Ozone Coffee Roasters – From Coffee With Love

January 31, 2025February 5, 2025

Drinking Coffee in LONDON 2024

Avid readers of my blog over the last 15 years would have noticed that I usually do an annual post on my coffee escapades in London. However, although I confess that this wasn’t published during the calendar year of 2024, I do have an excuse, as in 2024, I went to London not once but thrice – the first time I think since I left in 2002. So, to save myself from the embarrassment of not posting this in 2024, I essentially wanted to capture all my escapades in one post as I got back from my third trip earlier this month. So, without further a due (very English), here’s my non-exhaustive list of the coffee shops I discovered in 2024 during my three trips to London.

Qima Café, Warren Street

I already posted about my visit here in July as it had been on my list for well over a year. Not to go over my experience again, but worth a visit not just for their coffee but for their pastries too. They also stock hard to find but expensive Yemeni arabica coffee and have these lovely dark bottles well packaged that you can buy and take home with you. It’s a very popular spot with tourist and locals alike, so expect queues if you go.

Kiss the Hippo, Margaret Street, Oxford Street area

With a name you won’t forget easily, this coffee business is rolling out many shops across London as part of their strategy to promote not just great coffee but ethical coffee business too, being named London’s first Carbon Negative coffee brand. What does that mean? It means that they make sure that more CO2 is captured from the environment than is created by their business, resulting in a net positive for the environment (source: their website). I went to their branch twice, once to get this delicious filter brew and another to get a cortado.

On the last occasion, I bought a bag of Chinese Arabica Beans (yes, they grow Arabic coffee in China too). They have another 7 branches dotted around London so wherever you are, you might not be too far from one.

Nagare, Soho

My daughter told me about this brand as it’s near where she works but on the first occasion I wanted to go, they were closed at 12 noon for the holidays for a week. However, I heard from a friend that they have another branch in Soho and on the last day if 2024, I went there. A small café just off Carnaby Street, you’ll notice that the staff are Japanese, so I’m guessing it’s a Japanese brand. They were quite busy so I had to wait about 10 minutes for my cortado but wasn’t that fussed as they had a part of their café that was like a little quiet living room, so I sat and waited, took some pictures, drank my good cup of coffee and left.

Store Street, Liverpool Street

Not to be outdone from missing out at Nagare the first time (see above), I walked around the corner onto Liverpool Street and went into Store Street Espresso. I’ve been a few times, but this was my second visit to this branch. Small but busy given the clientele in the heart of where bankers, lawyers and hedge fund peeps work, it wasn’t that busy at 3pm in the afternoon. They stock Square Mile coffee and other brands and if you buy a bag of coffee, you get a cup of coffee complimentary, so worth thinking about too.

Nkora, Old Burlington Street

Tucked away just off Savile Row (the best place to have tailor made suits in London), is a little non-assuming coffee shop called Nkora. I had heard about this brand and knew that they had another coffee shop at London Wall in the city. I stopped over for a black coffee fix one late afternoon on a colder than usual autumn day in London with my daughter. It looks like the kid of place that James Bond, after having his suits made, would pop over to have a quiet meeting with Q as they have a quiet place downstairs for a real incognito meeting. (James Bond fans will understand).

Watchhouse, Bishopsgate

I met a friend here in the heart of the city where bankers and lawyers rub shoulders. Literally it is down a lane from one of the largest and most prestigious London law firms, Freshfields. As you enter you can’t help but appreciate how each Watch House coffee shop, dotted around London, has a different but familiar feel to it. This reminded me of a little library with a ladder behind the brew bar and another where the retail coffee bag section is.

After a recommendation from the barista to try one of their prestigious filter coffee, I sadly had to decline as my friend said he was treating me and I didn’t want him to pay 12 pounds for a cup of coffee for me.

So, I opted for a batch brew (filter coffee brewed in a batch), delicious nevertheless to accompany his flat white.

Watchhouse, Wells Street Fitzrovia

Well, earlier this month just before I left London again, I found myself in a dilemma as it was just past 4pm and I wanted good coffee. Walking towards Oxford Street on Goodge Street I noticed another popular brand has already shut for the weekend but to my surprise I saw this gorgeous looking architect masterpiece of a coffee shop…. Yes! another Watch House. Did I mention that Watch House was started by an architect. Well, you can tell, check out the brew bar. Wow!

This time the barista offered us an interesting coffee for our filter and we agreed. To add to this experience, we were served cold green tea to clean our palate before drinking the coffee. An unusual experience no doubt but it did help accentuate the high notes of the coffee.

Ozone, Leonard Street, Shoreditch

I’ve known about Ozone for years and I’m almost embarrassed to share that this was my first time. In fact, in 2012 when I was returning to Europe after I had to sell my coffee shop in Cape Town, I met with the owner, Lizz and almost worked with her in setting up this coffee shop. So, one Friday afternoon prior to meeting my cousin and her kids around the corner form Ozone, I rushed with my wife and daughter to finally visit Ozone. It was like I imagined as I have been following them for years. As you enter you can see their huge coffee roaster downstairs and moving further inside they have a dual bar, one for coffee and another food decked with an open kitchen – cool indeed. The decor is urban eatery with exposed brick and lots of light coming in with a mouthwatering breakfast menu too.

I walked around, shot a video for Instagram, bought a bag of their seasonal blend and ordered coffee of course. A delicious flat white – the kind of coffee that spoke to me saying “why haven’t you been here all this time”. Sigh! I plan to visit again and have breakfast in 2025 God willing.

Hjem, 157 Gloucester Road, South Kensington

A friend of mine said next time you’re in London, I have to take you to this Danish inspired coffee shop with pastries and good cofree too. Apparently, they have two in a very posh part of London, South Kensington – where millionaires reside. We went to the only one open just after New Year 2025. Apparently, the shop was started by a lady who saw an opportunity to offer good coffee to parents dropping their kids off at school in the morning and voila she now has two. We ordered their special pastries, like knotted brioche, which went well with their coffee from Climpson and Sons (a London roastery). A cute place to try out if you happen to be in the area, about 15 minutes’ walk from the Natural History Museum.

Guillam, Curzon Street, Mayfair

Tucked away in Mayfair (another hang out for the ultra-wealthy) I discovered this small coffee shop, recommended to me by a fiend in Dubai who has worked with them on supplying previous Yemeni coffee beans. As you enter, you are greeted by a friendly barista and a brew bar featuring a two-group cream coloured La Marzocco Linea with their logo on it, with their coffees on sale gracing the base.

I wandered around the coffee shop, took a video and pictures and placed two orders for one cortado for me and a flat white for my loyal daughter that loves hanging around with me in London.

Delicious and if you are in that part of London (near Green Park tube station, take a 5-minute walk and you won’t regret it). They also have 3 other coffee shops across London.

21 Grams, South Clapham

So just before heading to the airport on a cold, almost 0C day in London, I ventured to get my last cup of specialty coffee in London. About 10 minutes’ walk from where I was staying, 21 grams is familiar to me, having been there in 2023 but I was intrigued this time as their previous roaster, the Gentleman Barista coffee company is now bankrupt. I walked in to be greeted by a friendly lady barista, who made this well poured latte art delicious flat white using their house blend, roasted now by Liberty Coffee Company. A traditional looking neighbourhood coffee shop which now has 5 coffee shop.

February 7, 2012March 4, 2012

London Coffee Scene 2012: My Diary

Not the ideal time to pop to London in the middle of winter 2012, but I was tempted by a few opportunities just a couple of weeks back to visit London again – my fave city and my fave city for coffee of course. If you know me by now, you won’t be surprised to learn that my first stop was at Prufrock Coffee Shop on Leather Lane again, – well ! I had to take a look at the new Kees van der Westen Spirit espresso machine and drink coffee from it didn’t I ? Sadly, I forgot my camera at the hotel, so no pics of this beauty from me, but I can say, surprise, surprise that the flat white I had was good as usual. After my staple of Prufrock coffee, I went almost around the corner to St Ali, Clerkenwell, for lunch and coffee (again). The beetroot salad was delicious but I decided to spoil myself by ordering the Colombian Gaitania on an aeropress – naturally sweet, medium acidity and very pleasant to drink.

I decided to finish my day with a place that I’d dreamed about visiting, Tapped and Packed on 26 Rathbone Place in Central London. The vibe was English cool and although there were only two staff at the time, Louise, the main barista, managed to handle the small crowd that was pouring in at about 4pm. I sat down on a bench inside the cafe, flicked through the British newspapers, dug into my double stacked very English Victorian Sandwich Cake, spilling icing sugar onto the floor, washed down with some water, before savouring my 3rd Wave coffee, an El Salvador Finca La Fany, prepared on the Hario V60, roasted by Has Bean Roasters. I enjoyed my caramel sweet coffee.

Day 2 was a bit of a disaster on the coffee side, as after almost 4 hours of 1 interview, I didn’t get to taste coffee until 4pm – ahhhh ! now that’s a long time for me, but my coffee pangs were satisfied with a 150ml flat white at Speakeasy Espresso & Brew Bar, Coffee Smiths second shop, on 3 Lowndes Court, just off Carnaby Street in Central London. I also had the pleasure of having a nice Brazilian coffee (forgot the name), using the Filtro Brewer offered by the owners, Chris and Tim – thanks! Speakeasy decor is similar to most of the new coffee shops, but they’ve tried to arrange the seating in a manner that allows you to “speak easy – ily”, so most of the customers appear to be having meetings in hush hush tones – for a quieter meeting, there’s a downstairs seating area in the basement, airy and not stuffy at all. As with all the new age cafes, they’ve got a selection of coffees for you try to go with a handsome selection of cakes and pastries – all the lunch sarnies had gone.

From then on, I was kind off free to visit and sample coffees from different cafes, but I must confess, I confined myself to places that I had missed on my last coffee tour in April 2011.

Day 3, I headed off to unknown territory, Canary Wharf – Yes! after so many years of living and visiting London, I had never been to Canary Wharf. I must admit,it seemed a bit surreal – like Dubai in a way – new and straight roads with new buildings and skyscapers, BUT tucked in there was a superb coffee shop, who never compromise on quality and who seem to be raising the standard, in a tough city like London, for the expansion of high quality coffee and this can only be….

That is long for Taylor Street Baristas and NOT Taylor Saint Baristas (I thought it was the latter when I first saw the name). A very short history – Taylor St Baristas is made up off siblings, Nick, Laura and Andrew and have been operational for 7 years. Their first shop was in Richmond and they have just have opened their 8th shop (Exchange Tower in South Quays, about 10 minutes walk from their 7th shop in Canary Wharf). I was lucky enough to meet all three of them and I must say they were really friendly and warm – naturals. I think their characters together with their knack (English for talent/gift) for getting excellent locations, serving great coffee and their vision means that they have a long way to go on the road to more success. I promise a separate post on their Canary Wharf branch, which I went to twice.

I finished off Day 3 with a visit to Notes, Music & Coffee second shop, 36 Wellington Street in Covent Garden (I went to shop 1 in April 2011). The decor and ambience was reminiscent of a Parisian cafe and I told the owner Fabio that, whom I met for the first time – call it Continental cool. Well, they’ve been consistent with the gear here as they also have a La Marzocco Strada together with all the other stuff you’d expect as well as a selection of coffees. I could resist the temptation to order the Brazilian Capao (my favourite coffee of 2010), roasted by Square Mile Coffee Roasters, prepared on the V60. Although I enjoyed my coffee, I detected that this seasons’ harvest (probably from 2011), wasn’t on the same level as the 2009/2010 one, which completely blew my mind. I got an added bonus by bumping into Mr London Coffee Celebrity himself, James Hoffmann (Square Mile Coffee) after meeting with the UK operators of New Zealand outift, Ozone Coffee Roasters (Liz Bain and James). Slight digression, but Ozone Coffee Roasters are quite big in New Zealand and are planning on opening their first international shop this March in London, located at Leonard Street, just off the Old Street Circus bordering Shoreditch/Clerkenwell/the City.

For Day 4, it was off to the West End in Central London to do some shopping for the family and for my palate, so I stopped off at newbie Sensory Lab – sister shop of St Ali. Sensory Lab is on 75 Wigmore Street, just off St Christophers Place in the direction of Selfridges Department Store.

Sensory Lab is well kitted out with a Synesso Cyncra espresso machine, Uber Bolier to help accurately prepare aeropress, V60 coffees et al. They have a coffee menu with a selection of coffees. It is easy to be intimated by the decor as you enter the coffee shop with the rows of coffees, coffee equipment and blue grey walls, but all this will be softened by the attendant, friendly and knowledgeable staff. I went for my usual milk based morning drink, Cappuccino, made with St Ali’s Cult of Done Espresso.

With a nicely laid out stash of coffees, I couldn’t but, grab a bag of the Colombian Gaitania, that I had had earlier in the week.

took some pics and left for lunch on Australia Day at…

Kaffeine – where I enjoyed my scrumptious lunch “bufala mozzarella, spinach and chimichurri retro baguette (this was my second attempt, as it was sold out the day before), finished off with my best espresso of my trip, Square Mile Coffee Red Brick Espresso Blend – yum, full on. I really wanted to take a pic but Kaffeine was so packed, I barely got enough arm room to eat my sandwich. The staff, including Peter Dore-Smith (the owner), were completely swamped with customers queing and pouring in and out of the cafe.

After all the pics I’ve seen of the place, I had to make the trek to finish off my London cafe expedition with a visit to finally meet, Sang Ho (aka Korean Barista) at Tapped and Packed 114 Tottenham Court Road. Full as ever, from what I read, there was no space to sit down. The decor is brown, with a mirror used to list their coffees and prices. As you enter, all the seating area is along the windows dotted like a square shape. Next to the till, they have a coffee recipe for third wave coffee, where I was treated to an “on the house” Brazilian Capim Branco prepared on the Hario V60 by Sang Ho himself (a day before he was crowned barista champion in the South East England heats).

Next to the V60 station, there’s the uber cool, copper water tank, where regulars know this is where you get your water from. The pic at the top of this post is located just outside their shop, but I couldn’t resist snapping away at these flat whites, waiting on the side, prepared by their custom made Nuova Simonelli, with wooden porta-filters and trimmings.

After a brief chat with Sang Ho about coffee I realised that it was the end of my coffee tour. As I walked down Tottenham Court Road towards Oxford Street, I noticed lots of coffee shops, but if people knew about Tapped and Packed, near Warren Street Station, I don’t think they’ll compromise on their taste buds to buy coffee at the coffee chains and pretenders nearby.

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