5 Best Cafes in London (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

By Thorne Savarin, Culinary Explorer · ✓ Data verified July 2026 · 8 min read

Trafalgar Square alone has enough tourist foot traffic to keep several cafes in London in business on volume alone, which makes rating them on more than star count tricky. Between them, these cafes have logged over 10,000 reviews, yet the ratings still spread nearly half a star from top to bottom, from 4.2 up to 4.7, so volume and quality don't always move together here.

Short answer: Hideaway Coffee House and Blank Street Coffee share the top rating at 4.7 stars, with 1,263 and 981 reviews respectively, both known for specialty coffee in tucked-away or fast-turnaround spots. Caffè Concerto Northumberland Avenue has by far the most reviews on the page at 4,286, an Italian-style cafe and restaurant near Trafalgar Square with live music and an extensive dessert menu. Café in the Crypt, set inside St Martin-in-the-Fields, is the pick for atmosphere and history over 30 years in business.

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1. Caffè Concerto Northum…
2. Café in the Crypt
3. Hideaway Coffee House
4. Blank Street Coffee
5. % ARABICA London Coven…
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London's Cafes, Side by Side

#	Business	Rating	Reviews	Best for
1	Caffè Concerto Northumberland Avenue	4.2 ★	4,286	Sit-down meals and desserts near Trafalgar Square	View ›
2	Café in the Crypt	4.3 ★	2,651	Historic setting and atmosphere	View ›
3	Hideaway Coffee House	4.7 ★	1,263	Independent coffee in a hidden courtyard	View ›
4	Blank Street Coffee	4.7 ★	981	Matcha and quick-turnaround drinks	View ›
5	% ARABICA London Covent Garden	4.4 ★	1,279	Specialty espresso in Covent Garden	View ›

Our top picks, reviewed

#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Caffè Concerto Northumberland Avenue

4.24,286 Google reviews

Caffè Concerto Northumberland Avenue is an Italian-style cafe and restaurant a short walk from Trafalgar Square, known for its patisserie, celebration cakes, and live music in an ornate, wood-paneled interior. The menu runs from breakfast and brunch through full dinner service, with a separate cake shop and gelato counter, and the company has multiple locations across London.

What people praise

Interior singled out repeatedly for chandeliers, wood paneling, and live piano music
Halal breakfast option available, including a turkey substitute for bacon
Staff named individually and praised for attentive, professional service
Dessert and cake selection called a highlight, particularly the macarons and lava cake

Worth knowing

One reviewer felt the coffee itself was the weakest part of an otherwise strong menu

Reputation scorecardrank in London

Rating4.2 / 5

Review volume4,286 · 98th

Confidencehigh

Recency5 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown68% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: With by far the largest review base on this page at 4,286, this is the highest-volume, most-tested option, even though its 4.2 rating sits at the lower end of the spread.

Website Book now +442074946851 Directions

4-5 Northumberland Ave, London WC2N 5BW

#2🕑 Open 7 days

Café in the Crypt

4.32,651 Google reviews

Café in the Crypt sits in the crypt of St Martin-in-the-Fields church at the edge of Trafalgar Square, serving a daily-changing menu of salads, sandwiches, and English classics like fish and chips. The space has been a cafe for 30 years, in a building that has previously served as a bomb shelter, a troop billet, and a dance hall.

What people praise

Brick-vaulted ceilings and original tombstone flooring make it a genuinely unusual setting
Salads and pastries both praised specifically by name
Cafeteria-style self-service keeps queues moving even when busy
Attached gift shop supports St Martin-in-the-Fields directly

Worth knowing

Described by one reviewer as quite pricey for what's a fairly basic cafeteria setup
Wheelchair access via stairs only, per one reviewer's experience

Reputation scorecardrank in London

Rating4.3 / 5

Review volume2,651 · 93th

Confidencehigh

Recency3 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown53% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: At 4.3 stars across 2,651 reviews, this is the pick for anyone who wants a genuinely memorable setting alongside their coffee, not just the drink itself.

Website +442077661158 Directions

Trafalgar Sq, London WC2N 4JH

#3🕑 Open 7 days

Hideaway Coffee House

4.71,263 Google reviews

Hideaway Coffee House is an independent specialty coffee shop tucked down an alley in Soho, built around a small courtyard garden with limited indoor seating. The shop is primarily a takeaway and outdoor-seating spot, with cortados and cold brew named repeatedly by regulars.

What people praise

Cortado and cold brew called out specifically for quality and latte art
Garden courtyard setting described as charming despite its small size
Staff called friendly even during weekend rushes
Multiple reviewers describe repeat visits across different London trips

Worth knowing

Indoor seating is limited and described as cramped, mostly takeaway or outdoor
One reviewer found the coffee itself underwhelming compared to the setting

Reputation scorecardrank in London

Rating4.7 / 5

Review volume1,263 · 68th

Confidencevery high

Recency2 months ago

Info completenesssite · hours

Rating breakdown85% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Tied for the top rating on this page at 4.7 stars across 1,263 reviews, this is the pick for coffee quality over convenience, since seating is genuinely limited.

Website Directions

7 Farrier's Psge, London W1D 7DP

#4🕑 Open 7 days

Blank Street Coffee

4.7981 Google reviews

Blank Street Coffee is a fast-growing coffee chain with a Strand location near Trafalgar Square, known for its matcha lattes and seasonal drink menu alongside standard espresso. The chain runs an app for mobile ordering and a rewards program, with a design built around quick pickup rather than long stays.

What people praise

Matcha drinks named specifically and repeatedly as standouts
Staff named individually across multiple reviews and praised for drink recommendations
Wait times described as minimal even during busy periods
Seasonal menu changes give regulars a reason to keep coming back

Reputation scorecardrank in London

Rating4.7 / 5

Review volume981 · 63th

Confidencevery high

Recency6 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · hours

Rating breakdown87% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Tied for the top rating at 4.7 stars across 981 reviews, this suits anyone who wants a quick, consistent chain experience over an independent one-off cafe.

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2, 65-72 Strand, London WC2N 5LR

#5🕑 Open 7 days

% ARABICA London Covent Garden

4.41,279 Google reviews

% ARABICA London Covent Garden is a minimalist specialty coffee shop on King Street, part of the international %Arabica chain known for its Kyoto latte and Spanish latte. The shop runs a grab-and-go format with a small footprint, and offers a loyalty program for regulars.

What people praise

Kyoto latte and Spanish latte named repeatedly as standout drinks
Design and layout praised for keeping queues moving even when busy
Pricing called more affordable than comparable specialty coffee elsewhere in London
Staff named individually and described as consistently friendly

Reputation scorecardrank in London

Rating4.4 / 5

Review volume1,279 · 73th

Confidencehigh

Recency8 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · hours

Rating breakdown70% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: At 4.4 stars across 1,279 reviews, this suits anyone who wants a fast, well-made specialty coffee rather than a place to sit and linger.

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5 King St, London WC2E 8HN

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Watch: 5 Best Cafes in London (2026)

How we score

Rating is the live Google average for each cafe. Review volume measures how many customers actually left a rating, ranked against the others on this page. Confidence blends the rating with volume, since a high score means more when it’s backed by thousands of reviews rather than a few hundred. Recency checks how recently people are still reviewing. No business can pay to change any of these numbers.

How much does a coffee cost in London? (2026)

Reviewer-reported spending on this page ranges widely by cafe and meal type, from a basic coffee to a full sit-down meal. Google review highlights on Caffè Concerto and Café in the Crypt give a rough sense of per-person spend, though prices vary by what you order.

Job	Typical price
English breakfast (Caffè Concerto, per person)	£16.90
Basic coffee or light bite (reviewer-reported range across cafes)	£1 - £20

Prices compiled from reviewer-reported price-per-person highlights on Google and one reviewer’s stated menu price, verified July 2026.

Serving all of central London

These cafes cluster around central London: Trafalgar Square and Northumberland Avenue for Caffè Concerto and Café in the Crypt, Covent Garden for %Arabica, Soho for Hideaway Coffee House, and the Strand for Blank Street. If you’re searching for cafes near me in London, this stretch between Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden covers most of what’s on this list within a 15-minute walk.

What to ask before you pick a cafe in London

Is it primarily a sit-down cafe or a grab-and-go coffee shop?
Do they take bookings, or is it walk-in only?
Is there indoor seating, and how limited is it during peak hours?
What’s the average price per person for a full meal versus just a coffee?
Do they offer vegetarian, vegan, or halal options?
Is it wheelchair accessible?

Frequently asked questions

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from public Google data. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner (badge and top placement), but that never changes another business’s score or position.

How did you choose these cafes?

We pulled real Google Business data for cafes operating in London, including ratings, review counts, and review text, then ranked them on that public record.

How often is this updated?

This page reflects data verified in July 2026. We periodically refresh ratings and review counts as new reviews come in.

Which of these cafes is best for a quick coffee?

%Arabica London Covent Garden and Blank Street Coffee are both built around a grab-and-go format with fast turnaround, rather than long sit-down visits.

Is Café in the Crypt wheelchair accessible?

One reviewer noted they entered via stairs and weren’t aware of an easy-access alternative. Check directly with the venue if accessibility is a concern before visiting.

The bottom line

For a memorable sit-down visit near Trafalgar Square, Café in the Crypt’s history and atmosphere are hard to match. If you just want reliably good coffee, Hideaway Coffee House and Blank Street Coffee both hold the top rating on this page at 4.7 stars. Whichever you pick, expect central London prices and check opening hours, since several of these keep shorter weekend schedules.

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