Four Corners (COVID-19 Update)

A flat white, made with Ozone's Empire Blend, in my HuskeeCup at Four Corners.Four Corners, tucked away on Lower Marsh behind Waterloo Station, is one of the stalwarts of London’s speciality coffee scene, opening in July 2013, with my first visit coming a month later. Like many others (Canopy Coffee and Party on Pavilion, for example), COVID-19 has forced Four Corners to convert itself from a bustling, lively, sit-in coffee shop to a takeout operation. The area has also seen a significant drop-off in foot traffic, so much so that Four Corners only reopened two weeks ago, although hopefully the part-pedestrianisation of Lower Marsh will help bring people back to the area. It’s certainly changed the character of the street for the better.

For now, Four Corners is only offering a takeaway service, which means disposable cups, although the staff happily accept customers’ reusable cups. The full coffee menu is available, with Ozone’s Empire Blend on espresso, along with pour-over via the V60 and Chemex. There’s also tea from T2, while Four Corners has a limited food menu. Best of all, if you want to sit outside once you’ve got your coffee, Four Corners has taken advantage of the pedestrianisation of Lower Marsh by putting some benches and two tables out front.

You can see what else has changed after the gallery.

  • Lower Marsh, tucked away behind Waterloo Station, now partly-pedestrianised.
  • And there, in its usual place on the south side of the street, is Four Corners.
  • The first change is the outside seating, which wasn't there the last time I visited!
  • The view from the other direction.
  • The next change comes when you step inside. That definitely wasn't there last time!!
  • To put it into context, the new counter is blocking off the back of the coffee shop...
  • ... which is where the bulk of the seating was in days gone by (in this case, 2013!).
  • There used to be seating at the front too, including bar stools at the counter...
  • ... and cocktail tables in the windows.
  • However, these are also gone, the space used as a queuing area.
  • Good to see that the packing cases are still there though.
  • X marks the spot! Buried treasure, perhaps? Or maybe where you have to stand to order.
  • Talking of which, Four Corners is still serving its full coffee menu...
  • ... although the food menu has been radically cut down.
  • I was there for lunch, so had the avocado bagel, which I paired with...
  • ... a flat white, which the staff were happy to make in my HuskeeCup.
  • Check out the latte art...
  • ... which lasted all the way to the bottom of the cup, which is where I'll leave you.
Lower Marsh, tucked away behind Waterloo Station, now partly-pedestrianised.1 And there, in its usual place on the south side of the street, is Four Corners.2 The first change is the outside seating, which wasn't there the last time I visited!3 The view from the other direction.4 The next change comes when you step inside. That definitely wasn't there last time!!5 To put it into context, the new counter is blocking off the back of the coffee shop...6 ... which is where the bulk of the seating was in days gone by (in this case, 2013!).7 There used to be seating at the front too, including bar stools at the counter...8 ... and cocktail tables in the windows.9 However, these are also gone, the space used as a queuing area.10 Good to see that the packing cases are still there though.11 X marks the spot! Buried treasure, perhaps? Or maybe where you have to stand to order.12 Talking of which, Four Corners is still serving its full coffee menu...13 ... although the food menu has been radically cut down.14 I was there for lunch, so had the avocado bagel, which I paired with...15 ... a flat white, which the staff were happy to make in my HuskeeCup.16 Check out the latte art...17 ... which lasted all the way to the bottom of the cup, which is where I'll leave you.18
Slider Script by WOWSlider.com v4.6

The first thing you should notice, however you approach Four Corners (I came from Waterloo Road), is the part-pedestrianisation of Lower Marsh. From 11:00 – 15:00, it’s closed to traffic, which, if I’m honest, is a vast improvement. Although brought in to help businesses recover from COVID-19, I hope it becomes a permanent feature.

Four Corners cuts a familiar figure on the south side of Lower Marsh, with its green façade, although an obvious difference since I last visited is the outdoor seating in front of the two windows to the right of the door. A pair of short benches face a two-person bench in front of the first window, while you’ll find a pair of two-person tables in front of the other. Although it doesn’t completely compensate for the loss of the inside seating, I enjoyed sitting out on the pavement with my coffee and would love it if it was retained once the interior reopens.

Talking of which, even if you’re sitting outside, you’ll need to go inside to order. Here the changes are more dramatic, although the counter is there, dominating the space from its position set slightly back from the windows on the right-hand side. However, that’s about the only thing that hasn’t changed, with all the seating being stripped out.

Instead, a temporary counter faces you as you enter, blocking off access to what was the bulk of the seating to the left of the counter. Meanwhile, to the right, the remaining seating that used to occupy the windows and the front of the counter, is also gone, the space being made available for customers to queue for their coffee.

Talking of which, Ozone’s Empire Blend is still the mainstay of the espresso-based menu, backed up by pour-over through V60 and Chemex (the barista told me that a few regulars still order their customary pour-over). However, Four Corners is operating a cutdown food menu, with granola, bagels (with various fillings) and cakes.

I was pleased to see that, despite everything, the standards of service hadn’t slipped. While only serving in disposable cups, Four Corners is happy to accept customers’ own reusable cups, and, if you’re sitting outside, your coffee/food is brought to you (more correctly, it’s handed to you through one of the two open windows, an even better solution which maintains social distancing).

I had a flat white, which was lovely, the classic notes of the Empire Blend going particularly well with the milk, while the latte art held its shape all the way to the bottom of my HuskeeCup. I paired this with an avocado bagel for lunch, which was every bit as good. If you’re in the area, do pop in and show Four Corners some love.

12 LOWER MARSH • LONDON • SE1 7RJ
www.four-corners-cafe.com +44 (0)208 617 9591
Monday 08:30 – 15:00 Roaster Ozone (espresso + filter)
Tuesday 08:30 – 15:00 Seating Tables, Benches (outside)
Wednesday 08:30 – 15:00 Food Breakfast, Lunch, Cake
Thursday 08:30 – 15:00 Service Order at Counter
Friday 08:30 – 15:00 Payment Card Only
Saturday 10:00 – 16:00 Wifi Free (with code)
Sunday CLOSED Power No
Chain No Visits Original: 16th August 2013
Update: 24th August 2020

If you liked this post, please let me know by clicking the “Like” button. If you have a WordPress account and you don’t mind everyone knowing that you liked this post, you can use the “Like this” button right at the bottom instead. [bawlu_buttons]

Don ‘t forget that you can share this post with your friends using the buttons below.

2 thoughts on “Four Corners (COVID-19 Update)

  1. Pingback: Visiting Coffee Shops During COVID-19: Lessons Learnt, Part II | Brian's Coffee Spot

  2. Pingback: 2020 Awards – Best Coffee Spot near a Railway Station | Brian's Coffee Spot

Please let me know what you think. Guidelines for comments are in the "Posts" drop-down menu.