Last Saturday, I took a day trip to Leigh-on-Sea: a new-to-me seaside destination that's just a 45-minute train journey from London. Once a busy fishing port, Leigh has stacks of character with its cobbled streets, historic buildings and wide array of wonderful restaurants, cafes and shops, as well as some great specialty coffee spots and a lovely sandy beach. Just be sure to check the tide times if you fancy a swim!
The Barn has long been one of my favourite European specialty coffee roasters so I was excited to hear that they were opening their first London coffee shop. I've been to several of the German roaster's coffee shops in Berlin and was actually visiting their Mallorca café the week the London location opened. Since my return, I've been a couple of times. It's a great addition to Fitzrovia — already an excellent neighbourhood for coffee.
Colourful houses, a world-famous carnival and market and, of course, a film with a certain H. Grant and J. Roberts. These are just a few of the images London’s Notting Hill conjures up. But there’s a lot more to the neighbourhood than elegant architecture and *that* movie. My one-day itinerary will help you uncover Notting Hill’s rich cultural and social history — and make the most of its excellent dining and shopping.
If The Phoenician Scheme left you longing for more Wes Anderson, you might like to pay a visit to West London's Foreign Exchange News. The beautifully designed coffee shop would fit right in to Anderson's universe and — just as importantly — the coffee is great and there really is a working bureau de change inside!
While I was back in Oxford last weekend, I finally made a long-awaited visit to Green Routes, the flagship cafe of local roaster Routes Coffee. Located on Magdalen Road, Green Routes serves top-notch specialty coffee and brunch in a cosy, multi-level space. It's well worth the stroll (or short bus ride) from Oxford city centre to East Oxford.
With reasonable weather forecast for the recent bank holiday, I visited the historic town of Windsor. Less than an hour from London by train, Windsor is a great day trip destination whether you're into English history, the Royal Family or simply fancy a stroll along the River Thames. Most visitors (including me) head straight for Windsor Castle, but there's lots more to see and do — even when it rains (sadly, it did!).
London's Borough and Bankside neighbourhood, on the South Bank of the River Thames, has long been a popular destination for locals, tourists and food lovers alike. And in recent years, exciting new openings have made the area a specialty coffee destination in its own right. Whether you're after a post-market caffeine hit or want to elevate your lunch-break coffee game, this guide has you covered.
If you're partial to a perfectly brewed pourover coffee, there's never been a better time to visit London. One of the newer additions to the city's specialty coffee scene is Calico Coffee, a beautiful café in the Waterloo neighbourhood. I've visited several times since it opened in December, drawn back by the well-curated coffee menu, welcoming staff and peaceful design.
Long-time readers know I was lucky enough to call Cambridge my home for six years. But since moving to London 16 years ago, I haven't been back as often as I should. I decided to make the most of last Saturday's glorious weather by taking a day trip, exploring Cambridge's 'town' and 'gown' sides. Read on to discover my ultimate itinerary for a perfect day in Cambridge: things to do and places to eat, drink and shop.
London has welcomed some truly special new specialty coffee shops in recent months. One of my favourites is Special Guests, a beautifully designed cafe in Marylebone that serves an exceptional range of coffees.
I first came across Scenery Coffee when I enjoyed one of their particularly delicious Colombian coffees at Loam in Brighton earlier this month. When I found out that Scenery's café–roastery is much closer to home, in London's Borough neighbourhood, it didn't take me long to pay them a visit. With a wide selection of great coffees served in an airy and spacious café, it was well worth the lunchtime walk.
With signs of spring finally arriving in London, it's the perfect time to share some of my favourite coffee discoveries from the past few wintry weeks. Whether you're looking for standout London cafes to visit or great specialty coffee to brew at home, this round-up will keep you well-caffeinated.
These days, I mostly work from home, but once a week I head into the office in East Croydon. Until recently, there hasn't been much in the way of specialty coffee to discover on my lunch breaks, so I was excited when a new coffee shop opened earlier this month. After a couple of visits to TAO Cafe, I'm happy to report that it's a wonderful addition to the neighbourhood.
I don't often make it up to North London, but as Profile Coffee has been on my to-visit list for an age, it was high time I paid a visit to the Highbury specialty coffee shop. With welcoming and knowledgeable baristas serving exceptional coffee in a beautiful, calming space, Profile was well worth the wait.
2025 has begun in the wettest and windiest fashion in London and I'm already dreaming about my next adventures, ideally to somewhere warm and sunny! In the meantime, I've picked out five of my favourite travel memories from 2025, including two new countries (Sri Lanka and Bulgaria) and delightful returns to NYC and Cannes.
Although I've been drinking coffee from Sussex-based Pharmacie Coffee Roasters since 2018, somehow it took me until this month to visit their roastery and coffee bar in the heart of the South Downs in Lewes. To be fair, even though they've been around a lot longer, the roastery has only been in Lewes since 2021 and suffice it to say, my visit was well worth the wait.
