City Café Guide - Coffee in London

London is an incredibly varied city for coffee. There are countless high street commercial coffee shops, independent cafes serving big Italian brands and then there's the specialty scene. Even within the specialty sector there is a great selection of different styles, from the darker caramel roasts of Monmouth Coffee to the lighter single origin espresso of Workshop. This variation and choice makes London quite unique within Europe.

London Water

London water is very hard and full of calcium carbonate. This causes big problems for poorly maintained machines, clogging them with lime scale. It also makes well and light roasted coffee taste chalky and unsatisfying.

If buying coffee from the many excellent roasters in England, it's a good idea to use Tesco's Ashbeck water for brewing. It's consistently at a TDS count of around 80 and has a relatively high magnesium content, easing the brew of a sweet cup. Avoid water with too much calcium unless you enjoy very low acidity and a fuller body. Bear in mind that more calcium (or bicarbonate) equates to chalkier tasting cups, giving a rather flat experience.

Cafe Roasteries

London has a fair few cafe roasteries where you can tour the production facility and enjoy a cafe experience. The standout and more accessible roasteries are in the East. One of them is Allpress, a cafe readers will know I'm fond of. Staff are unpretentious and welcoming, always giving time to those who want to learn more. The large custom made air roaster is an impressive piece of engineering. Four large vats hold the coffee used in their delicious and consistant blend, vacuuming up measured quantities of green beans and carrying them to the roaster. Head to Dalston Kingsland to take a tour.

Another noteworthy roastery is Ozone, found not too far from Old Street Station in Shoreditch. The contrast with Allpress' interior is vast, with dark brown and brass colours giving off a factory-like atmosphere in a darker environment. The drum roaster is downstairs and positioned well for viewing from above. Turn up during roasting hours and you'll get a bird's eye view of the process; this is a nice experience. Coffee here is good at one of London's oldest specialty coffee establishments.

Mare Street Market is worth a visit too. Flying Horse roastery operates here, along with a whole host of bars and eateries. Check out Vagabond in Islington, too.

Specialty Chains

There are a number of London roasters with a chain of coffee shops around the city. Your blogger worked at Taylor Street Baristas, now bought out by Black Sheep but remaining as a roastery. Training here is excellent and you can expect to have a coffee made with maximum care. Each shop had a unique feel, from the booming and club-like atmosphere of Canary Wharf to the pleasant allotment style of the Shed, in Shoreditch.

Taylor Street Baristas - The Shed in Shoreditch

Another specialty chain with a more uniform style is Workshop Coffee. A lot of care is taken to find uniquely processed coffees and the roasting is relatively light. The coffee here is different and flavourful. These cafes can be found from Bethnal Green to Bond Street.

Grind is another chain with a light and easy feel and a good selection of coffee cocktails. These shops are generally high in natural light and the branch at London Bridge provides sit down meals.

Other chains include Notes, whose filter coffee is well developed in the roast for sweetness. Black Sheep is different in that it has a 100% specialty robusta espresso blend. Still expect this to taste bitter and earthy. Coffee Works Project has shops at Leadenhall Market, Angel and Battersea Power station. Interesting espresso options can be found here.