Once upon a time, there wasn’t a lot of good coffee around Fulham. In fact, once you’d crossed the river at Putney, it was a bit of desert all the way to the West End. How things have changed! One of the more recent additions is Espresso by K2, just around the corner from Parsons Green tube station on the District Line and practically on Parsons Green itself.

It opened in October 2015 and, despite being tucked away down a dead-end street (Heathman’s Road) off the busy Parsons Green Lane, it has already built up a loyal following of locals and is starting to attract people from further afield. It’s a fairly small spot, with seating for seven inside, and maybe another three on the bench outside, but don’t let that put you off.

The coffee is from Winchester’s The Roasting Party, the Captain blend & decaf on espresso, plus, during the week, single-origin filter on batch-brew courtesy of the ever-popular Moccamaster. If coffee’s not your thing, there are loose-leaf teas from Scotland’s Jenier, a new name to me. There is also a wide range of cakes and pastries, and, joining the Moccamaster during the week, a selection of sandwiches.

March 2018: I have learned that Espresso by K2 has closed, although the good news is that the owner, Ricky, is opening a new coffee shop… in Lisbon!

You can read more of my thoughts after the gallery.

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You need to know what you’re doing when trying to find Espresso by K2. Heathman’s Road runs off to the west at the top of the triangular Parsons Green, the only indication of the presence of top-quality coffee being the A-board out on Parsons Green Lane. Not that Heathman’s Road looks very promising, with its industrial feel, home to workshops, offices and yoga studios. And, part-way down on the left, the glass-fronted Espresso by K2.

Espresso by K2 is tucked away at the end of a suite of offices, home to K2 Partnering, a recruitment/consultancy agency. Although separate businesses, they’re joined at the hip, architecturally-speaking. The building’s glass front runs all the way to the flat roof, flooding the interior with light, although Espresso by K2 only occupies the lower half, an extended mezzanine level above it. Similarly, to the right, what should be a party wall behind the counter is missing entirely, so you can see through to the next door office space. The flip side is that the office workers have ready access to great coffee, just by walking up to the back side of the counter. The lucky so-and-sos don’t even have to step outside!

However, we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Espresso by K2 has a bench outside and a single door on the left, while inside, the layout is just as simple. There’s a window-bar immediately to the right of the door and a pair of two-person tables against the wall to the left. As far as seating goes, that’s it. The handsome concrete counter takes up most of the space to the right, with the espresso machine, a striking red La Marzocco, facing the window at the front.

The back wall has a chiller cabinet for the cold drinks and some shelves holding bags of coffee and tea, but other than that, it’s remarkably clean and uncluttered, giving it an immense sense of space that completely belies its small size. This is helped by the high ceiling, the open view to the office next door, and, of course, the glass front. The minimalist décor is enlivened by a multitude of bare bulbs hanging from the ceiling/protruding from the walls, there to provide illumination on the dark, winter days.

Espresso by K2 is the brainchild of Ricky, who was born in the UK, but whose family moved to Australia’s Gold Coast shortly afterwards. This is where Ricky (and the whole family) caught the coffee bug. Pioneers in many ways, Ricky owned an office, but spent all his time working in the coffee shop across the road. He liked it so much he bought it and hasn’t looked back since! Returning to the UK, it was only natural that he would end up with his own coffee shop at some point.

I put Ricky to work making me a flat white. I know (and like) The Roasting Party and its coffee well and this was no exception. The coffee’s well balanced, coming strongly through the milk, although it’s not as sweet as some Roasting Party blends. Ricky brings a very Australian attitude to the place, friendly, but no nonsense. The flat white, for example, is a proper, 6oz size, although there’s also an “English” flat white (8 oz) for those who like their drinks a little larger…

You can also see what fellow coffee-bloggers Bean There At made of Espresso by K2.

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