What is better than a cup of coffee to kick off your day, or a coffee break with friends after a study session in the library? I personally believe that drinking (good) coffee just makes life nicer! This is why, in this blog, I decided to share with you my personal favourites around LSE and on campus.

1. Monmouth Coffee Company

Located in Covent Garden, a 15-minute walk away from LSE, this small and cosy place offers ethically traded, succulent coffee. The beans come from individual farms and are roasted in the company’s roastery in Bermondsey. Monmouth also offers filter coffee on top of its regular cappuccinos, espressos and lattes. I only tried the cappuccino, but by looking at the success of their filter coffees, I would definitely recommend you to try both! The price range is pretty standard in London, with cappuccinos sold at £2.90. The only downside is that, even though it is very homey inside, it only offers takeaway coffee for the moment, due to COVID. However, this should not hold you back from trying their excellent coffee whilst out on a stroll in Covent Garden.

2. The Espresso Room

Right around the corner of Lincoln Inn’s Fields, this small coffee place offers what I would rate as one of the best cappuccinos in London. The taste is more bitter and acid than the previous coffee mentioned earlier, which was rather mild. So this would suit people who prefer strong coffee. Also, the foam is always perfectly made, featuring a nice drawing, which I find very satisfying! The Espresso Room is slightly more expensive than Monmouth Coffee Company, with the cappuccino sold at £3, but still average in comparison to London prices. Just like Monmouth, you can only sit outside, because there isn’t enough space inside. So a place to go perhaps in the spring or summer, or to grab a coffee on the way to campus.

3. The Beaver’s Brew Cafe

On the ground floor of LSE’s brand new Marshall Building, you will find the Beavers Brew Cafe, a sustainable coffee shop with quality smoothies and juices on top of the regular hot drinks such as cappuccinos, lattes and flat whites. The prices are unbeatable. Keeping with the cappuccino as our benchmark, they are sold here at £2.35. And if you bring your own cup, you even get a discount!  The café also offers a wide range of non-dairy options, such as soya and oat milk. The coffee taste is strong, I would say at a good middle ground between the two previous options.