I think I am finally developing a coffee addiction! But not when I wake up in the morning. The screaming of the Tube—especially around Baker Street Station ugh—and being crammed into the train door at rush hour wakes me up plenty. But, around 3pm, when my usual midday sleepiness hits, if I am lucky enough to be heading off campus early, I start to crave coffee. A frothy latte. A delicious mocha. A warm chai latte (not coffee but you get the picture).
But rather than buy the infamous Pret subscription, where for £30 a month I can get up to 5 drinks a day and ruin the lives of overworked baristas in central London, or give in to the tempting Caffè Nero or Costa ads, I like finding coffee in unconventional locations. From churches to garden centers to palaces, come along on my coffee crusade!
This will likely become a multi-part series so grab some coffee and get comfy.
The Angel and Crown - Richmond
Order: Blackcurrant and blueberry tea with coffee cake; Latte with lemon cake
Just down a few adorably decorated alleyways from the iconic Ted Lasso pub by Richmond Green, Zoe discovered one of my favorite coffee places: The Angel and Crown pub. She spotted a sign that advertised “£5 any tea or coffee with a side of cake,” which is right up our alley.
Inside the pub were a few regulars: older men on their 5th pint at 1pm chatting with the friendly bartender. The pub was cozy, especially on a grey, rainy day, and the coffee/tea and cakes absolutely hit the spot!
I have now been twice, bringing a Fulbright friend along to enjoy the fantastic afternoon snack deal. The latte is one of the best I have had, and I imagine I could spend hours in a corner sipping tea and working on my laptop. They even have free wifi with the password conveniently on a sign. Not sure what the vibe is yet because I’m afraid to ruin the regulars’ routines, but one day I may be brave enough to make it my office. Maybe I’ll become a regular too!
Fulham Palace Cafe - Fulham
Order: Mocha
Fulham Palace museum was an unexpected gem as I wrote about in a previous post, but now, I will focus on what brought me there in the first place: the cafe. The cafe is a converted dining room. Sprinkled with couches and small tables, it feels very homely in a grand way. The chandelier reminds you that you are in a palace after all.
There are large windows and a Dutch door that opens to the patio. Several large tables line the pathway next to a sprawling green lawn. The regular crowd seemed to be a mix of elderly people wanting a calm place to enjoy a light meal and families with young children, either sprinting around the lawn or sleeping in strollers.
I immediately loved the decor and vibe of this cafe. The baristas were very kind and made a solid mocha, although not as chocolatey as I usually like. Nonetheless, since it is a short walk from Putney Bridge Station and in such a beautiful venue, I definitely plan on returning and studying with a coffee. They also give discounts if you bring a reusable mug, so yay environment!
St. Mary’s Church Putney Pantry - Putney
Order: Latte
Like Fulham Palace, I found Putney Pantry by googling “cafes near Putney Bridge Station” to search for more workplaces a short bus ride from Roehampton. I usually only take the faster, slightly pricier, and more spacious Southwest Rail train in the mornings, but I take the 90ish minute bus and Tube combo heading home. So Putney has become a nice middle ground to break up the long commute.
As a former Catholic school girlie, I do still have an affinity for churches. They were a huge part of my childhood; I used to sit in the choir loft of St. James Church when my dad played trumpet for the Sunday masses. I don’t frequent churches now, but when I saw a cafe attached to St. Mary’s right by the Thames, I decided to give it a shot.
The menu is simple but tried-and-true. I ordered a latte from the mostly empty cafe, and the barista whipped it up in record time with some lovely latte art. She was very, very nice and even complimented my braid when I walked back in to return my mug.
I saw a sign that said Thomas Payne was interred on the church grounds, but I sadly found out that it was not the same Thomas Paine of Common Sense fame. It was actually “His Majesty’s Sergeant at Arms” Thomas Payne who died in 1698. Oh well, I hope he lived a life with common sense. I sat outside by the busy high street to do some work, and I realized that the small courtyard was made of flat tombstones. Hard to make out who’s here, but that is pretty spooky.
Overall, good vibes on a sunny day with some interesting history attached. You can even explore the church next to the cafe.
Jane's Garden Cafe - Birchen Grove Garden Centre - Kingsbury
Order: Latte
One sleepy Saturday, Zoe and I walked to Brent Reservoir for some fresh air and a change of scenery. I found out that there was a big garden center nearby, so we went to check it out. While I resisted my urge to buy even more houseplants (the purple heather was begging me to take it home), I did not resist the urge to buy a latte. To be fair, I was asleep on my feet after a long induction week, and my legs wanted a rest from the walking.
Surprisingly, there was a cute cafe nestled in the middle of the garden center. It was decorated with faux plants all over the walls and ceiling, and the roof was partially covered in greenhouse-like windows. When I walked up to the counter, with an extensive breakfast and lunch menu, I was even more surprised to see an ad for line dancing hosted by the cafe. I asked the barista about it, and she said that it was hosted at 10am on Thursdays and usually brought in an older crowd looking for some social dance fun. She would clear the tables and chairs and turn her cafe into a dancefloor.
The latte was very yummy and rejuvenated me for another long walk back home. If it weren’t so out of the way from our flat, I would probably frequent it more often. But it’s probably for the best because my will is not strong enough to resist buying more plants while sitting in a garden center cafe.
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That’s all for now! I’m excited to find more cafes in places as strange as the Spurs game on Saturday… condolences to any Liverpool fans, that was a rough one.
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