The Best Coffee In Liverpool

Liverpool is a famously vibrant and creative city, and ever since being named the European Capital of Culture in 2008 it has been buoyed by a tide of investment and regeneration. Liverpool’s cultural history has seen creatives flood to the area, drawn by the universities and relative affordability, and with creatives and young professionals comes coffee.

Liverpool has the third most independent coffee shops (behind London and Glasgow) in the UK, and walking round the city that’s easy to believe. Quality coffee, inspired surroundings and a sense of community are the highlights of these places, and they contribute greatly to the originality of the city. If you are visiting Liverpool, here’s a guide to the best bolt-holes you can escape to, in between The Beatles tour and museum hopping.

Multi award winning and the undisputed king of the Liverpool coffee scene, Bold Street Coffee has been included in countdowns of the best coffee shops in the country, let alone Liverpool. Considered the place to go for a perfect flat white, Bold Street Coffee supports local creatives by showcasing the most interesting art and illustration Liverpool has to offer on its walls.

As a result, Bold Street Coffee has a trendy and quirky image, clearly aiming for an atmosphere of creative edginess while serving the best coffee possible. It’s definitely the sort of place you head to when you want a busy, vibrant and energetic experience, and it boasts a reputation for employing passionate and knowledgeable baristas.

Their success is sometimes put down to their La Marzocco FB80 coffee machine, hand-crafted in Florence to order, and the care they take in choosing and sourcing their beans. Whatever it is, they continue to get the formula right and are well worth a visit.

If you enjoyed the TV series Friends, you’re going to like this coffee shop. Set in the style of Central Perk rom the hit TV show, walking into the coffee shop is actually quite an exciting experience. You half expect a slightly grumpy, silver haired manager to be waiting for you behind the counter.

The décor is very familiar and they’ve obviously taken a good amount of time and research to ensure that they themed coffee shop isn’t cheap and tacky, but well thought out a good reflection of what we remember from the show. Episode’s of Friend’s playing on the TV adds a nice touch.

Unlike the series where the cast members ALWAYS seem to find a spot on the comfy sofas, you may have your work cut out and will have to rely on luck, extended elbows or sofa stalking to get your favourite spot.

The original coffee shop was opened in Hatton Garden and proved to be so popular that a new store has recently been opened in the heart of Chester.

Hidden above a mobile phone shop in Liverpool’s commercial shopping centre Liverpool One, Rococo is a slice of intrigue in an area of the city that is almost entirely monopolised by chains. Located in an unusual, beautiful building that was built in 1882 (although you’ll only notice this if you look up, as the shop below has installed a generic frontage), Rococo is equally attractive inside.

Rococo serves their own blend of Fairtrade coffee, regarding themselves as rescuing Liverpool from the doldrums of chain coffee shops. With nearly every manifestation of coffee present, from espresso to ginger nut flavoured lattes, they have comprehensive coffee menu that’s as happy serving sweet-toothed syrup fans as it is coffee purists.

Like Rococo, Leaf is situated in an extraordinary historic building which has been through various transformations. Built in an art deco style, Leaf is a huge space and spread over two floors, allowing plenty of room for the music events, vintage markets, and club nights that it hosts regularly. Being somewhere between a café, restaurant, tea room and bar, it’s hard to put your finger on exactly what Leaf is, except for the owners clear intention of making it a creative space.

Leaf, as is perhaps evident in its name, concerns itself primarily with a dizzying array of teas. However, the plus side of its multiple identities is that it offers so much more than this, and it’s a fitting destination whether you fancy lolling about for an afternoon or are preparing for a big night out. In terms of coffee, Leaf serves a locally roasted brew supplied by Joe Black Coffee, who provide museum, café and hotel coffee supplies to the area.

Relatively new, Lox and Caper can be found on Hanover Street and has quickly found itself a hit on TripAdviser. Pleasantly decked out, Lox and Caper’s overriding theme seems to be simplicity and unfussiness, with their food and drink menu providing fairly standard items done exceptionally well. With nearly every person who visits raving about the portions and quality in relation to the low prices, this is the place to head to when you need an ample meal with your coffee.

Replacing Duke Street Espresso, which was widely considered to serve some of the best coffee in the city before its closure, Filter and Fox have committed themselves to continuing to serve quality coffee in that space. Very new and (inevitably, this is an independent coffee shop after all) interestingly and tastefully designed, Filter and Fox have devised a venue with a double personality, much like Leaf.

While the nights are focused on the bar and cocktails, their days are devoted to food and coffee. However, in both guises they wish to be a hideaway and sanctuary for when rushing around a busy city gets too much, and with their passion for their product there’s every indication that they will achieve this aim.

Liverpool is a constantly shifting and evolving place, with a distinctive atmosphere of innovation and creativity. The coffee culture that has thrived there in recent years is a lens through which to observe the perpetual transformation of the city, and is a great way to experience the vivacity and energy that make Liverpool unique.