52 Fun and Unique Things To Do in London

You’ve been to the British Museum, explored the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey and queued for crumble at Borough Market. Luckily, London has many more memorable experiences up its sleeve — here are 52 of my favourites.

How To Spend a Perfect Weekend in East London

With its world-class markets, beautiful parks and ever-evolving food scene, East London is one of my favourite areas in the city for spending a lazy Saturday or Sunday. In this guide, I'm sharing my itinerary for the perfect East London weekend. Read on for food, art, history, markets and more!

The Caffeine Chronicles: Devotion Coffee, Islington

Devotion Coffee's trio of specialty coffee shops have been on my Google Maps 'want to go' list for a long time. While walking along the Regent's Canal a few weeks ago, I took a detour to visit the tiny but mighty Islington location...and immediately wondered what had taken me so long!

The Caffeine Chronicles: Day Trip Coffee

I've written about a lot of London day trips on this blog, but not all escapes need a train ticket. That's where Day Trip in Islington comes in — a neighbourhood coffee shop that delivers a delightful change of scene alongside impeccably brewed specialty coffee.

Best Bermondsey Specialty Coffee Shops — A Local's Guide

Bermondsey's connection to coffee dates back to the 19th century, when its warehouse complexes stored coffee and other goods. More recently, the southeast London neighbourhood has become a top specialty coffee destination, with a mix of local coffee shops and top-notch roasters. I've lived in the area since 2012 and today I'm sharing my favourite Bermondsey specialty coffee spots.

The Caffeine Chronicles: Workshop Cafe & Academy, Belgravia

As signs of spring emerged last weekend, I headed out into the sunshine. My destination? Belgravia, where one of my favourite London roasters, Workshop Coffee, has returned after a year-long absence with a gorgeous new specialty coffee shop.

My 2025 Coffee, Food and Cocktail Favourites

I'm taking a break from my Guatemala and Belize blogs to pick out some of my favourite specialty coffee shops, restaurants, bars and individual dishes from all those I visited for the first time in 2025, in London and on my travels around the world.

Best Specialty Coffee Shops in London — A Local's Guide (Updated 2026)

I've been writing about London's first forays and then larger leaps into specialty coffee since I started this blog in 2007. This London specialty coffee guide, first created in 2017 but regularly updated with my latest discoveries, now includes over 150 of my personal favourite coffee shops, based on my own experiences from Crouch End to Clapham, Dalston to Deptford and beyond.

Five Specialty Coffee Spots To Visit in Croydon

For the past year, I've been working in East Croydon once a week and I've been exploring the area on my lunch breaks. That has, of course, included tracking down the best specialty for specialty coffee. I'll keep this guide updated with new discoveries, but for now, read on to discover my five favourite specialty coffee shops in Croydon.

The Caffeine Chronicles: Commons at Old Street Works (CLOSED)

The recipe for the perfect specialty coffee shop sounds simple: great coffee served by friendly baristas in a beautiful, relaxed setting. In practice, though, it's all too easy to miss the mark on one or more of these ingredients. Commons at Old Street Works nails all three and scores plenty of bonus points for their Oreo canelés. Yes, you read that right!

Update: Commons at Old Street Works is permanently closed.

The Caffeine Chronicles: The Barn, Fitzrovia

The Barn has long been one of my favourite European specialty coffee roasters so I was excited to hear they were opening their first London coffee shop. I've been to several of the German roaster's coffee shops in Berlin and visited their Mallorca café the week the London location opened. Since my return, I've been a couple of times. It's a great addition to Fitzrovia — already an excellent neighbourhood for coffee.

How To Spend a Perfect Day in Notting Hill

Colourful houses, a world-famous carnival and market and, of course, a film with a certain H. Grant and J. Roberts. These are just a few of the images London’s Notting Hill conjures up. But there’s a lot more to the neighbourhood than elegant architecture and *that* movie. My one-day itinerary will help you uncover Notting Hill’s rich cultural and social history, and make the most of its excellent dining and shopping.

The Caffeine Chronicles: Foreign Exchange News

If The Phoenician Scheme left you longing for more Wes Anderson, you might like to pay a visit to West London's Foreign Exchange News. The beautifully designed coffee shop would fit right in to Anderson's universe and — just as importantly — the coffee is great and there really is a working bureau de change inside!

11 Specialty Coffee Shops To Visit in Borough & Bankside, London

London's Borough and Bankside neighbourhood, on the South Bank of the River Thames, has long been popular with locals, tourists and food lovers alike. And in recent years, exciting new openings have made the area a specialty coffee destination in its own right. Whether you're after a post-market caffeine hit or want to elevate your lunch-break coffee game, my guide has you covered.

My 25 Favourite London Brunch Spots (Updated 2026)

I've lived in London for 14 years and I've eaten a lot of brunches during that time. This guide to my favourite places in London to enjoy my favourite meal is, therefore, long overdue. Read on to find out which London brunch spots made my top 25.

The Caffeine Chronicles: Calico Coffee

If you're partial to a perfectly brewed pourover coffee, there's never been a better time to visit London. One of the newer additions to the city's specialty coffee scene is Calico Coffee, a beautiful café in the Waterloo neighbourhood. I've visited several times since it opened in December, drawn back by the well-curated coffee menu, welcoming staff and peaceful design.

The Caffeine Chronicles: Special Guests Coffee

London has welcomed some truly special new specialty coffee shops in recent months. One of my favourites is Special Guests, a beautifully designed cafe in Marylebone that serves an exceptional range of coffees.

The Caffeine Chronicles: Scenery Coffee

I first came across Scenery Coffee when I enjoyed one of their particularly delicious Colombian coffees at Loam in Brighton earlier this month. When I found out that Scenery's café–roastery is much closer to home, in London's Borough neighbourhood, it didn't take me long to visit. With a great selection of coffees served in an airy and spacious café, it was well worth the lunchtime walk.

The Caffeine Chronicles: March Coffee Favourites

With signs of spring finally arriving in London, it's the perfect time to share some of my favourite coffee discoveries from the past few wintry weeks. Whether you're looking for standout London cafes to visit or great specialty coffee to brew at home, this round-up will keep you well-caffeinated.

The Caffeine Chronicles: TAO Cafe, East Croydon

I mostly work from home, but once a week I head into the office in East Croydon. Until recently, there hasn't been much in the way of specialty coffee to discover on my lunch breaks, so I was excited when a new coffee shop opened earlier this month. After a couple of visits to TAO Cafe, I'm happy to report that it's a wonderful addition to the neighbourhood.