Top 7: Iced Coffees in LondonBy Alicia Grimshaw
“Coffee, the finest organic suspension ever devised”
– Star Trek: Voyager
Breaking news: the sun is shining. As Londoners, we must seize every sweet ray possible – and obviously use every opportunity to cool down, forgetting that we spend most of the year trying to warm up. What better way to refresh than with a creamy caffeine fix. Save your precious penny on sub-standard iced treats, here’s our favourite iced coffees in London:
What: Iced Coffee
Why: Founded in 2009, this Aussie and New Zealand owned cafe has been giving your standard chain coffee shop a run for its money. Trade in your mediocre flat white for their iced coffee. They pre-ice the cups to cool the temperature of the coffee without ruining the overall taste. With coffee this good, it would be rude not to order one of their pastries, that banana bread is the one.
Where: 66 Great Titchfield Street, W1W 7QJ
Photo credit: Jael Marschner
What: Iced Coffee
Why: Crowd pleasing coffee and tasty food is the reason why Timberyard is a firm favourite amongst coffee fans. They don’t serve any sugary syrup shots, there’s no need when coffee tastes this good. Head downstairs and kick back on one of their comfy chairs, trust me you can stay there for hours.
Where: 7 Upper St Martin’s Lane, Seven Dials, WC2H 9DL
What: Black iced coffee
Why: If you find yourself still thirsty after your standard cup of Coffee, let me introduce you to Brooklyn Coffee. They’ve considerably upped the coffee portion size and haven’t compromised on the taste. They also sell some pretty snappy merchandise.
Where: 139 Commercial Street, Shoreditch
4. For Incredible Coffee: Workshop Coffee
What: Iced Latte
Why: I’m throwing it out there, Workshop Coffee makes some of the best coffee in the Clerkenwell area. They source and roast all their own coffee and it shows, their iced latte is an absolute belter. The cafe has a number of awards under their belt including ‘Best Independent Cafe Europe’ and ‘Best Vegetarian Breakfast’. They also have locations in Holborn, Marylebone and Fitzrovia.
Where: 7 Clerkenwell Road, Clerkenwell, EC1M 5RN
5. For Quality: Freestate Coffee
What: Vietnamese Style Iced expresso
Why: High skilled baristas and a forever changing list of guest coffees is the winning combo at Freestate Coffee. The 10 item coffee menu maybe small, but each coffee is made with expert skill and precision. The wooden decor and laid back vibe makes this place perfect for grabbing a Sunday Morning pick me up.
Where: 23 Southampton Row, London, WC1B 5HA
6. For a Creamy Kick: The Monocle Cafe
What: Iced Coffee
Why: Opened in 2013, Monocle Cafe is known for selling an array of Asian-inspired dishes including a Japanese twist on our beloved breakfast, chicken curry and a beef katsu sandwich. Their iced coffee is ridiculously good, rich, creamy and delicious. If you don’t fancy a caffeine kick, order the iced tea it’s just as good.
Where: 18 Chiltern Street, W1U 7QA
What: Iced Espresso/Latte
Why: Gail’s, an artisan bakery known for their big love of bread, quiches and top notch sarnies also excels in coffee making. You can choose from either an iced espresso or latte, both are fuss-free using only carefully selected ingredients. They also serve a mean iced chocolate and if you’re a tea lover order one of their iced teas. The wild berry tea made from loose tea leaves topped with fresh orange and mint is our favourite.
Where: Various locations across London- Notting Hill, Soho and Hampstead
