The Chic Coffee Guide to London: Beautiful Places for Coffee & People Watching
I am scared to admit sometimes how much coffee I drink.
I come from a family of coffee lovers — my mum, my dad, my sister and me. We genuinely love the ritual of it, and let me tell you, this happens several times a day. We are probably not quite as excessive as one of my dad’s Italian friends, who apparently could get through six to eight espressos a day, but you probably get the idea.
For me, coffee is about so much more than the caffeine. For me it is sort of luxury whether I am making it at home or grabbing it outside. And Autumn screams for this sort of treat. I feel I could be in in Chic London coffee shops at least twice a day and do nothing.
I came across an article online saying that drinking coffee and watching people that pass the coffee shop is a favourite hobby of millennial woman. Count me in this category as this is my biggest luxury. Nowhere to be, watching the world go by and drinking a good oat latte as that would be my first choice when it comes to regular order.
As somebody that is often in central London I have my favourite spots I love to come back to. As a matter of fact I would like to make this a series so let’s start with my four safe options. Places where I feel good, I love the atmosphere and of course their oat lattes.
This Cafe has the concept of a Cafe within a store. It has very editorial feel, New York atmosphere and extremely good coffee. Aimee Leon Dore is a lifestyle brand and this Greek inspired coffee shop became very popular in the Big Apple.
Aime Leon Dore is much more than a fashion brand; it is a lifestyle, and the café has become a huge success in New York. So, naturally, I was over the moon when I heard they were opening in London.
I haven’t yet tried their signature Greek iced espresso because, as an oat-latte girl, I clearly have my priorities! But when it comes to the coffee, I can only speak in superlatives. It is genuinely delicious.
Then there is the atmosphere. The interiors, the decor, the effortlessly stylish crowd — everything comes together to create the perfect spot for a little people-watching. It feels distinctly New York, but with a London twist.
Honestly, Soho needed exactly this kind of place. A little bit of New York chic, a great cup of coffee and plenty of fashion — what’s not to love?
If this is a level of the coffee shops Denmark delivers than I finally need to visit Copenhagen. Their coffee shops serve top-quality coffee, and the design has that wonderfully old-school sense of class. You simply know what you’re going to get — excellent coffee, beautiful surroundings and a little bit of Scandinavian charm.
There is something chic about their decor yet it is so simple. The queues are perhaps the best sign that these are the places to know — perfect for grabbing a takeaway coffee or finding a spot to sit down, slow down and sip something delicious. They have 23 bars in London which is good news for me as I just love to know that there is always one nearby every time I crave a good oat latte.
You can find % Arabica in four locations across London, but my favourite has to be the Covent Garden spot. Perhaps it is because I find myself in this area so often, and grabbing a takeaway latte from here has become part of my little London routine.
It is less of a sit-down coffee shop and more of a place to grab your coffee and keep exploring, but I simply cannot get over their beans. There is something about that first sip that keeps me coming back — and if I am walking around Covent Garden, a % Arabica latte has almost become a non-negotiable.
Sleek and simple design makes this a popular spot for those cool Instagram selfies and I am a victim here myself. This to me is another chic coffee spot that never fails me.
Grind is simply giving cool London vibes. To me, this place is the epitome of this vibrant city — and they don’t just serve the cool vibes, they serve very good coffee too.
Out of these four, their coffee is probably my least favourite, but it is still very high on my list of preferred coffee spots. There is something about the atmosphere and the whole Grind experience that keeps me coming back.
I am based not far from Greenwich, so whenever I am in that area, Grind is usually my coffee choice. It has become one of those places that just feels like part of my London routine. Again, I see it more as a takeaway coffee spot than somewhere to sit for a long coffee, as the space in many of their branches is fairly limited. Personally, I love the one near the Bank of England. If you manage to grab a spot outside, it is such a fun place to sit and watch the city go by — with London workers rushing off to meetings, grabbing lunch or simply navigating their busy day.
There is something very quintessentially London about it.
This article is not sponsored.
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