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129 Hoe St, London E17 4RX I developed a somewhat unhealthy obsession with Vietnamese coffee this February, after visiting the country for the first time, seeking out vegan versions of the famous egg and coconut coffees throughout Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. I then brought back recipes to try at home, as you pair the strong, intense coffee with something sickly sweet (usually condensed milk) for a cacophony of flavours on the tongue that is an undeniable journey of discovery for the senses. As such, learning that a Vietnamese cafe would be opening in Walthamstow, within walking distance from my flat, reignited something within me and I’ve been champing at the bit to get in there to try it out. I did make it down for the weekend of the soft launch but by the time I arrived all the coffee had gone and I had to resolve to return once it was fully up and running. Finally making time to get there on a Saturday, it’s a cool, shady spot with benches along the wall and some low lying swivel chairs peering out onto the main road as you gently sip at strong, biting coffee. Because of the heavy use of condensed milk, Vietnamese coffee doesn’t naturally lend itself to Veganism so my partner and I had to negotiate an iced coconut coffee without this addition (although alternative milks are readily available) and I ended up plumping for the shaken espresso. There’s a quiet calm about the place, just off of the main drag where the weekend market is pulsating with people and market stalls, and its shade offers a wonderful reprieve from the, unexpectedly warm, late September sun. They do offer the same espresso drinks that you would expect in any other speciality coffee place but my coffee comes from the traditional phin, a metal drip filter that produces that awesome smoky coffee that the country is famous for, like a charred wood flavour that needs soothing with water or milk, but is a delightful ride of strength for those that dare to take it on. Arriving on a silver platter in tall glasses, there’s a real ceremony to it all and it adds another layer to the experience that makes it a beautiful moment. To share a coffee in some downtime is somewhat special, at least in my eyes, to take that time and go out just to have that small break in the day for a treat and a chat, and I think Vietnamese coffee culture really lends itself to that. Now that it’s arrived on my doorstep, I’m so pleased to see it settle here too.
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165 Upper St, London N1 1US https://superettestore.com/ Superette has a cult status within Islington. A delightful deli with an outside seating area where you can watch the elite and not so well to do of North London drift by with high end food or snacks. It also seems to never close (it actually shuts up shop at 9pm most days) so you can sit and have an evening nosh and natter should it take your fancy. I decide to drop in just on passing, as I’m early for an appointment at a nearby restaurant and fancy a flat white. It’s a balmy evening and sitting out front with a nutty Dark Arts coffee that has a grapey burst of lightness to it makes for those sort of quiet moments that, although not sensational, really sticks on the mind as one of those truly enjoyable times that you hold dear. I get some time to sit and write a bit, as the potter patter of weekday revellers move up and down the street looking for eateries or bars to pass their time in. This, however, happens to be the perfect amuse bouche to my date night and sets me up for a wonderful evening. Burrell St, London SE1 0UN https://www.thehagenproject.com/ Hagen is a ‘Danish coffee project’ with shops popping up all over London at the moment. Chic, Scandinavian style spaces with sophisticated layouts complementing stunning coffee. As such, I find it interesting that, whilst they wait to fit out the new location in Southwark, they have opted to serve from a small cart out the front of it. I stop for an oat latte to start my day but I’m also intrigued by their fruity coldbrew too, so I pick one up for later. The latte is as smooth and creamy as I remember with a caramely timbre to it that makes for a sweet, breakfast brew. It’s an awesome little stop off that captures a charm that a typical Hagen doesn’t usually have, setting its stall out as something slightly different. However, as a way of advertising the incoming cafe, it also does a great job. https://www.ruttleandrowe.co.uk/ 19 Victoria Road, Walthamstow, London E17 4JY Walthamstow is not without its fair share of speciality coffee shops but Ruttle and Rowe is so uniquely placed that it unintentionally exudes a quiet self confidence about its standing in this world of craft caffeine. Sitting at the corner of two sleepy residential streets far from the bustling High Street, the middle class denizens of the Village, and just a little too out of the way from the hipster district of Wood Street, it’s as though it just fell from the sky and crash landed where it presently sits, a stones throw from Chestnuts Field, and decided to just roll with it. A gorgeous little space taking on the shape of a classic corner shop, its wooden facade leads into a space of exposed brick and stone tables that feels substantial yet cosy, like a coffee cave hewn from the rock of a terrace house. I choose not to sit inside though but retire to the wooden tables outside to sip on the smoky chocolate orange of the iced oat latte I’ve just ordered and take in the peace of the surroundings, something you can’t always say of the area as a whole. Not just a cafe, Ruttle and Rowe is a small batch roaster in its own right, partnering with farmers to offer a fair price on coffee that is ethical and traceable whilst still tasting absolutely exquisite. Its that combination of quaintness and class that seems to roll through the core of the place and marks it out as something a little different for those prepared to venture a little out of the way to discover a little gem. https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern/level-10
Blavatnik Building, London SE1 9TG England In 2016, Tate Modern opened its long awaited second building, Switch House (later to become the Blavatnik Building). At its very peak, a viewing platform from which you could see down the South Bank and out over the Thames. The problem was that, from this vantage point, you could also stare into the surrounding flats. A controversy ensued and talk of legal action, but what could the Tate do to protect their crowning glory whilst avoiding the wrath of wealth Londoners? It would seem the answer was to repurpose the area as an espresso bar, closing pff the balcony so you can’t get close enough to the edge to peer into how the other half live whilst still offering views of the river and beyond. Plus, now they could turn a profit and sell their own brand coffee, which they roast at a WWII Nissen hut at the back of Tate Britain. Navigating the lift system to the top of the building feels a little like a 90s video game puzzle (the original Pokemon players will know what I mean) as you can’t directly shoot to the top but need to find the right floor to change at. Once you do puzzle out this awkward ascent you are rewarded by the aforementioned views and the opportunity pick up a branded pick me up alongside cakes and confectionery. Slightly citrus, the acidic night of my oat flat white cuts through the milk and manifests with a somewhat lemony floral that alights on the tongue with a dancing fizziness. A sharp burst of coffee that tickles the tip of the tongue but is smooth on the throat offering an oddly alluring cup of coffee that one might not expect from purveyors of art. Well worth the visit if you’ve popped in for some pop art or are meandering about the modernism. https://kissthehippo.com/ 50 George Street, Richmond-upon-Thames TW9 1HJ England Richmond is almost a world unto its own in London. It hardly matches up to the rest of the city with its gloriously leafy surroundings and opulent wealth, it has more of the air of a Surrey village than a suburb of the great metropolis. One thing it does carry over from the city though is the coffee culture, with a delicious smattering of specialty cafes. Perhaps unsurprising since people here can afford a good cup of coffee, but it does leave you with a choice on your hands when in the vicinity. Having had Kiss the Hippo beans in my household, on several occasions, I know they’re a reliable source of quality caffeine and so wandering just a short way from the tube station, one can find their way to the minimalist espresso bar that houses their selection of brews. It’s all wood and Scandi chic with a cosy, almost rural, feel to it. Bold and bright, the cafe interior matches the notes the iced oat latte I pick up with a short, sharp shot of floral sprightliness coming straight to the fore. Perfect for a pick me up on a day ambling about the area or for sitting in and hiding away from it all. 391 Chiswick High Rd., Chiswick, London W4 4AR
It’s perhaps no surprise that a coffee shop named after a Batman antagonist is all decked out in black. There is a supervillain sleekness to it all but the question is whether the coffee holds its own in these surroundings. Just a few steps from Gunnersbury tube station, the awning outside proclaims “Villainously Good Coffee” so sets out a bold claim to overcome straight from the outset. The heat of the day is already sweltering and I have to opt for an iced oat latte but even this has a rich honey essence to it. A smooth Allpress coffee, it is a creamy cup of coffee that leaves me sated and happy to bound about the rest of my day. The claim may be bold but there’s a level of fairness in it. 27 Monmouth Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9EU https://www.monmouthcoffee.co.uk/ It’s rare that I will revisit a spot for a review but I haven’t visited Monmouth Coffee since the inception of this blog. With a few cafes around London, they’re all damned-near impossible to get into if you don’t time it just right and their flagship just off of Seven Dials, Covent Garden is somewhere I haven’t ever managed to intentionally get into. It’s always got a queue down the road when I fully fancy going in, so I only ever seem to succeed in entering when passing, jumping at the opportunity to get inside by sheer chance at the moment the line disappears. I can’t help doing this at every opportunity (which admittedly, is not often) because I’m drawn to it by the wooden work tops and green grocer’s on scales that give it something of antiquated charm as they fill brown paper bags full of beans and only serve takeaway coffee in reusable cups that need a £5 deposit (you can, of course, bring your own). With new coffees hitting their counter every month, there’s a slew of brews to choose from but I opt for their standard espresso blend by going for a silky smooth oat latte. A nutty blend balanced with fruity notes that give off an almond and raisin vibe in a rich concoction of supreme smoothness, I manage to grab a table outside and enjoy the elegance of the moment. It is a soaring joy to be able to sit quietly and sip on a cup of coffee so gently balanced to perfection, just quietly in the moment, me and my latte. It’s a small moment of serenity, imparted upon me by an exquisite creation in a mug. William Morris Gallery, Lloyd Park House, Forest Rd, London E17 4PP https://www.deeneys.com/ At the back of the William Morris Gallery, overlooking Lloyd Park, sits Deeney’s. A modern cafe that serves up Allpress espresso, it is perhaps far too good to be just labelled as a ‘museum cafe’ and draws crowds from its park entrance as well as just those perusing prints of socially minded designers. The coffee is very caramely with a slight citrus hint that harps at the tip of the tongue, and when enjoyed through the lens of an oat latte, has some element of a chocolate orange about it. Perfect for taking out back and wandering in the grounds, around the moat and beyond with to ease yourself into the modern living of Walthamstow with a warming cup of something good. A few roost on the raised platform above the park, and the offerings of food and pastries provide a perfect place to enjoy any fleeting sunshine from, with a cup full of it to greet the day ahead. LLoyd Park, Walthamstow I’m not usually one to promote coffee trucks as, so often, they can’t hold a candle to speciality cafes that have the time and space to make a decent brew but I’m big enough to hold my hands up and say “I’m wrong” when I’ve realise I’ve made a mistake. From 10m to 4pm every Saturday, Lloyd Park hosts a market of food stalls, plant vendors and other local artisans smattered outside the front of the William Morris Gallery. It’s a great place to be on a lazy weekend afternoon, especially if the sun is out, a you can wander around the moat, through the house’s gardens and enjoy an oasis of calm just off the thrum of Blackhorse Road. Here, amongst the hawkers and home bakers, sits Wake the Dead Coffee, a hardcore coffee van that serves up their own roasts. The oat lattes ooze sophistication with a chocolatey, caramel coated delight that really complements a sourdough donut from across the way. The nuttiness that rises through can make for a rich, all encompassing mouthfeel and it can put a spring in your step, whatever the weather. |
AuthorThe Mean Bean Machine (Vincent Wood) Archives
September 2026
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