The Curious Traveler’s Guide to Cafes in London With a View

I’ve always felt that the plethora of beautiful cafes in London echoes the city’s vibe to perfection – rustic, pink, floral, neon…

We just have them all here.

Now that the weather is much sunnier, getting a breakfast, brunch, or just coffee with a view makes for the perfect start to the day.

The coffee shops I’ve chosen to share with you hold a special place in my heart, as they not only serve exceptional coffee but also provide really cool views of London – of the Thames, of the Canary Wharf skyscrapers, but not only.

Let’s embark on a journey to explore London’s cutest cafes – perfect to have a quick snack while discovering the city for the first time, and perfect for a relaxing breakfast with friends!

The Curious Traveler’s Guide to Cafes in London With a View

For the purposes of this guide, I have chosen to share a few places I personally know, and did not want to only share rooftop cafes.

If you’ve read guides on The Working Line before, then you know I’m not fond of mainstream places – I much prefer finding new secret cafes and bakeries!

Which is why you’ll find here a few cafes in London with a view you wouldn’t have expected… Keep reading and you’ll understand what I mean!

Best Cafes in London With A View: Oblix East, The Shard

Back when I used to work at Oblix at The Shard, one of London’s famous restaurants with a view, people would come in all the time without a reservation to have a seat at Oblix East in the morning.

There, you can have a simple coffee to enjoy the view – a great view at that, from the 32nd floor, with Tower Bridge in the background and miles upon miles of beautiful buildings.

PS. If you are looking to have lunch in Oblix West, you will have to book – walk-ins are not always possible!

What to do next?

• Pop by gorgeous hidden gems in London Bridge and Southwark
• Check out Bread Ahead Bakery in Borough Market for decadent doughnuts
• Visit Winchester Palace ruins, one of London’s medieval sites

Read: Deliciously Secret Places to Eat in Central London

Best Cafes in London With A View: St Katharine Docks Cafe, Tower Bridge

St Katharine Docks near Tower Bridge is one of my favorite places to enjoy nature in London, and why not do it with a coffee while you’re at it?

The St Katharine Docks Cafe offers anything from wraps to pastries, coffee and salads – with a view!

Fresh, instagrammable (especially the colorful croissants!), the coffee shop is a perfect place to start the day before you check out the following:

• Tower Bridge’s hidden gems
• The Aldgate area, a historic area part of the London Wall Trail, accessible about 15/20 mns away on foot

Read: Where to Have Lunch for £5 in London

Best Cafes in London With A View: Coffee Academy, Southbank

Coffee Academy on Southbank is one of my overall favorite cafes in London, for several reasons:

• It offers some of the best hot chocolate in London
• The selection of Crosstown Doughnuts is great, including the seasonal flavors (think pumpkin spice or almond fillings – both delicious!)
• It is part of the very unique shop Brand Academy, a perfect spot to get unusual gifts and souvenirs
• And it has a couple of tables on the outside – that’s it, only two/three tables in this coffee shop

Now, the view on the Thames is obstructed when you have coffee at Coffee Academy, but I’ve always felt it was a great spot to pop by for a snack when you’ve been walking around London Bridge all day.

Heck, I actually traveled all the way from North London, where I used to live, more than once just to have hot chocolate here!

What to do when you’re done at Coffee Academy? This:

• Pop by the Vendula London shop on Gabriel’s Wharf, a hidden gem filled with quirky handbags and accessories à la British style
• Visit the under bridge market closer to Waterloo, for a great selection of second hand books
• Visit the Southbank Centre, a bustling events centre and study spot in Southbank

Read: The Best Cheap Eats in Central London

Best Cafes in London With A View: Cafe Brera, Canary Wharf

Cafe Brera is an Italian cafe, bakery and restaurants with branches across London, namely in Canary Wharf and The City – and of course, for the views, you’ll want to check out the Canary Wharf locations.

In addition to Italian-flavored breakfast specialties, which span from cornetti to delicious bread, Cafe Brera also cooks up decadent Neapolitan pizza and pasta, along with a few more British items.

For those of you who would be looking for beautiful cafes in London with a view and colorful lattes, Cafe Brera is also the man for the job – beetroot, matcha, turmeric latte…

They just have them all.

My favorite location is the one in Westferry Circus, which also happens to be one of the must-visit places in Canary Wharf for views of the skyscrapers and the Thames river.

Just a great place to catch up on a Saturday morning with friends in London!

Read: The Most Instagrammable Restaurants in London

Best Cafes in London With A View: Cafe Below, Cheapside, City of London

Now, we’re straying a wee bit from cafes with a view of the Thames or the London skyscrapers and diving deep into a crypt with Cafe Below, at St Mary Le Bow on Cheapside.

If you’ve been here before, then you know that discovering secret churches in the City of London is one of my passions.

But, did you know there are many more church cafes in London than Host Cafe I wrote about a while back?

Host Cafe in St Mary Aldermary is also located in the City of London, close to St Paul’s and Watling Street, but both coffee shops have a very different vibe, with Host Cafe established inside the church, and Cafe Below established, well, below.

Whether you’re looking for breakfast or an excellent lunch, Cafe Below has you covered – on specific days, though.

From Tuesday to Thursday, you can enjoy breakfast made of banana bread, avocado toasts, house cured salmon or delicious pancakes.

Lunch is served from Monday to Friday, with a new menu each week – book on the Cafe Below website to be able to enjoy this quite affordable, yet super secret experience!

Read: The Prettiest Church Gardens in London

Best Cafes in London With A View: Cafe Piazza, Hay’s Galleria

Cafe Piazza in Hay’s Galleria is a cafe slash restaurant I have visited quite a number of times; it is, to this day, one of my favorite cafes with a view for breakfast.

The grilled banana bread itself is an item that I order every single time, and I cannot recommend it enough if you’re into this kind of pastry.

The hot chocolate there is also great, delicious with whipped cream and mini marshmallows…

But what makes Cafe Piazza a must-visit coffee shop is its terrace with a view of the now-converted, historic warehouse that is Hay’s Galleria.

On one side of Hay’s Galleria, you can easily reach London Bridge station, and on the other side, Tower Bridge and its cute little park where I love to go when I want to reflect, write, and read for a bit.

Cafe Piazza is open from breakfast to dinner, with a mix of Italian and British specialties – and the breakfast, brunch, and sweet treats have always been my favorite there.

Now, in terms of cafes in London with a view in the sense of ‘skyscraper’, ‘rooftop’ cafe, that’s not exactly it, but Cafe Piazza is still a must-visit in my book.

Read: The Cutest Floral Cafes in London

Best Cafes in London With A View: Tate Modern Museum Cafe, Southbank

The Tate Modern museum cafe is another one of these unassuming places that offer a gorgeous view – this time, on the famous landmark that is St Paul’s Cathedral.

St Paul’s Cathedral is obviously a must-visit if you’re into aesthetic buildings with Italianate style, but first, have coffee at the museum in the morning.

This is when the museum is at its emptiest – and when you’ll be able to have a seat.

In addition, if you would like to enjoy other views (as in, 360-degree and completely free views of London), get on top of the Blavatnik building at the Tate Modern, and you will access the viewing level.

A must if you’re visiting London on a budget!

Read: Bookish London Itinerary: 13 Cute Places to Visit

Best Cafes in London With A View: 640East, Canary Wharf

640East is another one of the more secret cafes in London with a view – secret if you don’t regularly visit Canary Wharf, that is.

Located on Montgomery Square, 640East is a specialty coffee shop and meeting space in the evening where you will find a curious hidden gem – the sculpture of a centaur which appears to be the reproduction of one you can find in Pompeii.

Having seen both of these sculptures, I have to admit it is the sculpture itself which attracted me to 640East in the first place, a spot simply made up of two huge converted containers.

However, the quaint, hidden courtyard in which you can chill with a Caravan Roasters coffee and a good book during the day is what keeps you going…

Along with the views of the skyscrapers, of course!

Read: The Curious Traveler’s Guide to Multicolor Places in London

Best Cafes in London With A View: Poplar Union, Poplar

Last in our guide, Poplar Union is currently one of my favorite secret coffee shops in London with a view, and one I was recommended to try by locals, on a day I was walking around Poplar and Tower Hamlets.

Poplar Union is everything – there’s no other way to put it.

Inside, the half classy, half community cafe doubles as an events venue, offers lots of seats and makes for the perfect study cafe in East London.

What is breathtaking, mind blowing even, is the quality of the handmade pastries – the cinnamon buns here are on a whole other level!

Poplar Union also has a terrace from which you have an immaculate view of Regent’s Canal on one side, and on the other side, a view of the nearby park and of the Canary Wharf skyscrapers in the distance.

Really one of the best kept secret cafes to have breakfast in East London – and those fresh pastries alone are worth the trip there.

Read: The Curious Traveler’s Guide to Fleet Street, City of London

The Curious Traveler’s Guide to Cafes in London With a View

There you have them, some of the best cafes in London with a view of the Thames, of the skyscrapers, or simply secret church cafes you would not expect to come across – like, ever!

Hopefully, you’ll have found here many gorgeous coffee shops to have brunch or breakfast, and if you need more help narrowing down a selection, do read these guides next:

• The Best Halal Cafes in London
• The Cutest Pink Cafes in London
• The Most Instagrammable Cafes in London

Until next time!

Curious Traveler’s Guides

• The Curious Traveler’s Guide to Spitalfields, East London
• The Curious Traveler’s Guide to Canary Wharf, East London
• The Curious Traveler’s Guide to Covent Garden, Central London
• The Curious Traveler’s Guide to Smithfield, City of London
• The Curious Traveler’s Guide to Bethnal Green, East London
• The Curious Traveler’s Guide to London’s Instagrammable Places

Other London Life

• How to Spend 24 Hours in London
• Living in London: Things I Have Learned Over the Years
• The Must Have Apps to Survive in London
• How to Save Money on Groceries in London
• How to Live in London on a Budget
• How to Eat in London on a Budget
• How to Make Friends in London
• How to Move to London – and Survive as an Expat
• The Best Tips for Student Budget in London
• The Things I Wish I Knew Before Going to London
• First Time Travel to London: All There is To Know
• London Travel Guides for Tourists and Locals
• How to Pack Your Suitcase for Digital Nomads
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Life in a Hostel
• How to Survive Life in a Hostel

Other London Travel

• The Cutest Pink Places in London
• The Most Colorful Places in London
• The Best Christmas Decorations in London
• The Poshest Areas in London
• The Prettiest Villages in London
• The Prettiest Mews in London
• The Prettiest Streets in London
• The Most Colorful Streets in Camden
• The Most Colorful Streets in Notting Hill
• The Prettiest Neighborhoods in London
• The Prettiest East London Neighborhoods
• Why Are There Colorful Streets in London?
• Where to See Christmas Decorations in London?
• Where to See Autumn Colors in London?
• The Best Harry Potter Locations in London

Secret London

• Artistic Hidden Gems in London, Statues & Secret Views
• The Best Hidden Gems in Brick Lane
• The Best Hidden Gems in Mayfair
• The Best Hidden Gems in Covent Garden
• The Best Hidden Gems in Oxford Street
• The Best Hidden Gems in North London
• The Best Hidden Gems in South London
• The Best Hidden Gems in East London
• The Best Hidden Gems in West London
• The Best Hidden Gems in London Bridge
• The Best Free Secret Gardens in London
• Chalcot Square Primrose Hill, London’s Most Colorful Spot
• St Dunstan in the East Church Ruins, A Must Visit in London

Other Things to Do in London

• The Best Things to Do in Canary Wharf
• The Best Things to Do in Soho
• The Best Things to Do in London Bridge
• The Best Things to Do in Camden Town
• The Best Romantic Date Ideas in London
• The Best Non Touristy Things to Do in London
• The Best Harry Potter Things to Do in London
• The Best Free Things to Do on London’s Central Line
• The Best Things to Do in London When It Rains

Other London Shopping

• The Best Charity Shops in London
• The Best Charity Shops in Bethnal Green
• The Best Charity Shops in Chelsea
• The Best Charity Shops in Kentish Town
• The Best Charity Shops in Camden Town
• The Best Charity Shops in Muswell Hill
• The Best Charity Shops in North Finchley
• The Most Beautiful Bookshops in London
• The Best Secondhand Bookshops in London
• The Best Shops on Oxford Street
• The Best Shops in Covent Garden
• The Most Unique Shops in London
• The Best British Shops in London
• The Best Cheap Clothing Shops in London
• The Best Budget Shops in London
• The Best Candle Shops in London
• The Best Stationery Shops in London
• The Best Shopping Centers in London
• The Prettiest Shopping Arcades in London
• The Biggest TK Maxx in London
• The Best Things to Buy in London
• The Best Harry Potter Shops in London
• The Prettiest Christmas Shop Windows in London
• London’s Prettiest Department Store: Harrods Egyptian Hall
• Bath and Body Works Shop at Next Westfield

Other London Food

• The Most Aesthetic Restaurants in London With Statues
• The Most Maximalist Restaurants in London
• The Best Italian Restaurants in London Bridge
• The Best Neapolitan Pizza in Central London
• The Best Neapolitan Pizza in London
• The Cheapest Pizza Spots in London
• The Most Beautiful Restaurants in Mayfair
• The Best Restaurants in Balham
• The Best Restaurants in Knightsbridge
• The Best Restaurants in Whitechapel
• The Best Restaurants in Walthamstow
• The Best Pho Restaurants in London
• The Best Vegan Breakfast in London

Other London Cafes

• The Cutest Pink Cafes in London
• The Best Bookshop Cafes in London
• The Best Colorful Lattes in London
• The Best Breakfast in Notting Hill
• The Best Breakfast in East London
• The Best Brunch in King’s Cross
• The Best Brunch in London Bridge
• The Best Italian Cafes in London
• The Best Cafes in London Bridge
• The Best Cafes in Shoreditch
• The Best Cafes in Brixton
• The Best Cat Cafes in London

Other London Bakeries

• The Cutest Bakeries in London
• The Best French Bakeries in London
• The Best Vegan Bakeries in London
• The Best Gluten Free Bakeries in London
• The Best Bagels in London
• The Best Cinnamon Buns in London
• The Best Croissants in London
• The Best Macarons in London
• The Best Cupcakes in London
• The Best Cookies in London
• The Best Pastel de Nata in London
• The Best Ice Cream in London
• The Best Doughnuts in London
• The Best Vegan Doughnuts in London

PIN IT FOR LATER