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.
