Worth The Queue: The London Coffee Shop Named Best In England

Anyone who has ever joined the morning queue outside Rosslyn now has official proof that it is worth the wait.

The independent London coffee group has been named the best coffee shop in England, after placing 12th in the inaugural 100 Best Coffee Shops in Europe rankings. It also emerged as London’s highest-ranked café, placing it firmly among the continent’s most celebrated coffee destinations.

More than 5,300 cafés across Europe were assessed for the awards, with a panel of 250 coffee experts judging alongside more than 240,000 public votes. For Rosslyn, which has become something of a City institution, the recognition marks a major moment.

Founded in 2018, Rosslyn began as a small wedge-shaped café on Queen Victoria Street. Since then, it has grown into nine locations across the City of London, serving tens of thousands of coffees every week while remaining independently owned.

Its success is also a win for the Square Mile itself. While London’s speciality coffee scene is often associated with neighbourhoods such as Shoreditch, Soho and Hackney, Rosslyn has helped put the City firmly on the map for those who take their morning flat white seriously.

What makes Rosslyn stand out is its blend of exceptional coffee, sharp service and a sense of place. There is a distinctly City feel to the brand, from its polished pace to its recognisable nods to London’s financial district.

For co-founder and CEO James Hennebry, the award is especially meaningful given the City’s place in coffee history. “The City of London has one of the richest coffee histories in the world, dating back to the 1600s, and we’ve always wanted to help London become the number one city for coffee in the world again,” he said.

He added: “We’ve never been interested in chasing trends. We seek to make great coffee and look after people, and that’s it.”

Rosslyn was one of only four UK cafés to make the European top 20, and will now go forward to the World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops awards, due to be announced in March 2027.

Beyond the coffee itself, the business has also built a reputation for its values. Rosslyn is a certified Living Wage employer and has actively campaigned for fair pay within the hospitality industry.

For Londoners, though, the takeaway is simple: the next time you spot a queue outside Rosslyn, it may be best to join it.