11 of the Best Cafés in East London

On the prowl for a great cup o' joe? Head to East London where independent boltholes, brilliant bakeries and in-house coffee roasters are serving up some of the capital's best beans.

Head to these East London coffee shops for your daily caffeine fix

restaurant

Climpson & Sons

Hackney

Roasting its own coffee in London Fields, Climpson & Sons’ speedy service and Broadway-Market surrounds are an easy sell.

Address

67 Broadway Market, London E8 4PH

restaurant

Look Mum No Hands!

Old Street

Part café, part bicycle workshop, Look Mum No Hands! is a frequent pitstop for East London cyclists. Sign up for one of its workshops – puncture repair skills prove particularly useful.

Address

49 Old Street EC1V 9HX

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restaurant

Barbour & Parlour

Shoreditch

In the land of forward slashers working multiple jobs to support their side hustles, multi-tasker Barbour & Parlour blends in. Home to a cinema, barbershop and communal dining space, this spot serves up a lot more than just coffee.

Address

64-66 Redchurch Street E2 7DP

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Ozone Coffee Roasters

Shoreditch

Coffee aficionados will leave this Leonard Street posting buzzing (and not from a caffeine overload). Ozone Coffee Roasters are experts in the coffee game – grab a couple of bags of its own blend before leaving the chic store.

Address

11 Leonard Street Shoreditch EC2A 4AQ

restaurant

Shoreditch Grind

Islington

The original Grind, Shoreditch Grind set up at Old Street roundabout in 2011. It’s open 18 hours a day, and hang around long enough and you’ll see the menu to switch from coffee to cocktails (and in the interim, pay a visit to the recording studio upstairs).

Address

213 Old Street, London EC1V 9NR

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Brunswick East

Hackney

Aussie by name, Aussie by nature. Chill for the afternoon at Brunswick East amid books and local art work. Feast on vegan-friendly Nutella bakes and wash down with cashew-milk flat white – hipster heaven.

Address

Brunswick East 3D Stamford Works Gillet Street N16 8JH

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E5 Bakehouse

Hackney

Ogle over an epic selection of baked treats – cinnamon swirl or bakewell? – and pair your chosen treat with an afternoon caffeine hit. Note to self: don’t leave without picking up a crusty, freshly baked loaf to take home.

Address

E5 Bakehouse, 395 Mentor Terrace, London Fields, E8 3PH

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Haggerston Espresso Room

Hackney

Haggerston Espresso Room is a go-to spot for those looking to chill out (or thaw out) over their first cup of coffee. Take away its speciality cold brew for the office to eke out those cool vibes.

Address

Unit C 13 Downham Road N1 5A

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Origin

Shoreditch

Despite its chic, urban surrounds, Origin maintains a strong neighbourhood feel. Break from busy city life in a place where the baristas greet most people by name and the blend is among the best in its postcode.

Address

65 Charlotte Road EC2A 3PE

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L'atelier

Hackney

No sign, no matter. You’ll smell L’atelier’s signature aromatic blend before you reach its unmarked entrance. A cosy, slightly ramshackle café, interiors are eclectic and staff or cheerful. Its long list of toasties has also been known to bring people back from the brink after a hard night of partying.

Address

31 Stoke Newington Road Stoke Newington N16 8BJ

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restaurant

Hara

Hackney

Warning: piles of plump, fresh pastries from neighbouring bakery, The Dusty Knuckle, make cloud your judgement when ordering your tumeric latte, but don’t be dissuaded from ordering something more substantial (in addition to, not instead of) from the veggie-focused brunch menu. The cacao porridge and buckwheat pancakes feel like a balanced decision.

Address

13c Downham Road N1 5AA

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