London: Cool Cafes & Bakeries

Often described as the original Instagram café. Opened in 2010 on the corner of Elizabeth Street and Ebury Street by cake designer Peggy Porschen. The pastel-pink façade is reset seasonally with floral installations. Award-winning layer cakes, cupcakes and a brunch menu sit alongside a seasonal afternoon tea.

A pioneering British speciality-coffee roaster since 1978, with its original site on Monmouth Street in Covent Garden. The Borough Market shop has operated since the late 1990s. Beans are sourced from single farms and roasted in nearby Bermondsey. Espresso is made with full-fat milk, and brewed single-cone filter coffee is the house signature.

A family-run tea room opened in 2012 on Kensington Church Street, a short walk from Kensington Palace. Known for honest pricing, with over 50 loose-leaf teas and freshly baked scones. The cosy interior features vintage china, mismatched antique furniture and a grand piano that plays old-timey music.

Founded in 2004 by Tarek Malouf on Portobello Road after a Thanksgiving trip to the United States. Credited with introducing Red Velvet cake to the British mainstream. The Notting Hill flagship has a marble interior, decorating station and the full range of signature cakes. Five branches operate across London.

Founded in 2014 by Henry Ayers and Edward Parkes in London's East End, inspired by the tagline that 'manners are key'. Now operates nine coffee houses across London and a state-of-the-art roastery in Stratford. The Union Street flagship near Borough Market serves award-winning speciality coffee alongside pastries and simple sandwiches.