Coffee Island

Coffee Island runs its Covent Garden shop from a unit in Orion House on Upper St Martin's Lane, on the busy stretch between Seven Dials and Leicester Square. The brand is an international speciality coffee chain with shops in Greece, Cyprus, Canada, Dubai and several other countries, and this is one of three London branches, alongside Southgate and Edgware.

The company's approach rests on direct trade with coffee producers, tasting every bean and what it calls artisan roasting, with a roasting curve tailored to each coffee. The house espresso blend combines Arabica from Brazil, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Ethiopia for a medium-dark roast with notes of citrus, chocolate and nuts, and it sits alongside single-estate coffees such as a Colombian from Tolima. Beans are ground to order at the counter, and the shelves carry whole beans, aluminium capsules compatible with Nespresso Original machines, Greek coffee, reusable cups and Hario brewing equipment for home baristas.

Speciality coffee shop on Upper St Martin's Lane

As a speciality coffee shop on Upper St Martin's Lane, it fills a useful gap between the quick high-street counters and the smaller independents of Seven Dials. Drinks can be taken away or enjoyed in, and the brand runs a Coffee Campus and a library of videos and guides that position it as an educator as well as a retailer. Breakfast and lunch items are available through the day alongside the coffee.

What to expect on a visit

The shop lists takeaway hours of 7.30am to 8.30pm daily, with online ordering for collection. Staff are used to talking customers through blends, origins and brewing methods, so it is a good place to buy beans as well as a cup. Leicester Square and Covent Garden underground stations are both a few minutes' walk. Nearby in St Martin's Courtyard, Fair Shot serves coffee with a social purpose, and more cafes in Covent Garden are listed in the directory.