Tinderbox does rate in my top places to drink coffee in, in London, add to that it’s close to my home, I’ll sometimes bypass going to Central London for a prepared coffee and have one here.

It does have nice decor and layout, quite trendy, the airline seats are pretty interesting, and the music being played is usually pretty good. They are open quite late, 10pm I think, and I also understand they sometimes host instore acoustic gigs and poetry/prose readings.
The coffee roast is pretty good (not Monmouth), but for my tastes they make their lattes rather weak. So when I go there I tend to stick to a macchiato or espresso. If I’m feeling like I need pampering I’ll have a spicy mocha which is pretty tasty indeed.

Unfortunately, there are a few negatives to this coffeeshop, primarily, the staff though generally attractive, are a bit unfriendly (perhaps their work environment is not the nicest, or they are paid poorly), the food on offer is not that fantastic, and for what you are getting it’s overpriced. I will sometimes prefer to eat something from Starbucks than eat here.
Paying for wifi is quite ridiculous as well.

Pros
- decent coffee roast
- nice dessert type coffee drinks (mocha, iced coffees)
- coffee not that pricey
- nice buzzy environment
- nice location
- generally quick service

Cons
- weak lattes
- unfriendly staff
- food not that great and overpriced
- paying for wifi is ridiculous
- gets packed so difficult to get a seat

I first discovered Tinderbox in Glasgow, years ago, when I studied there. The endemic nonchalance is, I fear, due to staff neglect/low pay/low-level abuse by the boss - although I’d be overjoyed to hear otherwise and that, in fact, it’s all just down to spliff withdrawal.

The café benefits mainly from its great location and lack of similar competition. Take these factors away and it’d have to try a lot harder (see below). Take the trendy design features (a couple of airline seats, nice decor), and it’d be a real slog.

I’ve a love-hate thing going on with Tinderbox - as a lot of you do. Design, convenience and a pretty cool crowd are wins for the chain, but high prices, chargeable wi-fi (in 2008, you can’t have a truly cool café without free wi-fi), moody staff and - this really gets my goat - cakes displayed in the customer cough-zone - lose it two stars in my review. Points about the closeness of tables (especially the bar seating at the front) are well-made. It’s hard to have a private conversation in more than a few spots around the café.

Sit at the front to catch free wi-fi from StreetNet, tho this is a bit patchy.

A trendy coffee shop in trendy Islington.

I like their steamers which come in a variety of different flavours.

The vibe is a bit too cool for school, slightly feels a bit like an american diner where the cool kids would go for milkshakes.

Seating is a bit squashed together and it gets busy - so best if you want a buzzy place to meet friends, not so good if you want a quiet coffee and some space to contemplate the world.

I went to Tinder box for the second time yesterday and happy I gave it another go. The first time I went a few months ago I got the somewhat nonchalant vibe from the staff that the previous reviewer described as well. This time tho’ I found them friendlier and more receptive to the idea that they should clear off tables soon after people leave to make room for new customers wanting to drink caffeine and veg out, no matter how counterintuitive that may seem to those unfamiliar with how best to truly wile away a Sunday afternoon.

Unfortunately I’d been misinformed about free wifi in the cafe. You do actually have to pay for access….sheesh… still was happy to spend as much time as I wanted lounging in the back area when other cafes had already closed, wasting some time people-watching but also getting some work done, with a decent latte.