2015 Awards – Best Coffee Spot near a Railway Station

Making a V60 pour-over at Coffee Affair, Queenstown Road Station.Our third shortlist today is the shortlist for the “Best Coffee Spot near a Railway Station”. This was won in 2014 by Coffee Affair at Queenstown Road station, and rewards those Coffee Spots serving great coffee to desperate travellers on Britain’s rail network.

When you’re desperate for good coffee, railway stations are rarely the best places to be. But what if there was a great Coffee Spot just outside the station (or even in the concourse!) or a few minutes’ walk away and you didn’t know about it? Then this award is for you…

You can see the shortlist after the gallery.

  • Bath's Forum Coffee House, just a short walk from the station.
  • Flying Coffee Bean, a much improved chain which has a branch on Guildford station.
  • Noble Espresso, just outside the back of King's Cross and a boon for many a traveller.
  • Cafe Coho, Queens Road, a hop, skip and a jump from Brighton station.
  • Beany Green, a welcome addition just outside the back of Liverpool Street Station.
  • Electric Coffee Company, almost on top of Ealing station.
  • Beany Green, a few minutes' walk from Euston Station in Regent's Place.
  • Lanark Coffee, on the other side of King's Cross, a good option if Noble Espresso is closed.
  • Notes, King's Cross, a good option if Noble Espresso and Lanark Coffee are closed!
  • Kioskafe, a welcome addition to the Paddington area & a few minutes' walk along Praed St.
  • Jika Jika, Euston Square, a good option if Beany Green is closed!
  • Notes, Canary Wharf, on the concourse of the underground station itself.
Bath's Forum Coffee House, just a short walk from the station.1 Flying Coffee Bean, a much improved chain which has a branch on Guildford station.2 Noble Espresso, just outside the back of King's Cross and a boon for many a traveller.3 Cafe Coho, Queens Road, a hop, skip and a jump from Brighton station.4 Beany Green, a welcome addition just outside the back of Liverpool Street Station.5 Electric Coffee Company, almost on top of Ealing station.6 Beany Green, a few minutes' walk from Euston Station in Regent's Place.7 Lanark Coffee, on the other side of King's Cross, a good option if Noble Espresso is closed.8 Notes, King's Cross, a good option if Noble Espresso and Lanark Coffee are closed!9 Kioskafe, a welcome addition to the Paddington area & a few minutes' walk along Praed St.10 Jika Jika, Euston Square, a good option if Beany Green is closed!11 Notes, Canary Wharf, on the concourse of the underground station itself.12
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There are 12 Coffee Spots on the shortlist this year, all listed in order of publication.

The Forum Coffee House logo, with a drawing of a Chemex coffee brewer between the words "Coffee" and "House".Forum Coffee House

Just a short walk away from Bath station, the delightful Forum Coffee House is worth a visit in its own right, but it’s also close enough to the station so that you can pop in for a quick coffee if you’re waiting for your train. Forum Coffee House was also shortlisted for the Most Popular Coffee Spot Award.

The FCB Logo: the letters "FCB" in white in the centre of an orange circle, with "Artisan Espresso Bars" in white around the circumference.Flying Coffee Bean, Guildford

The Flying Coffee Bean is a chain of outlets on stations in the south east which has made great strides over the last couple of years. The one on Guildford station serves consistently good coffee to commuters, but you can also get a platform pass and sneak onto Platform Two to sample the coffee if you like. The Flying Coffee Bean was also shortlisted for the Best Takeaway Coffee Award.

A black pop-up gazebo shelters a wooden counter holding a grinder and espresso machineNoble Espresso

Whatever the weather, the wonderful Noble Espresso out the back of King’s Cross Station is there to serve you coffee from a regularly-rotating cast of roasters, putting many indoor coffee shsops to shame. Best for the morning commute, it sadly shuts before the main afternoon rush. Noble Espresso was also shortlisted for Best Takeaway Coffee and Most Passionate About Coffee Awards.

The back room at Cafe Coho with the morning sun streaming in through the window.Café Coho, Queens Road

The wonderful Café Coho in Brighton is just a couple of minutes’ walk down the Queens Road from Brighton Station, although there are a couple of good options on the station concourse itself these days. However, if you’ve got the time and want to sit down, then Café Coho is for you. The food is particularly good, which is what got Café Coho shortlisted for the Best Breakfast Award.

A flat white at Beany Green in Broadgate Circle, with the latte art holding its pattern all the way down to the bottom of the cup.Beany Green, Liverpool Street

The latest of the Beany Green chain opened its doors earlier this year in the newly refurbished Broadgate Circle, just northwest of Liverpool Street Station. Open late into the evenings and at the weekends, it’s ideal for either morning or evening commutes or if you’re popping into London at the weekend. Beany Green was also shortlisted for the Best Takeaway Coffee and Most Popular Coffee Spot Awards.

A flat white in a classic black cup at the Electric Coffee Company in Ealing.Electric Coffee Company

Ealing Station, at the end of the District and Central Lines and just a short ride from Paddington, doesn’t actually house the Electric Coffee Company. Instead,. leave the station, turn right and you’re there. It’s also handy for the buses! Serving espresso and filter coffee, all roasted in-house, the Electric Coffee Company is a real treat. The Electric Coffee Company was also shortlisted for the Happiest Staff, Best Breakfast and Coffee Spot Special Awards.

A pair of multi-coloured, Beany Green banana-themed deckchairs. Each bears the slogan "Your banana needs you" although the word banana is replaced with the picture of a partially-peeled banana.Beany Green, Euston

The second Beany Green nominee is in Regent’s Place, just a few minutes’ walk west of London Euston station and the ideal escape from what is not one of the capital’s best stations. It makes the perfect spot to kill time if you have a long wait for a train or want to grab something to take on the journey. Beany Green was also shortlisted for the Best Takeaway Coffee and Happiest Staff Awards.

Note's slogan on the wall at King's Cross: Coffee for Early Birds, Wine for Night Owls.Notes, King’s Cross

One of the stylish new branches of Notes, this is a destination in itself as well as a good sit-down alternative to Noble Espresso. It’s also handy in the evenings when everywhere else is closed. Head for Noble, then keep going and you’ll find Notes on Pancras Square. My personal favourite spot is upstairs in the mezzanine, but outside is good as long as it’s not raining! Talking of which, Notes was also shortlisted for the Best Outdoor Seating Award.

Shot of a tulip cup on a black saucer, taken from above. The coffee is almost gone, but the latte art pattern, a tulip, is still plainly visible in the remainder of the milk in the bottom of the cup.Lanark Coffee

Earlier this year, Lanark Coffee took over the old Drink, Shop, Dash, bringing its stripped-back coffee-focused look to King’s Cross. On the opposite side of the station from Noble Espresso, it’s another good option, particularly if you have time to sit down. If not, grab your coffee and go, and, if you’re really in a hurry, try the bulk-brew filter. Lanark has also been shortlisted for the Smallest Coffee Spot Award.

A stylised speech bubble drawn as a human face.Kioskafé

2015 was a good year for London’s station as Kioskafé moved in just down the street from Paddington. A cross between a coffee shop and newsagent, Kioskafé is another destination in itself, but also a good option if you’re stuck at Paddington. Alternatively, if you’re arriving by tube from the south/east, get off at Edgeware Road & pop in on your way by. Kioskafé was also shortlisted for the Best Takeaway Coffee Award.

A flat white in the sun, seen from directly above, at Jika Jika on Euston Square.Jika Jika, Euston Square

Jika Jika, which started life in Bath, has been around for a while, bringing Origin coffee to the capital all the way from Cornwall. It’s just around the corner from Euston Square tube station and makes a great option for Euston Station itself, particularly when Beany Green is closed (weekends and evenings). Jika Jika was also shortlisted for the Best Takeaway Coffee Award.

Amazing latte art in my JOCO Cup at Notes, Canary Wharf.Notes, Canary Wharf

The second Notes nominee, the Canary Wharf branch is on the concourse of the tube station (before the ticket barriers, so anyone can pop in). Serving some consistently great coffee to commuters and local office workers, it’s also open at weekends. Notes was also shortlisted for the Best Takeaway Coffee and Smallest Coffee Spot Awards.


A special mention also needs to go to the following:

Doctor Espresso – Mama V’s, sitting in a railway arch under Clapham High Street Station
KuPP, another welcome addition to the Paddington area
The Milkman, the best option for coffee in the vicinity of Edinburgh Waverley station
Notes, Crossrail Place, which got there ahead of the actual station (it’s part of Crossrail)

And the winner is Electric Coffee Company
Runners-up: Lanark Coffee and Notes, Canary Wharf

Don’t forget to check out the other 19 Coffee Spot Awards for 2015.


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9 thoughts on “2015 Awards – Best Coffee Spot near a Railway Station

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