Coffee Shops & Bakeries
Rinkoff Bakery
Address: East London (Tower Hamlets) - 222 - 226 Jubilee Street, E1 3BS
Nearest station: Stepney Green
www.rinkoffbakery.co.uk / @rinkoffbakery
All hail Rinkoff for their insane Crodoughs. The culinary mash up of a croissant and a doughnut is something few have tasted, but something everyone needs to taste at least once in a lifetime.
Off the beaten track, in the heart of the East End, you will find the renowned family run bakery, which was established in 1911 by Hyman Rinkoff, after he fled from the Ukraine to England, with his cherished family recipes. They have been baking their speciality bread cakes and rolls for over 100 years and now it’s recognised as the original home of the celebrated Crodough.
Make sure you get down early to snaffle up the best flavours before they sell out, as trust me, they will! It’s always a tough decision which to go for as you are so spoilt for choice, the Dulce de Leche with Sprinkles, Salted Caramel & Pistachio, Chocolate Fudge and Toffee Apple Crumble are just some of my personal favourites.
So what’s the secret of the Crodough’s success? Well, the croissant pastry is fried like a doughnut to give the extra height and then injected with various fillings and decorated with divine toppings.
Rinkoff Bakery has gone from strength to strength, perfecting their traditional recipes and by indulging the online world with photos of those glorious Crodoughs, to keep the bakery just as popular now, as it was 100 years ago.
Open seven days a week, the bakery is a permanent reminder of the Jewish culture that once inhabited the East End and continues to bring the local community together.
Fuckoffee
Address: South London (Bermondsey): 163-167 Bermondsey Street, SE1 4UW
Nearest station: London Bridge / Borough
www.fuckoffee.com / @fuckoffee
One of my most loved local coffee shops has to be the quaintly named Fuckoffee, located in the creative buzz of Bermondsey Street. They are recognised for their exceptional baristas and high ethical standards, which allows them to produce some of the best tasting coffee in the area. I find myself here most weekends ordering an iced americano and devouring one of their delicious oat cookies or a gigantic slice of banoffee cake.
The coffee shop definitely has its own quirky style to it, decorated with trinkets and old school memorabilia, giving an instantly homely and welcoming feel to this one-of-a-kind café.
They deliver a fast friendly service and pride themselves on being one of the very few roasters that ensure their coffee is organic, shade-grown and free from harmful pesticides and fertilisers.
Enjoy swinging by this provocative coffee house to soak up some true Bermondsey culture, whilst enjoying your favourite coffee in an establishment that truly believes in the freedom to express yourself!
The Gentlemen Baristas
Address: Central London (Borough) - 63 Union Street, SE1 1SG
Nearest station: Borough / London Bridge
www.thegentlemenbaristas.com / @thegentlemenbaristas
The Gentlemen Baristas coffee shops can be found scattered across London, but their first coffee house originated on Union Street in the heart of Borough. The site was a coffee house way back in the 17th Century, with a top hat makers situated opposite and London’s pioneer of bowler hat making, located just down the road. With this in mind and as a nod to their local history, The Gentlemen Baristas decided to name all of their coffee’s after hats. Their delicious single origin grounds include the Top Hat, Bowler, Propeller, Pork Pie, Boater, Pretender and Gatsby.
Along with an appreciation for hats, The Gentlemen Baristas also have a penchant for manners and strive to uphold the best of a generation gone by, with their identity and ethos, cemented in serving the finest “well mannered coffee” around.
Always a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, it’s one of my favourite spots to drop by for an iced coffee and a sweet treat, especially their vegan coffee and walnut cake. They also do a mean brunch and if it’s a warm day, I always head upstairs to their hidden outdoor patio area to enjoy some sun.
A lovely local coffee shop with an extra shot of kindness. Pop in and say hello if you are in the neighbourhood and be greeted with a friendly smile and a heart-warming coffee.
Cookies and Scream
Address: North London (Highbury) - 130 Holloway Road, N7 8JE
Nearest station: Holloway Road / Highbury & Islington
www.cookiesandscream.com / @cookiesandscreambakery
Baked fresh every day on the premises, Cookies and Scream offers in my opinion some of the best vegan and gluten free sweet treats in the city. Located on Holloway Road it’s well worth a trip, to sample their delicious dairy, egg, wheat and gluten free classics, which don’t compromise on taste.
Using the finest ingredients available, their big seller’s line-up as:
The Choc Chip Cookie - full of deliciousness, these giant cookies are baked to perfection, crispy on the edge whilst moist in the middle
Gosh! Brownie - prepared extra gooey to make them insanely indulgent
Pies - a must try, including flavours such as Banoffee, Blue Moon and Donnie Darko
Scream Shakes - thick tasty shakes, blended with their homemade vegan ice-cream, special sauces and a choice of cookies or brownies
Come rain or shine, I simply can’t resist grabbing a seat at their ‘cookie bar’ or in their retro styled booth before working my way through their delectable menu. Baking up some of finest ‘free-from’ delights around, Cookies and Scream have earned themselves a cult following from vegan enthusiasts and North London locals and rightly so. Their delicious baked goods literally scream ‘eat me’!
Kaffeine
Address: Central London (Fitzrovia) - 15 Eastcastle Street W1T 3AY
66 Great Titchfield Street, W1W 7QJ
Nearest station: Tottenham Court Road / Oxford Circus
www.kaffeine.co.uk / @kaffeinelondon
Two stylish independent coffee houses, inspired by the largely untapped coffee culture of Australia and New Zealand. Kaffeine is serving up coffees and espresso, thick and fast in the heart of Fitzrovia.
Kaffeine is regarded as setting a benchmark in the London speciality coffee industry with its quality and expertise. They hone in on the tiniest of details to strive for perfection, which is translated into their everyday ethos of excellence. Each drink is even served in a bespoke size ‘to reflect and respect the true flavours of the coffee’.
With its minimalist decor, exposed brick walls and bright yellow neons, Kaffeine is the perfect place to sit and soak up the buzz of the city, whilst enjoying their specialist ‘Square Mile’ coffee and flavourful food.
Their homemade counter eats, include sweet and savoury offerings, which are prepared daily in-house and are known to sell out, as they are so delicious. With a love for fresh quality produce, their salads, sandwiches and bakes are always spot on, but for me it has to be their raspberry and cashew slice, which is without doubt my absolute favourite.
Kaffeine definitely sets the bar for high quality coffee in Fitzrovia and is the go-to place, when you need your daily caffeine fix, ahead of a busy day in the city.
