The 17 Best Cafes & Coffee Shops in Farringdon – Ranked!

Nestled amidst the historic heart of London, the vibrant district of Farringdonserves not just tales of yesteryears but a steaming cup of contemporary culture – quite literally! Among its cobbled streets and age-old architecture, Farringdon boasts a delightful array of coffee shops and cafes, each echoing the heartbeats of the countless Londoners they’ve served.

On my August 2023 trip to London, I stayed right at Farringdon station and had the chance to sample some of the caffeine options in the area – needless to say, there are some great coffee shops and cafes in the Farringdon area.

It’s no secret that Londoners have a penchant for their brews, and these establishments offer a cozy respite, be it for a brief meeting or a leisurely catch-up. So, if your travels bring you to the city, ensure you take a moment to indulge in Farringdon’s coffee culture; below you’ll find a ranked list of the best cafes and coffee shops in Farringdon. Ready to find your fix in Farringdon?

The Best Cafes & Coffee Shops in Farringdon – Ranked! 

There are a lot of lists of the “best” cafes and coffee shops in Farringdon out there, and most of them have some sort of black box way of deciding what to include and in what order. I prefer to be transparent in how I rank the things I recommend on this site, so below you’ll find a table with scores for each cafe and coffee shop; here’s how I came up with those numbers:

• I selected only those coffee shops and cafes which are located within the generally agreed bounds of the Farringdon area (17 in all)
• I ranked all of the cafes/coffee shops by rating and number of reviews on Google reviews
• I then combined those scores with the proportion of reviews each coffee shop/cafe received to come up with a score (out of 5) for each cafe or coffee shop
• I ranked the coffee shops and cafes by score, and broke ties by the number of reviews (at the time of reviewing the data)

Also, I included only cafes and coffee shops with a rating of 4.0 or higher, to ensure I was only including those coffee shops and cafes which are truly good. I additionally didn’t include international chains like Pret a Manger or Costa Coffee – not because they aren’t good, but instead to better represent the independent coffee shop and cafe options. (Shop and buy local!)

Given all that, here are the best coffee shops and cafes in Farringdon:

Below, you’ll find more about each of these top 5 Farringdon coffee shops and cafes, plus shorter descriptions of the other 17 that I reviewed for this post.

1. Prufrock Coffee

Photo courtesy of Prufrock Coffee via Facebook

 If you prefer to support an independent cafe that serves good coffee, Prufrock Coffee is the place for you!

Started by three coffee enthusiasts, Prufrock Coffee’s stand-alone store is one of the best cafes in Farringdon. It works with local producers and small-scale growers to get you amazing coffee, so you know your daily cup is helping the community.

You can also order a range of home-cooked dishes made with seasonal ingredients sourced from UK producers, such as the famous Neal’s Yard. The banana bread and Eggs Benedict are so good, they have been touted as “the world’s best” and “to die for!”

2. Black Sheep Coffee

Photo courtesy of Black Sheep Coffee

A British coffeehouse chain, Black Sheep Coffee originated from a Kickstarter crowdfunding project. Today, it is pretty much at the opposite end of the spectrum from Prufrock Coffee: Black Sheep Coffee has outlets in Wales, England, France, Scotland, USA, and even the Philippines! 

It serves 100% specialty-grade Robusta coffee beans, which are less acidic than their more famous cousin, Arabica. (It is the only specialty coffee business in the UK that uses it as its specialty house bean.) In keeping with its focus on coffee, the barista is highly spoken of.

For those who don’t like coffee, their avocado smoothie and turmeric latte are also very good.

3. Beppe’s Cafe

Photo courtesy of Beppe’s Cafe via Instagram

If you’re staying at the Premier Inn in Farringdon, Beppe’s Cafe is just across the street. It is a small, family-run cafe that is a great place to grab a coffee and breakfast. (You’ll be spoilt for choice: the burger, sausages, as well as Bacon and Egg Roll are all very tasty.) 

Established in 1932, Beppe’s has a great atmosphere with friendly staff. Moreover, prices aren’t steep for London. Although it doesn’t have many tables, they are perfectly set up for people-watching through the windows. Some may find the music a bit loud, but you can always sit outside.

4. La Casetta Cafe

Photo courtesy of La Casetta Cafe

For those who want a proper sit-down meal, check out La Casetta Cafe on Clerkenwell Road. It’s one of the best cafes in Farringdon with a full menu: it serves pizza, pasta, and even cocktails! The pizza dough and desserts are homemade but the pasta has, unfortunately, gotten mixed reviews.

Prices are fair, for London, so it can get quite crowded over the weekends. (You’ll find both tourists and locals at La Casetta.) Do note that it opens relatively late, at 11 am every day except Saturday (on which it opens at noon.)

5. Triple Two Coffee Farringdon Station

Photo courtesy of Triple Two Coffee Farringdon Station

Located right next to the tube station (London Underground), Triple Two Coffee is one of the best coffee shops in Farringdon at which to start your day. (It opens at 7 am on weekdays!) 

The coffee is sourced from a family roaster and all their food is made fresh in their kitchen every day. (The pastries are particularly delicious and well-sized too. I highly recommend the almond croissant!) Another great thing about this small cafe is its wide range of dairy-free milks: it offers five alternatives, at no extra charge.

Bonus: Cafe Maya

Located near the Charles Dickens Museum and Postal Museum, Cafe Maya is situated a little further away from Farringdon. However, its delicious, freshly-cooked breakfasts are well worth a visit. It also serves more unusual British dishes, such as black pudding – if you want to try some traditional London foods!

Other Great Coffee Shops & Cafes in Farringdon

Photo courtesy of Bench

If not one of the six cafes above caught your eye, here is a list of more of the best coffee shops in Farringdon to check out, as well as a short sentence summarising what makes each one special. If you’re staying in the Farringdon area, you might try more than one. If you don’t have enough time, use the top list!

1. La Forchetta – La Forchetta is a little Italian cafe that serves wonderful sandwiches and panini.
2. Costa Coffee – One of the UK’s most famous coffee chains, you can find a Costa at almost every other corner in London. (There are at least two in the Farringdon area: one at Cowcross Street and another at Goswell Road.) 
3. PAUL | Est. | Charterhouse – Another cafe chain (but French this time, and not British), PAUL was established in 1889 and now has over 30 outlets in the UK. (It is also present in 46 other countries!) It’s a nice place to get coffee and French pastries, such as eclairs, flans, and macarons. In true French style, the pastries are made with 100% butter and zero palm oil. (The fraisier, or strawberry cake, is one of their bestsellers.)
4. Bench – Bench is a hip cafe that makes it easy for you to decide what to order, as it offers a very select menu. Located at The Goldsmiths’ Centre, it is a three-minute stroll from Farringdon. Note that they are a cashless cafe and charge an extra £0.85 for dairy-milk alternatives.
5. Attendant Coffee Roasters – Another cashless coffee shop, but with a more extensive menu than Bench, Attendant Coffee Roasters uses ethically-sourced beans from all around the world but roasts them in the U.K. (There is a 12.5% discretionary service charge applied to all sit-in orders.)
6. FWD:Coffee – FWD: Coffee serves 100% specialty coffee, blended from 50% Savannah, Brazil, and 50% COMSA, Honduras.
7. Clerkenwell Kiosk – Clerkenwell Kiosk is a very fun cafe located in a former park rangers’ hut in St Jame’s Church Garden. It was established by a Clerkenwell local and serves great coffee and pastries. (Can you believe the pastries only cost £2? Almost unheard of in London these days!) 
8. Par – Par is an independent cafe that serves breakfast, lunch, and snacks. There’s a great community spirit here: the meat comes from Smithfield Market (which is just down the road), the bread from a bakery in Bermondsey, and the fruit and. Veg from Barbican Fruiterers over at Goswell Road. You’ll even run into the owner, Paul, serving up a coffee or two!
9. Redemption Roasters – Redemption Roasters is a small and trendy cafe with a cause. It aims to reduce reoffending through coffee by training residents at ten prisons to roast coffee beans. These beans are then used at its cafes and sold to over 100 customers.
10. Luis’ Cafè – Luis’ Cafe is a tiny Italian cafe that offers great food at even better prices, run by two sisters. You’ll feel like you’ve gone back in time when you step through the doors!
11. Ronis Cafe – Ronis Cafe is another retro cafe with delicious food offered at good prices. They offer everything from sandwiches and burgers to porridge and lamb chops! (The English breakfast is one of their best dishes!)
12. Devotion Coffee – Devotion Coffee is a stylish specialty coffee cafe with great coffee and warm and friendly staff. The coffee and service are so good, Devotion Coffee has a 5-star rating on Google!

If you have any questions about the best coffee shops in Farringdon, let me know in the comments!