situated on Regent's Canal, as I waited to get into the burgeoning Café Cecilia — one of the best London restaurants of the moment. Needless to say, I haven't looked back since. The brainchild of Run for the Hills studio, this pastel-shaded, instantly iconic coffee shop could serve as a backdrop for one of Wes Anderson's dollhouse-like film settings, or that's the first thought that sprang to mind as I approached its beautifully curated pastry counter. The spacious, industrial interior design of the Hackney location, characterized by a broken plan, turns your breakfast or coffee break into an immersive journey, also thanks to the earthy selection of (purchasable) homeware and gifts on display in every corner of the space — marbled ceramic tableware, rattan vases, cards, coffee beans, you name it!
Playful and iconic, the Yeast Bakery's mishmash of surfaces, furniture styles, and color choices has something for all. Because of my vintage-informed taste, I am a big fan of the rose-and-white, 'broken' tile floor, the transitional style of its loose furnishings, and the Bauwerk limewash that conveys a seasoned look to its walls. As for their baked selection, I am a sucker for a seasonal fruit Danish or a custard-stuffed Brioche Feuilletée, even better if dipped in a piping hot cup of Americano, no milk, please.
4. Jolene Bakery & Restaurant
21 Newington Grn, Mayville Estate, London N16 9PU
If you live in London, Jolene is one of those places that will serendipitously find you before you get to discover it yourself. Why? Because it isn't just a bakery or a restaurant, but more of a cult. Having first opened its doors in the fall of 2018, this ever-busy Newington Green eatery and pastry haven represents a rite of passage for people moving to London and its hip East End, specifically. Try your luck on any weekend and you'll be met with queues of locals patiently waiting for their turn to taste its freshly baked creations and daily changing, seasonal menu. These marry the best of local produce with a rotating selection of fish and meats that, presented simply on small plates, are ideal to share and packed with flavor. The brutalist interiors of the space fit seamlessly within its urban, post-industrial location, letting exposed concrete walls and minimalism interior design-inspired sitting areas exalt the explosion of color, texture, and form of its acclaimed bakery.
"Their homemade sourdough loaves are phenomenal — the perfect mix of soft and spongey on the inside and crispy on the outside," Livingetc's News Writer Olivia Wolfe, an ex staff member and self-professed Jolene stan, tells me. "They also make an ever-rotating selection of sandwiches on their fresh bread, if you are lucky enough to grab one before they sell out (think chicken caesar on focaccia, aubergine parmigiana, simple salami, gherkin, and butter, to name a few)." Having lived it from the inside, she knows that each of its three locations has a clear aesthetic vision that makes them the perfect, cozy weekend spot. "A curated photography collection hangs on the walls of every Jolene," adds Olivia. "Plus, the coffee is served in ceramic mugs hand-made by a friend of the company", highlighting the sense of community core to this widely cherished hotspot.
5. Wolfox at LOAFT
51-53 Shelton St, London WC2H 9JU
We know exactly what you might be thinking — wait a minute, this isn't a coffee shop — and you would be right, although only to a certain extent. Nestled within the soothing, cocoon-like interior design and homeware paradise that is Covent Garden's LOAFT, Brighton-based coffee roasters Wolfox deliver a one-of-a-kind experience punctuated by flawless hot drinks and equally outstanding pastries and cakes. Only recently inaugurated, the suffused ambiance and promptly Instagrammable aesthetic of this hotspot's setting and offerings are already making waves on TikTok, and we understand why. From natural home fragrances and organic modern-style furniture to plenty of pendant lighting ideas and (perfectly) imperfect tablescape props, Wolfox at LOAFT is where dreams come true, whether you are wishing some wholesome time away from your screen or hoping to land on an unexpected home addition.
6. Qima Cafe
The densely chocolatey, winding plaster interiors of Fitzrovia's Qima Café are the ideal background for storytelling, and founder Faris Sheibani certainly knows how to tell a story. Inspired by the life of his grandfather, the first member of the family to establish a tea and coffee business from scratch, today Qima Café takes the same people-first, community-building vision that distinguished his understanding of coffee trade in central Yemen to the heart of London. Launched two years ago, this glamorously decorated destination, reinventing Arabian hut decor through a desert Modernism lens, is home to one of the world's leading ethical coffee sourcing organizations, and partners with some 5000 global farmers to contribute to "creating a more equitable and enriching industry".
Taking a quick look around this Warren Street gem will spare you the need for a color drenching explainer: here, neutrals and gradient nuances of brown and burgundy gently embrace the sinuous volumes of the coffee shop, whose geometrically cut counter, timeless equipment, and golden finishes hint at the ongoing 70s interior design trends revival. Available to buy online and in-store, its ethically sourced blends are packaged in an Aesop-like, high-end perfumery style, adding to the exclusiveness of the hotspot, while their renowned cinnamon buns are by far the biggest — and most delicious — I have seen in town.
7. Birley Bakery
There are coffee shops you'll easily forget, and then there's Birley Bakery. Rising in London's picturesque Chelsea Green, this kaleidoscopic luxury café and baking paradise comes courtesy of Notting Hill studio JR Design and private members' club-owner Robin Birley, who opened it in 2023 as his "passion project". With whimsical murals hand-crafted by artist Lizzi Porter and pendant paper lanterns and sconces scattered throughout, not to mention the cloudy sky-like painted ceiling, Birley Bakery caters to our need for escapism. Conceived as a contemporary, worldly revisitation of the traditional French boulangerie, this precious-looking hotspot belongs to a dimension of its own.
As Livingetc's Global Brand Director Sarah Spiteri puts it, "it doesn't get much more breathtaking than Birley Bakery. It's a tiny crimson gem with antique deft tiles, Japanese-inspired wall-coverings, and the cutest blue tables made from recycled yogurt pots. I love watching the team in action in the open kitchen while I wait to order — but I won't tell you what to order, as it's all delicious."
