11 London coffee shops have been named the best in the UK

"Coffee really is an art form. There are so many components that can make or break a good cup of joe - the beans, the roast, the grind, the brew, the milk - but, lucky for us, London is blessed with hundreds of coffee shops that have all of those mastered. Now, 11 of the city's coffee shops have been named among the best in the entire country."

"The Best Coffee Shops UK has scoured the country for coffee joints that excel in nine different categories. Those categories include the quality of coffee (of course), barista expertise, customer service, ambience, quality of food, consistency and community. A jury of coffee connoisseurs chose their top spots, then those choices were combined with public votes to create the final list."

"Carbon Kopi, which moved from New Zealand to Hammersmith in 2019 also made the cut alongside Hackney's Specialty Cafetiere, which has a special water filtration system to ensure it serves the best brews possible. There's also Curators in the City of London which is run by Send Coffee, a social enterprise providing coffee training to people with special needs and disabilities."

Eleven London coffee shops featured among the UK's 44 best and now compete for places on the World's 100 Best Coffee Shops 2026. Best Coffee Shops UK assessed venues across nine categories, including quality of coffee, barista expertise, customer service, ambience, quality of food, consistency and community. A jury of coffee connoisseurs selected top spots and those choices were combined with public votes to determine the final list. Notable London entrants include Prufrock, Calico, Carbon Kopi, Specialty Cafetiere and Curators, a Send Coffee social enterprise offering training to people with special needs. Final global rankings will be announced on 16 February 2026.

Read at Time Out London