WatchHouse, Covent Garden

28-29 Southampton St, London WC2E 7PG

WatchHouse take their name from their first premises in Bermondsey, that was a former watch house, but Covent Garden is a long way from there, both physically and spiritually.

It’s very clean and sanitised, and you’re greeted at the door. Instantly you become aware this is not your local caffeine dealer but speciality coffee with a capital “S”. Guided to a window seat, I order an oat latter from there and the drink comes with a card all about its origins and tasting notes and I’m blown away by the attention to detail, given that I’m here just for a coffee.

It’s a lovely Peruvian coffee that has a citrusy twist to the caramel-y base that makes it both familiar and yet stands out. I could see people with money quite happily whiling away the hours people watching here, I however understand this is not my place when the bill for my single drink comes to £5.18. With global economics now, I suppose that’s the way coffee is going, I just didn’t expect to get there so soon