London’s best coffee shops

Looking for an extra spurt of energy to get you through the working day? Make a pitstop at one of the capital’s top coffee shops. From full-on flat whites to creamy cappuccinos, our selection of London’s best coffee shops will have you going from 0 to 60 in, well, about half an hour or so.

Allpress Espresso Roastery, East London
With sacks of single-origin beans greeting you at the entrance, and the Petroncini roaster working its magic by the window, this minimalist café means business. It sells beans – from Costa Rican to Ethiopian – by the kilo, too.

Espresso Bar at the British Library (pictured left and below right)
Peyton & Byrne's Espresso Bar really does take coffee seriously. With a range of eight single-estate beans to choose from and an on-site roaster, you can feel pretty secure that you’re going to get a good cup of Joe. Try the mild Jamaican Blue Mountain with its slightly bitter edge or the rich, syrupy Sumatra Mandeling.

Espresso Room, Bloomsbury
This tiny coffee stop stands proudly beside the big boys, garnering glowing reviews for its spot-on espressos and creamy lattes, made with beans from the Square Mile Coffee Roasters.

Federation Coffee, Brixton
One of the gems of the redeveloped Brixton Village, Federation is run by two chirpy New Zealanders who welcome caffeine addicts with flat whites and homespun sugar hits – from buttery friands to full-on brownies or Anzac biscuits.

Fernandez & Wells, Soho
Fernandez & Wells has three branches in Soho: all serve a cracking cup, although the St Anne’s Court branch is the most coffee-focused. Try the house’s ‘stumpy’ – a super-strong shot of HasBean coffee with a dash of frothy milk, served in a short, stubby glass.

Kaffeine, Bloomsbury
Pitched in the heart of Fitzrovia, Kaffeine sets out its stall with funky music, highly trained baristas and an eye for quality. A top-of-the-range Synesso Cyncra machine delivers pitch-perfect espresso, while a market-led menu offers accompanying snacks and cakes.

Lantana, Fitzrovia
Flat white is the coffee of choice at this laid-back, ‘wonderfully quirky’ Antipodean café, which serves coffees, juices and edible goodies in a smart setting of white tiles, pale tables & caramel woodwork.

Monmouth Coffee, Covent Garden
Since Monmouth opened in Covent Garden more than 30 years ago it has paved the way for Britain’s proper-coffee culture. All its coffee is rigorously sourced and Fairtrade, the milk and sugar are organic – and the result is legendary.

Nude Espresso, Shoreditch
Shoreditch coffee geek Nude Espresso doesn’t mess about: all beans are aged for seven days, then each variety is individually roasted and graded by eye. Try the smooth, chocolate-y house blend,‘East’.

Prufrock Coffee, Shoreditch
Run by World Barista Champion 2009 Gwilym Davies, Prufrock takes a scientific approach to a good cup of the black stuff, with test tubes and Bunsen burners put to full use by experienced baristas.