Guide to community cafés in London

Guide to community cafés in London

London may be chock full of chain food and drink options, but if you look beyond the bustling high streets, you’ll find an independent community café scene that does a lot more than simply serve a great cup of coffee. From vegan social enterprise cafés to cafés donating a percentage of profits to a charity of their choice, here’s where to go for a decent cup of brew where you can give back to the local community at the same time.

In this guide
  1. Community cafés in London
    1. Root/25 – A coffee house, arts and community space in Bow
    2. Grow – Middle-Eastern grub along the canal
    3. Redemption Roasters – The world's first behind-bars coffee company
    4. Café Van Gogh – Vegan and zero-waste
    5. Haggerston Perk – Training for people with learning disabilities
    6. Paper and Cup – Training homeless people and those suffering with addiction
    7. 215 Hackney – Protecting children affected by war
    8. Luminary Bakery – Working with disadvantaged women
    9. Good Company – Sustainable tap café
    10. The Sound Lounge – Good vibes for all

Community cafés in London

Root/25

A coffee house, arts and community space in Bow

Root/25 is a non-profit café that doubles as an arts and events space. It's also home to Restless Beings, an international human rights organisation supported by the café’s earnings. The menu is eclectic, featuring everything from quiches and cakes to food inspired by the Islamic world.

Grow

Middle-Eastern grub along the canal

You’ll find Grow located along the canal in Hackney Wick featuring pretty views of the canal and surrounding area. They’re independently-run and pride themselves on putting people and the planet over making a profit. The menu is inspired by Middle-Eastern fare and there’s often a host of events taking place, like live music and open mic nights.

Redemption Roasters Bloomsbury Redemption Roasters Broadgate Circle Redemption Roasters Dulwich Village Redemption Roasters Farringdon Redemption Roasters Holborn Redemption Roasters Islington High Street Redemption Roasters King's Cross Redemption Roasters Hampstead Heath Redemption Roasters Piccadilly Redemption Roasters Covent Garden Redemption Roasters Perrin's Court Redemption Roasters Muswell Hill Redemption Roasters St Giles High Street
Redemption Roasters Bloomsbury
redemptionroasters.com/locations/bloomsbury
Redemption Roasters Broadgate Circle
redemptionroasters.com/locations/broadgate-circle/#
Redemption Roasters Dulwich Village
redemptionroasters.com
Redemption Roasters Farringdon
redemptionroasters.com
Redemption Roasters Holborn
redemptionroasters.com
Redemption Roasters Islington High Street
redemptionroasters.com
Redemption Roasters King's Cross
redemptionroasters.com
Redemption Roasters Hampstead Heath
redemptionroasters.com/locations/hampstead-heath
Redemption Roasters Piccadilly
redemptionroasters.com
Redemption Roasters Covent Garden
redemptionroasters.com/locations/covent-garden
Redemption Roasters Perrin's Court
redemptionroasters.com
Redemption Roasters Muswell Hill
redemptionroasters.com
Redemption Roasters St Giles High Street
redemptionroasters.com
Redemption Roasters Bloomsbury Redemption Roasters Broadgate Circle Redemption Roasters Dulwich Village Redemption Roasters Farringdon Redemption Roasters Holborn Redemption Roasters Islington High Street Redemption Roasters King's Cross Redemption Roasters Hampstead Heath Redemption Roasters Piccadilly Redemption Roasters Covent Garden Redemption Roasters Perrin's Court Redemption Roasters Muswell Hill Redemption Roasters St Giles High Street

The world's first behind-bars coffee company

Redemption Roasters is a prison-based coffee roaster that aims to help reduce re-offending rates by providing prisoners with coffee industry skills and even going on to help them secure jobs once they’re released. They have a handful of shops but their original two-floor spot in Bloomsbury is a firm favourite to grab espresso or a filter-based speciality coffee.

  • 84b Lamb's Conduit St, Bloomsbury The Pavilion, 3 Broadgate, The City/City of London 29 Dulwich Village 55 Long Ln, The City/City of London 71 Lincoln's Inn Fields, Holborn 96-98 Islington High St, Islington Lower Stable Street, King's Cross 53 S End Rd, Hampstead 35 Jermyn St, Westminster 40 Drury Ln, Covent Garden 14 Perrin's Ct, Hampstead 119 Muswell Hill Rd, Haringey 56 St Giles High St
    Redemption Roasters Bloomsbury
    84b Lamb's Conduit St, Bloomsbury
    Redemption Roasters Broadgate Circle
    The Pavilion, 3 Broadgate, The City/City of London
    Redemption Roasters Dulwich Village
    29 Dulwich Village
    Redemption Roasters Farringdon
    55 Long Ln, The City/City of London
    Redemption Roasters Holborn
    71 Lincoln's Inn Fields, Holborn
    Redemption Roasters Islington High Street
    96-98 Islington High St, Islington
    Redemption Roasters King's Cross
    Lower Stable Street, King's Cross
    Redemption Roasters Hampstead Heath
    53 S End Rd, Hampstead
    Redemption Roasters Piccadilly
    35 Jermyn St, Westminster
    Redemption Roasters Covent Garden
    40 Drury Ln, Covent Garden
    Redemption Roasters Perrin's Court
    14 Perrin's Ct, Hampstead
    Redemption Roasters Muswell Hill
    119 Muswell Hill Rd, Haringey
    Redemption Roasters St Giles High Street
    56 St Giles High St
  • Redemption Roasters Bloomsbury
    redemptionroasters.com/locations/bloomsbury
    Redemption Roasters Broadgate Circle
    redemptionroasters.com/locations/broadgate-circle/#
    Redemption Roasters Dulwich Village
    redemptionroasters.com
    Redemption Roasters Farringdon
    redemptionroasters.com
    Redemption Roasters Holborn
    redemptionroasters.com
    Redemption Roasters Islington High Street
    redemptionroasters.com
    Redemption Roasters King's Cross
    redemptionroasters.com
    Redemption Roasters Hampstead Heath
    redemptionroasters.com/locations/hampstead-heath
    Redemption Roasters Piccadilly
    redemptionroasters.com
    Redemption Roasters Covent Garden
    redemptionroasters.com/locations/covent-garden
    Redemption Roasters Perrin's Court
    redemptionroasters.com
    Redemption Roasters Muswell Hill
    redemptionroasters.com
    Redemption Roasters St Giles High Street
    redemptionroasters.com
    Redemption Roasters Covent Garden
    020-452 482 20
  • Redemption Roasters Bloomsbury Redemption Roasters Broadgate Circle Redemption Roasters Dulwich Village Redemption Roasters Farringdon Redemption Roasters Holborn Redemption Roasters Islington High Street Redemption Roasters King's Cross Redemption Roasters Hampstead Heath Redemption Roasters Piccadilly Redemption Roasters Covent Garden Redemption Roasters Perrin's Court Redemption Roasters Muswell Hill Redemption Roasters St Giles High Street
Café Van Gogh – Community cafés
Café Van Gogh
Café Van Gogh – Community cafés
Café Van Gogh
Café Van Gogh – Community cafés
Café Van Gogh
Café Van Gogh – Community cafés
Café Van Gogh
Café Van Gogh – Community cafés
Café Van Gogh
Café Van Gogh – Community cafés
Café Van Gogh

Café Van Gogh

Vegan and zero-waste

Café Van Gogh is a non-profit vegan spot in the heart of Brixton that works in partnership with a charity to provide employment training for adults with mental health problems and learning disabilities. They use compostable coffee cups and takeaway packaging and are consistently working towards being a totally zero-waste café.

Haggerston Perk

Training for people with learning disabilities

This social enterprise café is run by Tower Project and functions to empower and provide training opportunities for people who have a learning disability in Goldsmith Row. They serve a menu of coffee, cakes, baked treats and other lunch-style dishes in a warm and welcoming environment.

Paper and Cup

Training homeless people and those suffering with addiction

Paper and Cup is a social enterprise coffee shop that trains homeless people and people in recovery from addiction and preps them to learn new skills and gain work experience to eventually become a barista. They serve a menu of speciality coffee and snacks as well as a range of second-hand items.

215 Hackney

Protecting children affected by war

Aside from selling one of the best croissants in the city, 215 Hackney is certainly doing their bit when it comes to giving back. They donate a whopping 20% of their profits to War Child, a charity that works to ensure a safe future for every child living through war. They also serve an excellent menu of Middle Eastern fare, like traditional Israeli shakshuka and Jerusalem bagels.

Luminary Bakery Camden Luminary Bakery Stoke Newington
Luminary Bakery Camden
luminarybakery.com
Luminary Bakery Stoke Newington
luminarybakery.com
Luminary Bakery Camden Luminary Bakery Stoke Newington

Working with disadvantaged women

Luminary Bakery is a social enterprise bakery that provides opportunities to disadvantaged women in the city. They work with women who have experienced more than one disadvantage, such as domestic abuse, sexual exploitation and trafficking, and equip them with the tools to prepare for employment in a safe and trauma-informed environment. They serve a menu of sweet treats and coffee in a welcoming setting in their London venues.

  • 47 Chalk Farm Rd, Camden Town 71 Allen Rd, Stoke Newington
    Luminary Bakery Camden
    47 Chalk Farm Rd, Camden Town
    Luminary Bakery Stoke Newington
    71 Allen Rd, Stoke Newington
  • Luminary Bakery Camden
    luminarybakery.com
    Luminary Bakery Stoke Newington
    luminarybakery.com
    Luminary Bakery Camden
    020-768 697 79
    Luminary Bakery Stoke Newington
    020-768 697 79
  • Luminary Bakery Camden Luminary Bakery Stoke Newington

Good Company

Sustainable tap café

Good Company is a partnership between Change Please, a social enterprise coffee shop concept, and sustainable brewer Toast Ale. The establishment provides a diverse range of food options throughout the day, including breakfast and cakes supplied by Breadwinners, a social enterprise that supports refugees. The lunch and dinner menu offer a selection of sandwiches, salads, and hot pies, complemented by Toast Ale's beer, which uses surplus bread in its brewing, and Change Please's coffee, which puts back 100% of its profits into helping the homeless. Additionally, Good Company regularly hosts events, and customers are encouraged to contribute to the schedule.

The Sound Lounge

Good vibes for all

Having relocated to Sutton from Tooting, The Sound Lounge is a grassroots music venue with a strong emphasis on sustainability and community. Certified carbon neutral and encompassing a café, bar, and stage, the venue serves plant-based food and reinvests its profits back into the community through various projects, workshops, and trainings for those living with disadvantages.

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Editors

At Thatsup, we have extensive experience of guiding our readers to a city’s hidden gems. Since 2008, our editors have been writing insightful guides covering restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, and hairdressers, among other things. Our guides consist of carefully selected tips based on our local knowledge and are regularly updated with the help of our focus group, where we collectively discuss selections and content. We are constantly working to inspire and provide you with the best possible experience, no matter where you are or what you are looking for.