Monmouth Coffee Co.

27 Monmouth Street, London WC2H 9EU 020 7645 3560


This is my new favorite place in London, located in my new favorite area of London, Seven Dials. Not only are their pastries light (and to die for!) their coffee is not over roasted and tastes heavenly. For my French readers, this place might seem like your corner Boulangerie but for me it's a god-send on the little Island that is the UK. If you look hard enough, you can find the best culture around in London, but you have to be willing to look in all the wrong places.

Interestingly enough, Monmouth Coffee specializes in coffee, and coffee only! Imagine that! They serve many types of filter coffee, but their lattes and cappuccinos come with one type of milk: Organic whole. You're lucky to get a table at this tiny little gem, and if you do, you're likely to be sharing it with some unknown other customer. But why not try to make friends over a cup of their addictive coffee? (addictive: I went there three days in a row last week, and would have gone a fourth day, but they're closed on Sundays.)



Check out their website for more information on what they do.

Milk Bar

3-5 Bateman Street, London W1D 4AG -- 020 7287 4796



Milk bar (which in Australia is the name for a local grocery store), is another fabulous London coffee house, located in Soho, London. Above: Affogato (which my friend Laura swears she's never seen outside of Italy, and she's part Italian...) Macchiato (it was made with a sweet-tasting espresso, so unlike all of our run-the-mill chain coffee shops!), Brownie and Ginger/Lemon bar. Are you drooling yet? And look at those plates! On top of the quality (though fairly expensive) menu, is a minimalist, spacious but rather dark room, with a unique, and trendy/hippie clientele. I like this place. I would go back to do my readings, but it's just a bit too busy. And no wonder!