There’s nothing like a nice cup of coffee and a fresh pastry to help you recharge. Whatever the time of year, it’s always nice to settle down in a cosy coffee shop for a bit of alone time. Bring a good book, listen to a podcast, or just sit in silence while you people-watch — there’s something therapeutic about it. As we all know, London has plenty of pretty cafés to choose from, whether you like the interiors warm and atmospheric, or bright, colourful, and airy. We’ve rounded up some of the most comfortable coffee shops to recharge in with a hot cup of coffee or tea.
1. The Gentlemen Baristas, Piccadilly
The Gentlemen Baristas opened their flagship roastery and coffee house in the heart of Piccadilly back in 2021, and it quickly became the area’s newest coffee temple! The cosy shop offers specialty brews, or ‘well-mannered coffee’, as they call it, plus an all-day menu featuring breakfast, brunch, and late lunch, so it’s a perfect spot to spend a cool Autumn day with a cup of coffee.
📍162 Piccadilly, W1J 9EF.
2. Söderberg, Soho
Tucked away in Soho’s Berwick Street is the cosy Swedish coffee shop and bakery Söderberg. It’s a great little spot with a convenient location in central London that’s laptop-friendly and has plenty of seating downstairs for you to hunker down with your laptop or book. The Swedish pastries here are not to be missed, particularly the cinnamon bun that’s always a fan favourite and goes down a treat with the great coffee served at Söderberg.
📍36 Berwick Street, W1F 8RR.
3. Café in the Crypt, Trafalgar Square
In London we’ve got coffee shops in churches, in abandoned public toilets, and a bunch of other weird places where you wouldn’t expect to find coffee. Café in the Crypt, as you might suspect, is located underneath a church, in the crypt of St Martin-in-the-Fields Church near Trafalgar Square. It’s quite literally a place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city underground, and with brick-vaulted ceilings and gravestones, it has a part spooky, part cosy atmosphere. If you’re looking for a low-lit place with unique vibes, Café in the Crypt is it.
📍 St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 4JH.
4. Tomtom Coffee House, Belgravia
Tomtom Coffee House is a specialist coffee shop on the corner of Elizabeth Street, right across from the pretty pink Peggy Porschen Belgravia. With quality coffee and bright, airy interiors, you can easily while away an afternoon here and feel right at home. Pair your latte with their freshly baked cakes, brownies, flapjacks, or homemade Poilâne toasties.
📍 114 Ebury Street, SW1W 9QD.
5. Fabrique Bakery, Notting Hill
Fabrique Bakery is an artisanal stone oven bakery and café from Stockholm, with several locations across London. With fresh-out-of-the-oven pastries and a few selected seats, it’s a really sweet place for a relaxing pit stop, and not just because of the countless croissants and buns you’ll find there.
📍 212 Portobello Rd, W11 1LA.
6. Trade, Old Street
You may know Trade’s popular Commercial Street and Essex Road locations, but the newest of the bunch can be found on Old Street. The independent coffee shop is known and loved for its good coffee (like all cafés on this list, of course), as well as delicious breakfast, brunch, and lunch dishes. All three shops are also insanely comfortable and cute, making Trade a true winner and one of the best coffee shops to recharge in town.
📍47 Commercial Street, E1 6BD.
7. Fair Shot, Covent Garden
Hidden away from the hustle and bustle of Covent Garden is Fair Shot, a stunning café with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and plenty of greenery dotted around for some calm amongst the chaos. What’s more, Fair Shot is dedicated to helping those with learning disabilities by employing them in the cafe, supporting them in getting an education and helping them find further employment once their hospitality programme ends at Fair Shot. The café has a lovely relaxed environment making it the perfect place to grab a coffee and a little sweet treat all whilst supporting the company in its mission to help people with learning disabilities.
📍 3 Slingsby Place, WC2E 9AB
8. Luminary Bakery, Camden
This little bakery serves amazing coffee, cinnamon buns that are *to die for*, and is also actively fighting for women’s empowerment. The Camden and Stoke Newington locations are both rather small, but what they lack in size, they make up for with lots of charm, quality food, and fresh brews.
📍47 Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AJ.
9. Angie’s, Chiswick
Also known as “Angie’s Little Food Shop”, this independent neighbourhood café offers coffee, breakfast, fresh salads, and lunch, and is a favourite amongst locals. With an airy, colourful space and a tasty food selection, it’s easy to understand the hype.
📍 114 Chiswick High Raod, W4 1PU.
10. Exmouth Coffee Company, Aldgate East
Located just a short walk from Spitalfields Market is this unassuming coffee shop with trendy interiors, a more private tucked-away corner in the back, and an incredible amount of delicious baked goods and light bites. It’s a great spot to rest with a cup of coffee or tea after a stroll around the market.
📍 83 Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX.
11. Boys’N’Berry, Fulham
Boys’N’Berry is a delightful little café in Fulham, serving fresh coffee in cute mugs, delicious pastries, and an impressive selection of breakfast, brunch, and all-day dishes in a trendy environment.
📍 839 Fulham Road, SW6 5HQ.
12. Fork Deli, Bloomsbury
This lovely London deli-cum-café is located right in the heart of Bloomsbury near UCL, and they serve up some of the meanest toasties, paninis and soups you can find anywhere in central. Those with a sweet tooth can indulge in a whole host of mouth-watering cakes and freshly-baked pastries – from gluten-free chocolate cake to traditional Portuguese pastel de natas – and they source all their ingredients and sourdough breads from local producers.
They’ve also got some super-friendly staff and their coffee is some of the best you’ll find in this neck of the woods. It’s always chilled in here, and they even double as a wine bar on Wednesdays and Thursdays – ideal!
📍 85 Marchmont St, London, WC1N 1AL.
So there you have it – a roundup of the best coffee shops to recharge. From cute spots in Fulham to Swedish-style establishments in Soho, all these spots will help you rest, recuperate and unwind from the stress that London can cause!