Monmouth Coffee

Monmouth Coffee Company is one of London's most influential specialty coffee roasters, trading since 1978 from 27 Monmouth Street in Covent Garden, close to Seven Dials. The business began as a small shop selling beans from single farms at a time when London coffee meant dark, uniform roasts, and it helped set the direction for the city's later specialty scene. The company roasts its own beans, buys directly from producers where possible, and sells them by the bag alongside brewed drinks. A second branch operates at Borough Market, with a roastery in Bermondsey supplying both.

The cuisine is coffee and baked goods rather than a full menu. The signature order is filter coffee, which changes with the beans on offer and is served in a plain cup, along with espresso-based drinks and hot chocolate. Pastries, croissants, almond bread and simple toast with jam or butter are the usual accompaniments, and the pastry selection tends to sell out by late morning. There is no extended food menu and no table service.

The Covent Garden shop is small, with a counter, shelves of beans, a few wooden benches and a narrow queue that often runs out onto Monmouth Street. The atmosphere is brisk, practical and slightly crowded; the staff are knowledgeable and will discuss origin and roast if asked. There is no wifi, which the shop has maintained as a policy, so it is better suited to a short stop than to working with a laptop. There is no dress code and noise is moderate, dominated by conversation and the grinder.

Reservations are not accepted. Visitors queue at the counter, and waits of 10 to 20 minutes are normal at weekends and mid-morning. Opening hours are listed as Monday to Saturday 08:00 to 18:00 and Sunday 10:00 to 18:00, but visitors should confirm times before going, particularly around public holidays. Prices are typical for central London specialty coffee, with a filter or flat white costing a few pounds. Bags of beans make a practical souvenir for travellers heading home from England.