Paddington in London is a magnet for visitors, thanks to its excellent transport links and affordable hotels. Whether you’re staying locally, waiting for a train or on a flying visit during a layover at Heathrow, there are lots of good reasons to search out the best coffee shops and cafes in Paddington.
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Coffee Shops and Cafes in Paddington London
Paddington in west London is a convenient, affordable location for visitors. And it’s one of the most useful travel hubs in the city.
Lying just to the north of Hyde Park and Kensington it’s only 10 mins by tube to Oxford Street. And Paddington train station is a gateway to the England countryside. From here you can take rail trips to Windsor, Bath, Oxford and Penzance in Cornwall.
Add to this Paddington’s mix of contemporary work and living spaces, leafy garden squares and waterside paths by the Grand Union canal and you can see it’s worth a visit.
I go through Paddington regularly to see friends or to catch a train. So I get plenty of opportunities to try out the coffee shops and cafes in Paddington London.
Independent Cafes in Paddington
Praed Street is the bustling highway in front of Paddington station. It has takeaways and souvenir shops and it’s maybe not the place you’d expect to find the best cafes or a great coffee…. But you certainly can! You can enjoy some of the best Paddington cafes and delicious food in Praed Street itself and the quieter roads to either side.
Treelogy Speciality Coffee
Why visit? Coffee for connoisseurs
Right next door to the station, Treelogy is perfectly placed to grab a considered coffee for the train, or to set up your laptop to get a bit of work done. This stylish Paddington coffee shop has a faithful following of locals, and the friendly staff know their regular orders.
Treelogy is all about the highest quality, ethically-sourced, in-house roasted beans. And they’ve a range in stock to take away, including some rarities. Buy a bag of your favourite blend and they’ll grind it to your preference. The coffee bar has 12 filter coffee options, along with a selection of teas, four different strengths of hot chocolate and two matchas, there’s plenty of choice here. And it’d be silly not to try the bagels, foccacia sandwiches or delicious cakes. Get there early for the fresh-baked cinnamon buns with pistachio!
By the way, Treelogy is easy to find, it’s right beside the Real Time Paddington clock by Maarten Baas. If you haven’t seen it in action that’s the perfect excuse to stop for a coffee. Keep your eye on the time as a figure inside the clock face wipes clean and re-draws the hands as each minute passes.
Harrison’s Coffee
Why visit? Coffee the Chilean way
Just a few minutes from the busy heart of Paddington is a leafier vibe. Harrison’s Coffee at the southern end of Spring Street is in a handsome terrace of period townhouses. Here you can relax at a pavement table or settle in for a cosy meal inside. Harrison’s serves good coffee, teas, chais and matchas with home-baked Chilean cakes. Favourite picks include the lemon pies, alfajores or torta hojarasca con manjar, the 1000 layer cake in which crispy layers are sandwiched with a gooey dulce de leche.
If that hasn’t set your tastebuds whirling Harrison’s also offer home-made empanadas and a Chilean-inspired menu that includes their home-baked Chilean bread. It’s a perfect place if you’re looking for Paddington cafes serving distinctive breakfast and lunch dishes.
Mihbaj Café & Kitchen
Why visit? Modern Middle-Eastern menu
Mihbaj is a hidden gem on Praed Street, just opposite the station. You get a decent cup of Union coffee here, plus leaf teas, matcha or smoothies. The Middle-Eastern/Palestinian menu is tempting and gets great reviews. This cosy cafe has a brightly cushioned little indoor/outdoor annexe at the back with outdoor heaters, plus a downstairs level too. Mihbaj is open until 8pm, it’s one of the Paddington cafés where you can have breakfast and and early supper!
Bonne Bouche coffee shop
Why visit? Traditional pastries and baguettes
This family-owned patisserie business has been baking bread and pastries for more than 50 years. It has five shops and cafes in the capital selling freshly made baguettes, quiches, gateaux and pastries. Longtime owner, Rolf Biller, trained in Germany and Switzerland and created some of their best selling recipes like the nougat twist or the cinnamon’y brezel. You’ll also get a Full English breakfast here and traditional British snacks like scones with butter and Eccles cakes.
Les Filles
Why visit? Vegan and gluten-free friendly
Strictly speaking Les Filles is nearer to Lancaster Gate than Paddington. But it’s worth a detour if you’re looking for vegan and gluten-free options on the menu, including cakes. And it’s ideally positioned for a walk afterwards in Hyde Park’s Italian Gardens. This cosy cafe serves delicious coffee by Allpress, matcha and tumeric lattes plus seasonal drinks like iced Moroccan mint tea along with lots of breakfast and brunch dishes. There’s wine and cocktails too!
Cafes in Paddington Basin
Recent development in Paddington Basin has created new offices, homes, outdoor spaces and a surprising number of art installations. It’s a new place to relax outdoors in central London. The towpath here is a scenic route to Little Venice where the Grand Union meets the Regent’s canal. And this is where you’ll find a choice of waterside Paddington cafes. Sprawling Paddington station lies between Paddington Basin and Praed Street; to get to the right place, follow signs in the station concourse to the Grand Union canal.
Bar Torelli
Why visit? Italian coffee dispensed from an Airstream.
Perfect for a sunny day and good as well if you want a reasonably-priced coffee and snack to grab and go. Bar Torelli serves Italian coffee from Naples and yummy Italian pastries and toasted foccacia. It has lagers, Pimms and Aperol spritzes too on the drinks menu. And outdoor benches for canal-side sunning.
Canal Side Walk, Paddington Basin W2 1AS
Daisy Green cafes Paddington
Daisy Green, an independent family business from Australia, has locations across London celebrating Aussie food and coffee. You can find several of its restaurants and cafes in Paddington.
Why visit? Aussie cafe vibes
Beany Green
A roomy canal-side cafe where you can enjoy coffee, lamingtons or a healthy lunch. Sit by the big windows for a leafy view of the Paddington arm of the Grand Union canal. It has an outdoor terrace too with a view of the enigmatic and life-sized Two Figures sculpture by Sean Henry.
Sheldon Square, Paddington Central W2 6EZ
Darcie & May Green
Two narrowboats are moored in Paddington Basin with custom pop art exterior decor by Peter Blake no less. May Green serves the coffees, craft beers and cocktails, whilst Darcie Green has an Aussie-inspired dining menu. With tables on the lower decks and a shared upper-deck roof terrace they’re a perfect setting for brunch with Bloody Marys and summer evening suppers on hot days.
Sheldon Square, Paddington Central W2 6DS
More coffee shops in Paddington Basin
Black Sheep Coffee A branch of this well-liked chain, serving its wide range from pistachio lattes to Earl Grey tea, is just 2 minutes walk from the canal side at 2 Kingdom St, Paddington Central W2 6BD
GAIL’s Bakery A big branch of GAIL’s overlooks the canal with bread freshly baked on the premises, soups, sandwiches, sausage rolls and cakes. Plenty of outdoor tables too. 4 Canalside, Paddington Basin, W2 1LA
Coffee shops in Paddington station
You’ll find a full complement of your favourite big brand coffee shops in Paddington station: Caffè Nero, Costa, Starbucks, FCB and the Italian coffee chain, Caffe Ritazza. Handy when you’re in a hurry and need to grab a quick coffee to take on a train.
You can’t write about Paddington without mentioning Paddington Bear, the children’s storybook and movie character who arrives in Paddington station from Darkest Peru. You’ll come across Paddington Bear statues as you walk around the area and a shop full of merchandise in Paddington station. Until recently the concourse was home to a Bear-themed cafe too, but that is now a branch of FCB coffee in Paddington.
Please note that all visitor information here is for guidance only. Please check the relevant websites for the most up to date information eg. accommodation details, tickets, entrance requirements, opening times etc.
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About the author Nancy Roberts is a former women’s magazine editor and writer. She lives in London and is mum to two 20-something boys. In Map&Family she shares info and inspiration for curious travellers: singles and couples as well as families travelling with teens and young adults.
All photos are all rights reserved. Please do not reproduce these photos without prior written permission
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