Café London: a guide to London’s best coffee haunts

Love coffee? Win a copy of the Café London cookbook!

Coffee addicts, rejoice! We had a chat to the editor of Cafe London, Zena Alkayat, to find out just where we should be topping up on that delicious drop here in London. With an over-abundance of coffee-serving joints in town, it can be difficult to make a decision on where next to catch your fix. That’s where Cafe London can help. Here’s what its editor told us:

How long have you lived in London, and what do you love most about it?

More than ten years. I love that I’ll never completely know it and there’s always something new to discover.

Do you think London’s cafe scene has changed much in recent years?

It’s got a lot more creative (there are lots of themed cafes and places doing far more than just serving a cup of tea and a slice of carrot cake). And there are also a lot more places serving really good coffee and food – there’s more thought and care than ever before.

Where did the idea for this project come from?

People, including myself, are guilty of sticking to their local cafes or the places they know and love the best. But with just a tiny bit of effort you can find new favourites and in the process perhaps a whole new corner of London.

How many cafes did you visit to create this book?

I knew a lot of places before coming up with the list, but it’s always fun to revisit and try new places. Most of the reviews were written by four contributing writers, so between them they went out to at least 100 places.

How long did it take you to compile Cafe London?

It took about 5 months, from devising the long list, to the book going to print.

What are your top three favourite places for coffee in London?

Tap on Rathbone Place, Ester’s in Stoke Newington and Coleman on Lower Marsh Road.

How do you like your coffee?
Filter coffee, no milk, no sugar.