The 20 Best Cafes & Coffee Shops in Shoreditch (2023) – Ranked!

Ah, Shoreditch! A buzzing epicenter of London’s vibrant culture where the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafts through its quirky lanes and alleyways. Londoners, with their unmistakable panache, have a long-standing affair with their coffee shops and cafes.

It’s not just about the caffeine kick; it’s about the moments shared, the conversations sparked, and the creativity inspired. These spaces are more than establishments; they are the heartbeats of the community. When in Shoreditch, diving into its café culture isn’t just recommended; it’s a rite of passage!

So, whether you’re a digital nomad, an espresso enthusiast, or just someone looking to soak in the local vibe, make sure to pop into one of Shoreditch’s iconic coffee havens during your visit. Here are the best cafes and coffee shops in Shoreditch to add to your London itinerary.

The Best Cafes & Coffee Shops in Shoreditch – Ranked! 

There are a lot of lists of the “best” cafes and coffee shops in Shoreditch 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 Shoreditch area
• 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 cafe and coffee shop received to come up with a score (out of 5) for each cafes and coffee shop
• I ranked the cafes and coffee shops 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. Given all that, here are the best coffee shops and cafes in Shoreditch:

Below, you’ll find more about each of these top 5 Shoreditch coffee shops and cafes, plus shorter descriptions of the other 15 that I reviewed for this post.

1. Ozone Coffee Roasters

Photo courtesy of Ozone Coffee Roasters via Facebook

This dog-friendly and award-winning coffee shop with industrial vibes has fantastic coffee, delicious food, and sustainable practices. (The Eggs Benedict is one of their most popular dishes!)

From menus printed on recycled paper to baking with wild-farmed flour (which encourages biodiversity in the fields) and fermenting any extra ingredients (to reduce waste and for gut health), you can be sure that your Sunday brunch at Ozone Coffee Roasters will have as little environmental impact as possible.

As one of the best coffee shops in Shoreditch, there’s always a line. Unfortunately, you can’t book on the weekend so you’ll have to wait a bit to get a table. 

2. Origin Coffee

Photo courtesy of Origin Coffee

Despite being one of the best cafes in Shoreditch, this Asian-fusion-style cafe is a relatively quiet place to grab a good cup of coffee made from beans roasted in the United Kingdom. 

The friendly baristas regularly change the beans that they use, so you can try a range of high-quality coffees. Not to mention, the pastries are so delicious, they sometimes sell out before 3 pm!

Pro Tip: You can even take Latte Art and Coffee Brewing courses here! If you subscribe to their mailing list, you’ll get 10% off your first order of coffee.

3. Paper & Cup x SCT

Photo courtesy of Paper & Cup x SCT via Instagram

Paper & Cup x SCT is a tiny but wonderful coffee shop with a cause. All profits go towards supporting homeless people or people in recovery from addiction. (Click here to learn more about who and how you’re helping with your cup of coffee.)

Manned by volunteers, it’s a social enterprise that helps people in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction learn new skills and embark on a new way of life. Besides coffee, tea, and small bites, it also sells vintage and second-hand items. (There are also works by local artists decorating the shelves.)

4. Kybelle Cafe

Photo courtesy of Kybelle Cafe

Kybelle Cafe is one of the best cafes in Shoreditch for non-coffee drinkers, as they prepare mean cups of juices and smoothies too.

Besides pastries, you can get heartier Mediterranean dishes such as Shakshuka at this family-wonder coffee shop. The owner-painted murals on the walls add to the personal, warm, and friendly vibe of the place!

5. Vintage Café Shoreditch

Photo courtesy of Vintage Café via Facebook

Situated close to Brick Lane, Vintage Café Shoreditch has friendly staff as well as both inside and outside seating. 

Besides their coffee, they are also famous for their friendly staff, smoothies, sandwiches, and English Breakfast, which is also available as a vegan option. (The apple juice is actually freshly squeezed using a juicer, and not out of a bottle! How refreshing!)

Other Great Coffee Shops & Cafes in Shoreditch

Photo courtesy of Grind

If not one of the five cafes above caught your eye, here is a list of a few more amazing coffee shops to check out, as well as what makes each one special. If you’re staying in the Shoreditch area, you might try more than one. If you only have time for one though, use the top list!

1. Grind – Grind is not just one of the best coffee shops in Shoreditch, it’s also a fantastic place for cocktails! The music is on the louder side, so I don’t recommend it if you’re looking for a quiet place to chat or read a book!
2. Lantana Shoreditch – Lantana is an Australian cafe that does a lovely brunch. It also caters to those with allergies- they’ve even highlighted the allergens in red on the menu so that you don’t miss them!
3. Attendant Coffee Roasters – Attendant Coffee Roasters is the place to go for a late breakfast; they serve them up to 4pm in case you’ve had a late night and thus a late Start.
4. Kahaila – Kahaila is another cafe whose proceeds go to a charity. (Do note that it is also part of a church.) Their red velvet cake is said by some to be amongst the best in London! if you enjoy art, the walls of Kaihala usually exhibit work (for sale) by local artists or photographers.
5. Allpress Espresso Bar London – You can find their beans at many independent cafes in London- and even internationally in New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and Singapore! (They work with over 1200 independent cafes worldwide.) However, Redchurch Street is where it all began. it’s a tiny space with a few indoor and outdoor seats, so you may have to wait to get a seat.
6. FWD:Coffee – FWD: Coffee has three shops in London and is careful to only choose “buildings of notable historical value” as locations. It aims to be more than a coffee shop and provide a place for people to “specialise, think, create.” (And you will see many people working on their laptops there.) That’s not to say that their coffee takes second place! They use 100% specialty coffee, blended from 50% Savannah, Brazil, and 50% COMSA, Honduras.
7. Franze & Evans Cafe Shoreditch – Franze & Evans Cafe  is a cafe-meets-Italian-deli which is very popular for its brunch (so it can get quite busy and noisy.) All their meats are Halal and the salads are delicious if you get “peckish” (hungry, as the Brits say!).
8. Nkora Coffee Shoreditch – In addition to coffee, Nkora Coffee also serves some sandwiches and pastries. Unfortunately, the staff turnover is on the higher side, so the service level can vary dramatically. There is a small outdoor area at the back if you prefer to sit outside.
9. Jimmy Jacks – Jimmy Jacks is the place to go for traditional English cafe food. It’s also great for stretching your pound: as low as £2.50, a latte here is almost half the price of some of the other cafes on this list.
10. CoBalance – CoBalance Cafe is actually part of a co-working space. True to their roots, they have a very welcoming vibe, as well as fun things to do, such as Super Nintendo and a pool table!
11. Sevengrams UK Ltd. / Coffee Studio 7Gr. Shoreditch – Sevengrams not only serves very reasonably-priced coffee, it also conducts coffee workshops. You can even rent their professional barista machines to practice on!
12. Beans love Greens – You can find anything from porridge to pastries, salads, and inexpensive coffee at this small, independent, family-run cafe.
13. Alchemy – Alchemy is a tiny eatery- you might find it better for a take-out coffee than a sit-down drink. (Especially since it doesn’t have Wi-fi!) It also doesn’t have a toilet so this isn’t the right place for a toilet break if that’s part of your rationale for popping in.
14. Blank Street Coffee – Blank Street Coffee started in Brooklyn, New York before making its way to London. It’s a fairly modern cafe, so be warned that your coffee is made with the press of a button (and not a barista.)
15. Kiss the Hippo Coffee Shoreditch – Kiss the Hippo is where to go if you’re concerned about your carbon footprint: it’s “London’s first carbon-negative coffee company.” You can buy their beans to bring home and they even sell compostable pods! 

Have any questions about the best coffee shops in Shoreditch? Feel free to ask in the comments!