Revisiting Riding House Cafe — A Fitzrovia Brunch Favourite

I first visited Riding House Cafe, in London’s Fitzrovia neighbourhood, in 2011, soon after it opened. I’ve been back many times since — for breakfast, dinner and everything in between. But it had been a while since my last visit so I was delighted when they invited me back to try their new brunch menu.

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.

My 50 Favourite London Restaurants (Updated 2026)

Since I moved back to London 15 years ago, I've spent a lot of time eating my way around the city's increasingly diverse restaurant scene. To help me keep track, I started jotting down my favourites in a Moleskine notebook, which eventually evolved into a Google Sheet and then a blog post in 2016. An update was long overdue and here it is: my 50 favourite restaurants in London. 

The Caffeine Chronicles: The Gentlemen Baristas, Piccadilly (CLOSED

UPDATE: Sadly, The Gentlemen Baristas' Piccadilly cafe is now permanently closed. You can still visit them at Borough Market.

The original Gentlemen Baristas was one of my favourite coffee shops in my neighbourhood — Bermondsey and Borough — for over seven years. While spending a lot more time closer to home over the past few years, I've been stopping by more often, usually to get a piccolo to go. If you like your coffee shops to combine cosiness with dapperness, this is the place to go.

At KOL, a Celebration of Mexican Flavours in 9+1 Parts

Of all the countries I've visited, Mexico is the one I'd most love to return to. When I spent two weeks there in 2015, food was one of the highlights, from street food to tasting menus and cooking classes in Oaxaca. It's no surprise, then, that I was muy emocionada to hear about the opening of Santiago Lastra's KOL restaurant in Marylebone last year. I visited with my parents this month, and it was well worth the wait.

14 New Specialty Coffee Shops To Visit in London

The past two years have been among the most challenging for hospitality businesses, including specialty coffee shops, in London, and around the world. Keeping a specialty coffee shop in business in London is difficult even in normal times, let alone during a global pandemic, which has felt like a game of snakes and ladders with constant changes of rules, snap lockdowns and general uncertainty. 

Unfortunately, some coffee shops have had to close permanently (please come back, Black Swan Yard!), but it's been encouraging to see how many new — and often exciting — cafes have opened in London in the past couple of years. 

The Caffeine Chronicles: Nostos Coffee

One of the best things about the London specialty coffee scene is the relationships between the numerous coffee shops and roasters. My favourite way to find great coffee served by great people is through recommendations from coffee shops I already know and love. Today's Caffeine Chronicles post is about Nostos Coffee, a neighbourhood coffee shop in Battersea that I heard about through Laith at the excellent Saint Nine Coffee, which, in turn, I heard about through the lovely folks at Rosslyn Coffee.

The Caffeine Chronicles: Hagen, Mayfair

On Swallow Street, just off Regent Street's curving tail is a Danish-influenced haven of specialty coffee, Hagen Espresso Bar. The name calls back to Copenhagen, where the concept was born; both have roots in the Old Norse word hǫfn, which, appropriately enough, means 'haven'.

At Six by Nico, a Festive Dinner in Six Parts

Before Christmas and when restaurants were still open in London, I was able to get a table at the London location of Six by Nico. Nico Simeone's small family of restaurants are currently located in six UK cities and specialise in themed, six-course tasting menus priced at a very reasonable £35. The restaurants are currently closed but will hopefully be back again soon when restrictions ease with another exciting theme.

Bex's Coffee and Food Awards: 2020 Edition

We're now inching closer to the end of an exceptionally challenging year. Despite everything, I know I'm very lucky to have remained healthy and in work (busier than ever, in fact, as I work for a science journal) throughout, but it's been such a difficult year for the hospitality industry, as coffee shops and eateries have had to adapt and then adapt some more in the face of constant change. 

The Caffeine Chronicles: Black Box, Covent Garden (CLOSED)

Keeping an independent coffee shop afloat in central London is no mean feat at best of times, let alone opening one, and especially in 2020. But Black Box in Covent Garden is hardly barista and owner Ant's first specialty coffee rodeo; it's not even Ant's first Black Box, although it was the now-defunct Black Chapel in Wandsworth, beloved by my fellow bloggers at BeanThere.at among many others, that was the one that got away from me.

The Caffeine Chronicles: BUSI (CLOSED)

UPDATE. I was very sad to hear that as of spring 2022, BUSI has closed. They do hope to return in some form in another location in the not-too-distant future.

If anything was going to cut through the gloom of another grey and rainy Saturday in London, the pastel-hued design and thoughtful specialty coffee offering of BUSI stood a very good chance. The high-concept specialty coffee shop opened up in the summer on Great Portland Street, just north of Oxford Circus, and combines the respective passions for design and coffee of owners Anna and Emil. 

A Right Royal Brunch at Queens of Mayfair

There's something about a multi-course brunch that reminds me of some of the extended, high-end brunches I've enjoyed in Paris. In London, it's often a more casual affair, but in these COVID-19 times, why wouldn't I want to linger over two brunch courses plus specialty coffee from Difference Coffee? And brand-new cafe–bar Queens of Mayfair is a beautiful setting to do just that.

The Caffeine Chronicles: Kiss the Hippo, Fitzrovia

When Curators Coffee Gallery closed earlier this year, I was sad to have lost one of my favourite central London specialty coffee shops. Both its Margaret Street location, just a couple of blocks north of Oxford Circus, and its high-quality, multi-roaster coffee offering kept me coming back time after time. As such, I was excited to spot the distinctive, red Kiss the Hippo branding when I was passing the site one afternoon in June.

Specialty coffee roaster Kiss the Hippo's first cafe is in Richmond and despite the plaudits it has received, I rarely journey that far west in London and hadn't managed to visit. To make amends for this oversight, I've now visited the new Fitzrovia location twice, once on a busy Saturday afternoon and again the following week before an early meeting on Portland Place. 

Unsurprisingly, I'm very much enamoured with Margaret Street's newest specialty coffee occupants, and it's set to become my go-to 'I'm on Oxford Street...get me out of here' destination.

The sleek space looks quite different from Curators' geometry-centric cafe. Instead, light wood dominates, with lots of light coming in through the large front window, even on duller days. 

The layout remains similar, however, with the long coffee bar dominating most of the space, several stools perched by the window, a few small tables opposite the counter and at the back, and a basement seating area. At the front, there's also a wide range of Kiss the Hippo coffee and merch, as well as other coffee-making kit.

When I visit, there are three espressos on offer — the George Street blend, a single-origin Ethiopian and a single-origin decaf — as well as two single-origin pourovers and a batch brew filter coffee. Various non-coffee drinks are also available, with some seasonal offerings 'coming soon.' 

After reading the description of the natural Panama Carmen Gesha (£7), which won second place at the Best of Panama 2017 coffee competition, and which has notes of bergamot, vanilla and lavender, my mind is already made up. I order the coffee and a coconut cookie, and take a seat at the last remaining table, just opposite the coffee bar. NB, the cafe is cashless, which suits me fine as I rarely carry cash.

Although it's busy, I don't have to wait too long for my Kalita-wave brewed pourover to arrive and it smells so good that I savour the scents while it cools before taking my first taste. When I do, the delicate flavours come through beautifully and I enjoy every sip. The presentation is excellent too with the coffee in a glass Kinto cup on a rounded wood tray that also bears a card with the tasting notes and story of Carlos Aguilera's Carmen Estate.

On my second visit, I'm more pressed for time and order a cortado (£2.80) with the George Street espresso blend. My coffee is very well brewed and it is very clear that a great deal of care has been put into the Kiss the Hippo operation, from the coffee itself, to the brewing, the service and the venue. And in case you were wondering, the embracing of ungulates is not required...

Kiss the Hippo. 51 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8SG (Tube: Oxford Circus). Website. Instagram.

For 150+ more of my favourite coffee shops in London, please check out my specialty coffee guide.

The Caffeine Chronicles: Kafi Cafe

Update: Kafi is now located just up the road at 86a-88 Cleveland Street, W1T 6NJ.

Fitzrovia is one of my favourite neighbourhoods in central London and it's also long been a great area for specialty coffee shops. I was saddened to find out that Curators Coffee Gallery, on Margaret Street, had closed recently. But fear not, Fitzrovers; there's a new specialty coffee bar on the block.

Located just south of the BT Tower on a quiet stretch of Cleveland Street, independent specialty coffee shop Kafi opened a couple of months ago. As well as putting a lot of care and attention into the quality of their coffee and tea offering, owners Yatish and Tripti have also put sustainability and traceability at the centre of what they do. Yatish, a Double Skinny Macchiato reader, invited me to visit and I've been twice now, meeting Yatish on my second visit.

Kafi is on the petite size but there is a good amount of seating — mainly on the cushion-laden benches that line the walls, which have handy pull-out tables, although there's also a larger communal table opposite the counter. 

Plants add vibrancy to the space, and coordinate nicely with the cheery yellow and green hues of the décor. The effect means that it's almost like sitting on a small, leafy patio — but without being at the whim of the London weather.

Espresso-based drinks are brewed on the mint-green custom La Marzocco machine. As a tea ignoramus, I was also surprised to learn that they also brew loose-leaf tea using the espresso machine — sometimes in combination with chai. And if you're in the mood for a black coffee, there are pourover and siphon brew methods available, as well as cold brew and nitro cold brew.

The coffee is from Workshop, one of my favourite London roasters. On my first visit, I opted for an Ecuadorean coffee brewed as a pourover, which was nicely brewed with sweet, tart notes. Regular readers will be unsurprised to learn that my chronic case of 'ceramic cup envy' soon reared its head. It is a problem, but these minimalist cups are very lovely. 

When I returned, Yatish suggested that I try the one and one — a split shot served as an espresso and a cortado, alongside a small glass of fizzy water. This was made with a Rwandan Gitesi espresso, which worked just as well with milk as without.

On my first visit, I browsed a copy of the Kafi Journal, the cafe's accompanying publication that provides interested lay coffee lovers with more detail on the cafe, and the coffee production and brewing processes, from bean to cup. 

Second time around, I enjoyed chatting to Yatish over coffee to hear more about Kafi. His passion both for coffee (and tea) and his business shone through, and the attention to detail he and Tripti have put into every aspect Kafi is manifestly obvious. The coffee is very good, but Kafi is also a calm, relaxed and welcoming place, and it's a great addition to the neighbourhood.

Kafi. 86a-88 Cleveland Street, London, W1T 6NJ (Tube: Goodge Street). Website. Instagram.

For 150+ more of my favourite coffee shops in London, please check out my specialty coffee guide.

The Caffeine Chronicles: Omotesando Koffee

One of the high points of my first trip to Japan in 2014 was my visit to Omotesando Koffee, located, as you might expect, in the Omotesando district of Tokyo. I enjoyed the calm atmosphere, minimalist decor and the best macchiato of my trip. I had hoped to return some day and was sad to learn that it closed at the end of 2015, although there are sister cafes in Toranomon Hills, Tokyo; Singapore; and Hong Kong.

The Caffeine Chronicles: Abuelo

Ahead of my upcoming trip to Peru, I've been stocking up on hiking kit and it turns out that Southampton Street in Covent Garden is a great place to do this. After I've finished shopping, I happen upon a café called Abuelo and because I've been brushing up on my Spanish, I know its name means 'grandfather'. Indeed, despite the café's Aussie stylings, it also has a strong South American influence.

The Caffeine Chronicles: Jacob the Angel (CLOSED)

UPDATE (April 2022): Jacob the Angel has now closed permanently, although they hope to return in another location in the not-too-distant future.

The specialty coffee world is sometimes smaller than you might think. Just last month, I walked past The Grand Café on the High Street in my hometown, Oxford, noting the text in the window that claimed the site as that of England's first coffee house, dating back to 1651. It turns out that this coffee house, once named the Angel Inn, was opened by a Jewish man called Jacob, who also gives his name to a rather more modern coffee shop, which I visited last weekend.

Jacob the Angel is located, appropriately enough, at 16 1/2 Neal's Yard — 16.5, if you will (16.51 might be pushing it) — in Covent Garden. I have wanted to visit both Jacob the Angel and its larger sibling and neighbour, The Barbary, for some time but the wonderful little foodie hub that is Neal's Yard is often very busy, particularly at the weekends. 

It turns out that early afternoon just before England's last game of the 2018 World Cup is the ideal time to visit if you would like to find a table — even if the coveted window seats, which afford perfect people-watching opportunities, remained occupied.

Inside, the café is small and beautifully decorated. A wooden bench runs along each wall, hosting brushed-brass tables and bar stools. Vintage photos bedeck one wall, while on the other, a tribute to the titular Jacob is displayed. I claimed a table and went up to the L-shaped counter at the back of the shop to place my order.

The coffee is from Square Mile, and although there were filter coffee options on the menu, I'd been brewing up an iced filter coffee storm at home earlier in the day and decided to go for a piccolo, with the Red Brick espresso blend. My coffee was beautifully made by the charming and friendly Daniele. I was also rather fond of the smart, racing green crockery, although my piccolo came in a glass.

I had hoped to indulge in a spot of brunch, despite my late arrival, but they were all out of the sourdough bread that was one of the key ingredients in the avocado toast I'd hoped to order. Instead, there were various pre-made sandwiches on the counter. 

I went for a posh egg mayo roll on challah bread, which was tasty and filling enough for me on such a hot day. I almost picked up a dessert on the way out — the chocolate and coconut slices looked particularly good — but I couldn't quite find room; a treat I will have to indulge in on my return visit.

Jacob the Angel. 16 1/2 Neal's Yard, London, WC2H 9DP (Tube: Covent Garden). 

For 150+ more of my favourite coffee shops in London, please check out my specialty coffee guide.

Oxford's Grand Cafe, the site of the original Jacob's Angel Inn

The Caffeine Chronicles: TAP Coffee, Russell Square (CLOSED)

UPDATE: TAP Coffee has now permanently closed.

I was pleased to hear when TAP — the specialty coffee company formerly known as Tapped & Packed — opened a fourth location across the road from verdant Russell Square late last summer. It's relatively close to my office in King's Cross — definitely doable on a lunch break — but it took me until last week to visit. The second TAP, a small, quirky coffee bar at the northern end of Tottenham Court Road, was an early favourite of mine as both London and I began to discover specialty coffee. It didn't quite make my first London coffee guide, but I did include it in the second version in 2012.

Aesthetically, the Russell Square branch is very similar to Tottenham Court Road, albeit on a larger scale. The spacious café has a long wooden table with stool seating that cuts the space roughly in half, and there is further seating along the far wall. The lovely pendant lighting and other design features — the COFFEE sign, vintage teaspoons and repurposed Lyle's black treacle tins, for example — will be familiar to anyone who has visited any of the other TAPs (including the Wardour Street branch).

It was late in the afternoon on a cold, grey Thursday so it wasn't too busy and I was in the mood for a pourover. There were three single-origin coffees on offer and I was about to ask the barista for advice, but then interrupted myself to order the Ethiopian Shakiso (£3.75; more expensive than both the Guatemalan and Rwandan varieties on the menu). I couldn't resist the sound of the sloe gin and blueberry flavour notes in the Ethiopian coffee.

As I poured myself a glass of water using the rustic-looking tap by the brew bar, the smell of the freshly roasted Shakiso reached my nose and I could tell that it was going to be a really good cup of coffee. The coffee arrived promptly, complete with a cute Llangollen teaspoon. The sugar was also available in its Lyle's tin holder, but I just used it as a prop and did not, of course, add any to my coffee. The coffee was indeed excellent. The barista had prepared it very well and the flavours came through very nicely, particularly after the coffee had cooled slightly in its Acme cup.

My coffee was so nice that I almost bought the last remaining bag of Shakiso beans (£10) but I still had a lot of coffee to use up at home, so I decided to hold off for the time being. It was great to see a veritable rainbow of retail bags of TAP coffee beans available for sale, the prices ranging between £8.50 and £10. The usual espresso-based drinks are on offer too, as well as various teas, cakes and sandwiches.

TAP Coffee. 72 Russell Square, London, WC1B 5BA (Tube: Russell Square).

For many more London specialty coffee recommendations, check out my London specialty coffee guide. 

The Caffeine Chronicles: Over Under Coffee, Soho (CLOSED)

UPDATE (March 2019): This location of Over Under is now permanently closed, although you can still visit them in Earl's Court and Wandsworth.

Since talking to the good folks of Assembly Coffee at the London Coffee Festival in the spring, Over Under Coffee in Earl's Court has been on my coffee to-do list. I knew it would take me some time to find an opportunity to go that far west, so it was fortunate that Over Under opened a second, more central location instead. I've often used Ham Yard as a cut-through between Great Windmill and Denman Streets near Piccadilly Circus, and thanks to Over Under II, I now have an excuse to linger there instead of rushing through.

The Soho Over Under opened a few weeks ago while I was out of the country and it made the perfect pit-stop during my West End Christmas shopping on Saturday. As well as the Ham Yard Hotel, where I've been for a few meetings and events, there are some lovely shops in sleek, understated Ham Yard.  Over Under is on the right-hand side as you amble up from Denman Street.

The coffee shop is small inside, with just a dozen or so seats along a comfortable cushioned bench along one wall, and a couple of tables too cold to sit in on the day I visited. My eye was drawn immediately to the décor: the beautiful, beach prints took me right back to Sydney and Bondi and the Great Barrier Reef, where I was relaxing just over a month ago. I also loved the cheery pops of yellow behind the counter, on the bench and in the yellow cups sitting on top of the sleek Slayer machine.

The food also echoed my recent antipodean trip, with diverse breakfast bowls, toasts and sandwiches on offer. Another time, I'll have to come back to try the avocado toast, simply because I can't resist menu clickbait like "micro coriander". There are plenty of vegetarian, vegan and dairy- and gluten-free choices on the menu. I had already eaten but found room for two mini toffee cakes (£1 a pop), which were sweet and just indulgent enough.

And as for the coffee, it's from Assembly, of course, and tastes fantastic. The new Colombian espresso, which I'd sampled at Lumberjack the week before, wasn't in the hopper, but my piccolo (£2.40) was absolutely beautifully brewed, with a perfect swan floating elegantly on top. It tasted great too, and was complimented well by my toffee-pudding shooters.

With its friendly staff and laid-back, beautiful café, Over Under is relaxing spot for an excellent coffee away from the Soho crowds. I still plan to visit the Earl's Court original...it just might take a while.

Over Under Coffee. 4 Ham Yard Hotel, London, W1D 7DT (Tube: Piccadilly Circus).