I'm in the UK (London area). Is there anything espresso-related I should buy that I can only find here? Any shops to check out? Too bad I can't just walk into the La Marzocco store, buy the cheaper UK Linea Micra, and have it work on 110v.

Where in London/the U.K. are you planning to be? What kind of coffee do you like? How long are you staying for?

I would suggest going to Monmouth Street, behind Covent Garden, and visiting Monmouth Coffee. They're a wonderful coffee roaster that has a small coffee shop on site. They have been there for many years and have very knowledgable staff. Covent Garden and it's surrounds are a lovely part of London if you can avoid the main square, which can get a bit touristy.

You may also want to go to Prufrock, the coffee shop owned by James Hoffman. They has an excellent lever machine you can chose, and also sell beans from Square Mile which are delicious.

In terms of things I would suggest doing in London that are not coffee-related, go to Borough Market and explore the various delicious foods on offer. Head to the Royal Opera House and see some theatre. Walk along the South Bank and visit the Tate. Go to Brick Lane and have a proper curry. If you like music, try and see something at the Union Chapel, it's a working church and also a beautiful music venue. Kew Gardens is wonderful if you are horticulturally-minded. Ottolenghi in Notting Hill or Islington is a great spot for lunch. I would also generally suggest avoiding the Tube (like the metro) and walking places instead, you'll see more of the city and are far more likely to stumble across something exciting you didn't know was there.

HH wrote:Where in London/the U.K. are you planning to be? What kind of coffee do you like? How long are you staying for?

I would suggest going to Monmouth Street, behind Covent Garden, and visiting Monmouth Coffee. They're a wonderful coffee roaster that has a small coffee shop on site. They have been there for many years and have very knowledgable staff. Covent Garden and it's surrounds are a lovely part of London if you can avoid the main square, which can get a bit touristy.

You may also want to go to Prufrock, the coffee shop owned by James Hoffman. They has an excellent lever machine you can chose, and also sell beans from Square Mile which are delicious.

In terms of things I would suggest doing in London that are not coffee-related, go to Borough Market and explore the various delicious foods on offer. Head to the Royal Opera House and see some theatre. Walk along the South Bank and visit the Tate. Go to Brick Lane and have a proper curry. If you like music, try and see something at the Union Chapel, it's a working church and also a beautiful music venue. Kew Gardens is wonderful if you are horticulturally-minded. Ottolenghi in Notting Hill or Islington is a great spot for lunch. I would also generally suggest avoiding the Tube (like the metro) and walking places instead, you'll see more of the city and are far more likely to stumble across something exciting you didn't know was there.

Thank you for taking the time to write all that. I'm staying in Royal Tunbridge Wells tonight. I don't have anything booked past tonight. I really like the idea of visiting James Hoffman's coffee shop and exploring from there. However, I have a rental car. I'll need to find a parking garage near on the outskirts of London near a tube station with a direct line to the City of London. It looks like Borough Market and Prufrock Coffee are walkable from each other.

flyingtoaster wrote:Thank you for taking the time to write all that

A pleasure! Have you managed to find some fun things to do? Are you still in London? Did you get stuck in the snow?!

I came home Sunday, but I went to Prufrock and Monmouth as you suggested. I also went to the Borough market. I had Spanish Paella and brought home some cured meats. It snowed, but the snow melted when it hit the ground. It was very cold though.

Here is my thread about the cafes I visited:

London Cafes