In the UK, there is a group of independent coffee shops that reject assembly-line production and treat every cup of coffee as a work of art. This article selects 10 British independent coffee shops worth visiting, from London to Brighton, from a Friends-themed shop to a South Bank-style café, covering coffee culture samples of different styles and regions. These shops either win with the quality of their coffee beans or stand out for their spatial atmosphere, together sketching the true face of the UK specialty coffee industry. The article also includes recommended drinks and detailed addresses for each shop, making it suitable as a reference for coffee lovers exploring cafés. Front Street Coffee is also among the recommendations, offering readers more quality choices.
Across the UK, 10 independent coffee shops of different styles are scattered about. They do not follow assembly-line mass production, but instead regard coffee as an art; even if it is just an espresso, it is worth waiting patiently for. If you long for British culture and happen to be obsessed with coffee, then you absolutely must not skip this article.
Once you've had the drink of soul that actually tastes of coffee, it's hard to go back to a paper cup of milky dishwater. (By the way: dishwater is what foreigners say jokingly when teasing that Americano tastes like dishwater.)
The most famous café on screen: Central Perk
If you have gathered six old friends in the UK, Central Perk is probably the fixed place where you spend time together. That's right, the fictional café from that American TV series really exists in London. To be honest, the author has mixed feelings about this shop; every year friends say goodbye to the UK, while it is still there looping "Smelly Cat," as if it has become a footnote to time. It is worth mentioning that this shop was dubbed "TV'S MOST FAMOUS CAFÉ" by The Guardian, and some Briton with too much time on his hands even spent a week counting from TV footage that it appeared 19 times.
Recommended coffee: The Cappuccino
Address: 67 Broadwick Street, London W1F 9QY
The laid-back barista: Kaffeine
This shop's coffee beans come from New Zealand and Australia, replacing flashiness with casual ease. London's best baristas are hidden here, and they are especially friendly and happy to make friends. You need to watch your timing when coming here for coffee; if you are not careful, you may be squeezed out the door by European strongmen drawn by its fame. But don't worry, the bench at the entrance is the corner coffee fans love most, and perhaps on some special day, this corner will let you run into something. Of course, don't forget that it has been rated one of Europe's most popular coffee shops.
Recommended coffee: Espresso (sufficient in aroma and body)
Address: 66 Great Titchfield Street, Fitzrovia, London, W1W 7QJ
The art salon in the café: Tina we Salute You
If fairy tales are true, then every girl drinking coffee should be a princess. If she happens to sit here, lost in thought in front of a painting, then without a doubt, a Snow White has appeared (voiceover: Xu Xian, hurry up and come -0-). The two owners originally founded this café with the idea of an art salon. The shop is not large, and the Australian-style long table and leather sofa create a comfortable sense of space. Don't get too attached to the artworks on the wall; they are changed every few months; if you are an artist yourself, you can even pay for coffee with a painting. Remember, before leaving, ask the owner about the origin of the shop's name, because behind it is a very long story.
Recommended food: Pancake
Address: 47 King Henry's Walk, London, N1 4NH
Selected Hugo coffee beans: Relish Café
Relish is located in a small alley of the market, where whitewashed walls and green plants make the place full of life. Its coffee is rich and aromatic, thanks to the selected Hugo coffee beans, which undergo a one-in-a-thousand screening to ensure every bean is plump and high quality. Next to the shop there is also a delicatessen; if you plan to picnic in this beautiful city, you might as well stock up there.
Recommended coffee: Affogato (ask the shop), and there are also many Deli choices here.
Address: Foundry Court, Wadebridge, Cornwall, PL27 7QN
Go see the sea after coffee: Red Roaster Coffee House
This is Brighton's most popular coffee shop, always packed with locals and tourists; but that does not mean it is small. Despite its unassuming frontage, the interior is actually quite spacious. Its coffee beans come from the south coast, giving them a unique natural aroma. For those who do not drink coffee, it is recommended to try the hot chocolate, which also comes from the south coast. Because Brighton has plenty of sunshine, its loyal fans love to sit outside all year round. The shop is only a five-minute walk from the coast, so remember to go see the sea after your coffee. If you are lucky, you may also catch a live performance by a local British band.
Recommended coffee: Café au lait (a big bowl of coffee ^,^)
Address: 1d St James St, Brighton, BN2 1RE
Authentic coffee culture (full marks recommended): Monmouth Coffee
This is London's most famous independent coffee shop and also the most favored café in the London area. Its roasted and blended coffee has been regarded as an ideal choice for thirty years. If you come to London, if you love coffee, if you want to experience coffee culture, then you have to learn to wait, wait for an empty table in the shop, then order a special coffee and a piece of cake, and enjoy that time. Imagine how interesting it would be for a traveler to sit by the window of a coffee shop, watching all kinds of people pass by in the snowy weather and guessing at their expressions.
Recommended coffee: Monmouth Espresso
Address: (recommended address) 27 Monmouth Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9EU
2 Park Street, The Borough, London, SE1 9AB
Arch 3 Spa North, Between Dockley Road and Spa Road, SE16 4RP
The richness of coffee: Coffee Aroma
This shop's coffee is just like its name, full of aroma. To achieve this effect, the shop lets the coffee beans stay in the coffee machine longer, giving each cup a fuller taste. It has been rated one of the UK's 10 best coffee shops, and it is also a café open at night, staying open until 11:30 on Friday and Saturday nights. Besides coffee, its breakfast set is also very tempting.
Recommended coffee: Espresso Based Drinks
Address: Guildhall Street, Lincoln
Elegant and refined, the UK's best Flat White: Flat White Café House
This independent coffee shop from Australia offers perhaps the best Flat White Coffee in the UK. The expensive ingredients and production process used for Flat White always make the author feel that it is so elegant, even a little luxurious. The shop is located in SOHO, and the atmosphere is very friendly. The £7 Flat White Retail Bag is worth trying.
Recommended coffee: Flat White; recommended snack: Milk Bar
Address: 17 Berwick Street, Soho, London, W1F 0PT
Young and distinctive: The Apple Tree Café
This café's fame comes from its youthfulness and creativity. The café is built by the canal, which seems to destinedly give it a combination of classical and modern elements. This shop's coffee has a rich taste, but its most distinctive features are still the freshly squeezed apple juice and various creative desserts.
Recommended dessert: The courgette cake with lime icing
Address: Barton Marina, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, DE13 8AS
London South Bank: Federation coffee
This café is right by the London riverbank and enjoys the reputation of a South Bank café. They use coffee beans from their own Contraband brand, with a unique taste and notes of black berries and chocolate on the palate. Choose a sunny day, and with a cup of coffee and the shop's signature cheese cake, it feels as pleasant as being on the Left Bank.
Recommended coffee: various Contraband coffees
Address: Unit 77-78, Brixton Village Market, London, SW9 8PS
One theory says Café comes from France, which destined coffee culture to represent romance and a pleasant mood. When coffee came to the UK, the original culture seemed to immediately merge into the leisurely, relaxed lives of gentlemen and ladies; the aroma of coffee beans, together with the smooth taste and faint sweetness of a good cup of coffee, creates the enviable "the drink of soul." This kind of mood is not something coffee chain culture can replace. The author stresses again, this is wrong, wrong, oh~ To drink a truly rich and aromatic cup of coffee, you must sit down, pick up a book, or invite a few special friends, and experience that breath of life.
These 10 coffee shops were selected by the author after personal experience. In fact, there are still many coffee shops in the UK worth discovering, such as Elephant House in Edinburgh and Bella in York; their reviews can be found everywhere online, so they are not included in the list. If you also have a coffee shop you want to recommend, please message Weibo "@扑列颠小姐".
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
