Camden Coffee House, Camden, London

I used to go to CCH each morning before going to work nearby and I have to say that I miss the lovely coffee and a friendly chat now I moved out of London to Ware.

I only hope to find a similar coffee house here!

Saija

I have been in to CCH a few times on my way to work and every time the staff are very attentive and friendly.

The coffees are always good, and the cappuccino always has the right foam consistency (something that Pret & Costa in Camden seem to fail at miserably!)

they also have a pretty decent loyalty card scheme – just 5 cups gets you a free one on your next visit!

The also sell teapigs teas which I love – although they don’t stock my favourite chili chai or lemon & ginger.

And if you’re lucky, you’ll get to see their beautiful big tabby cat wandering around :)

I absolutely love this place. I am so tired of going for coffee where it is a mechanical process from ordering to getting it and then getting burnt milk in my coffee. There is nothing worse than burnt milk.

I actually find this not just a good coffee but also a learning experience as the owner was willing to talk me through how it is made and I am getting to try different ways in which coffee is made like a NZ flat white or a Spanish Cortado.

The cortado at Camden Coffee House is my new favorite coffee.

I would like to ask them to make the vietnamese with condensed milk - so sure they could make that so well - but I may have to go at a quiet time and see what the owner says.

For those looking for a hidden gem - must visit the garden - amongst the hustle of camden - this is a little paradise!

Best coffee in London. Owner is very friendly too, knows many customers by name.

Keep doing what you do so well Camden Coffee House!

A "must" stop over on my way to work in the morning ! I am French and as such addicted to coffee,but quality coffee ! Camden Coffee House provides great coffee to satisfy my addiction and it always comes with a chat and a smile. I couldn't ask for more :-)

This place is great. The food and drinks are excellent and they always have great service. I have always left here with a smile.

Trying to find a nice coffee shop in Camden that's happy for a baby as well as workers and tourists can be a nightmare so it was a real treat to find Camden Coffee House! The service can't be faulted, they pay attention to detail and know your favourite orders when you walk through the door. Whether it's for a mummy and baby catch up, breakfast tea or a catering order for the office they've not let me down. Keep up the great work, highly worth a visit if you are in the area.

I've had some excellent coffees from here and some coffees which were not so excellent, so, although not a complete lottery, your flat white or cappuccino might not always be completely up to scratch. I really want to give this place **: the surroundings are nice, the prices are excellent, the service is brilliant; but they need to start delivering consistently excellent coffee for me to do so.

For the sake on transparency I've kept my original review below this updated review.

---

I'm glad the owner read and commented on my review, it shows the power of Qype and the responsibility of business owners to make sure they listen to their customers.

I was invited in after my bad experience to understand that these guys are serious about creating a decent cafe. The CCH serves up quality food and proper coffee for the community. Yes, Camden has a lot of touristic tendencies with some of the food and drink options. It also has a lot of high street chains. This however, is a gem in the rough.

At the CCH they have been involved in the feedback loop with the excellent Hasbean coffee (check out there website and cool coffee related animations- like no other coffee roaster) so after some hit-and-miss (I previously came in during a miss) they have now worked out everything. What to serve. How to serve it. How to make it right.

I tried an espresso (served properly in a modern Scandinavian designed glass). The espresso blend was served right, with well coloured crema. It had flavours of robust dark chocolate, spicy candied fruit, a touch of sourness (a good thing) and milk chocolate in the finish. A perfect espresso.

I also tried a cortado made with a different Hasbean blend (to accompany milk better- good attention to detail). Again, the cortado (best described as a 'cut short' flat white) was served correctly and the nuttier flavour of the roast complemented the hot stretched creaminess of the milk. I found this particularly satisfying for such a short drink.

My friend Woody (that's his name, not referring to a coffee's flavour) who is a coffee novice who lives in NZ was persuaded into trying an NZ invention: the flat white. As he lives in Queenstown, some of the coffee obsession doesn't seem to be have migrated to the South Island town. For a guy who normally has a minimum requirement of a cup of coffee just 'being hot' it was amazing to see his response of flavours and the appreciation of a well made drink.

Woody and I left the CCH both learning about coffee. For me it was great to see that the owner took his business seriously after a single negative review. I wish all business owners made an effort to get things right and when occasionally it goes wrong then try again.

I have returned since. The coffee was superb. Well done CCH.

--original review

I found this establishment a let down. After admiring the excellent decor ad colour scheme which even makes a painted attractive feature out of a '60's gas meter that is fixed to the wall (I had the same one and replaced it recently due to it's bulkiness and ugliness). The retro/modern brown and orange had it working the room and gave a good impression.

I was impressed at this point and sat in a odd comfy seat. The staff were having an 'ignoring the customers' conversation so when I saw a gap I went it to ordar a flat white. What I received was not even near to a flat white. It was almost off in a touch sour way and had an oily coffee residue on the surface. Normally at this stage I go back to the counter but the rude staff were back to ignoring-mode. I then had the shock factor and let disappointment get the better of me and I failed to ask for another.

The lie of a flat white was so different to the nasty coffee I got, I didn't feel the new request or insult would help me get a better coffee. So I left it.

I used the toilets downstairs after and spotted a small garden area, it looked nice, this earns it one star. As I left I was ignored and was even blocked to exit by a staff member. A huge disappointment as I'm sure I'd read good reviews. Perhaps they've just got a good PR team? Perhaps the PR people should make the coffee instead?

A nice little alternative to the rest of Camden's brand-name coffee (Costa, Starbucks, Pret etc etc). Not badly priced either (under £2 for a decent latte).

Where in the hell can you get a halfway decent coffee in Camden Town? It sure isn't with any of the... errmm... "larger and more conspicuously branded chain shops" in the neighbourhood, that's for sure. There used to be a nice place that sold Segafredo, staffed by 2 perky and strangely perpetually immaculately white-dressed blondes next door to the Jazz Cafe, but that's no longer.

Sure, you can perambulate up to Chalk Farm Road and poke your snout into any of the quirky organic knotholes up there, but if you're on the pre-work morning station run it's all very dire (the low-point being Cafe L'Amentine).

However the game has now changed with the arrival of The Camden Coffee House. A quality coffee shop that doesn't leave you feeling or looking like a prat for having gone through the process of buying a cup.

We are talking top shelf brews, friendly staff, and an assortment of fresh breakfasty sugar/fat bundles (croissants, muffins & the like) that sing their sweet siren's song from behind the glass.

AND: they know how to make a Cortado. Be still my beating adenosine receptors.

I'd best go back again tomorrow. For research purposes.