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You’re never more than 10 metres away from a coffee shop in Liverpool, or so the saying might go. This city is jam-packed with independent cafes serving your daily caffeine fix with a side of delectable sweet treats and delicious lunches. But with so much choice, it can be hard to sort the cappuccinos from the instant coffees. Luckily we’ve tried them all – here’s our pick of the 23 best cafes and coffee shops Liverpool.
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1. Bold Street Coffee
One of Liverpool’s most iconic coffee bars temporarily closed its Bold Street location earlier this year, however it’s now back and more popular than ever! Serving the same speciality coffee, delicious brunch menu and edgy independent vibes.
We’d recommend heading to Bold Street for a pour over coffee and one of their fabulous BSC breakfast bowls. Amongst all the coffee shops Liverpool offers, this is an iconic cafe choice.
2. Mother Espresso
Check out new kid on the block Mother for a coffee served up in minimalist interiors. The haunt of Liverpool’s coolest inhabitants, grab your batch brew filter coffee or Sencha Green tea here and stop off for a browse of their extensive brunch menu, which includes classics such as Eggs Benedict and bacon butties, but also poached pears, vegan breakfasts and avocado toast.
3. Carpathia @ 30 James Street
Head to 30 James Street Hotel’s fabulous rooftop terrace for a morning coffee or afternoon tea with a view.
The Carpathia Bar and Restaurant has views of Liverpool’s famous Albert Dock and its iconic skyline for you to ogle while you sip a morning americano in one of Liverpool’s most luxurious hotel and restaurants. It’s the perfect spot for people watching as you get your caffeine fix and whether you’re outside on the terrace, or tucked under the roof, you’ll always have great views of Liverpool’s historic waterfront.
If you’re looking for a more substantial treat than your morning coffee, visit between 12pm and 5pm for daily afternoon tea, complete with a glass of prosecco.
4. Cow & Co.
This tiny independent Liverpool café is tucked away in a residential square but packs a punch when it comes to great coffee and even better sandwich selections.
With independent magazines to browse while you sip and incredible sandwich combos like halloumi, fresh mint, harissa mayonnaise and rocket plus daily replenished cakes and pastries, Cow & Co. is a tranquil haven only minutes away from the shopping chaos of L1.
And – as a bonus – you can sit outside in warm weather!
5. LEAF
Don’t let the expansive interiors of LEAF on Bold Street put you off – this emporium is the best café in Liverpool to get your tea fix.
Specialising in loose leaf tea, this home-grown success story sits in a beautiful art deco building that, in previous generations, had been both a tea room and a cinema. The airy space never feels empty – it’s always buzzing with the chatter of the forever present customers who favour this fabulous tea parlour.
LEAF has delicious menus throughout the day and a great evenings drinks variety, but its pièce de résistance is the extensive tea list which includes everything from Hilmari Imperial Gold Assam to Frozen Summit Oolong, with Ginger root, Three Graces Blend and Chilli Ginger Roobibos along the way.
6. Rococo Coffee House
One of the few independent coffee shops Liverpool that’s dared to venture into the Church Street shopping area of the city, Rococo is hidden away behind an inconspicuous door and up a very long flight of stairs.
Once inside, however, you’ll find an expansive but higgledy -piggledy coffee shop inside the second oldest building on Lord Street. Serving fair trade coffees and delicious deli lunches, it’s a great café to hideaway inside one of the many rooms and enjoy a bit of peace and quiet in the centre of the city.
7. Love Thy Neighbour
For an Instagram friendly cup of coffee, Hatton Garden’s Love Thy Neighbour offers food and drink as aesthetic as its interiors.
With decadent hot chocolates (try the white hot coco for a cold day), ‘rainbow’ coloured lattes and a ceiling filled with hanging foliage, you’ll be snapping and uploading all day from this millennial-pink coffee hangout.
3 Hatton Garden, L3 2EF
8. 92 Degrees
Expect to find scholars and students aplenty in 92 Degrees. Only a 5-minute walk from the University of Liverpool, it’s a favourite haunt for sleep-deprived PhD students typing up their theses, and tutors taking some time-out for coffee.
The city’s first combined roastery and coffee shop, the historic Georgian building wafts a delicious coffee smell across Hardman Street as you arrive, making that initial sip of fair trade coffee all the more incredible when you finally get your hands on one of their beverages.
9. East Avenue Bakehouse
Tuck into some freshly baked bread and own-blend coffee at Bold Street’s East Avenue Bakehouse. With the morning loafs stacked neatly in the window and some delectable bakes and cakes ready to be devoured, this is the ultimate spot to enjoy a sweet treat and a hot drink mid-way through the morning. As far as coffee shops Liverpool go, this is a local favourite.
10. Filter + Fox
The most elegant coffee in Liverpool is served up by the Ropewalks’ Filter + Fox. This small Duke Street establishment will offer you a cappuccino on a slim, silver tray, accompanied by a small glass of water, a sweet wafer and a hefty dose of sophistication. End up staying all day? Their cocktail selection is available from morning opening…
11. Moose Coffee
For a dose of Americana with your morning coffee, there’s nowhere better to head than Moose Coffee. With two branches in the city centre, and one out in Crosby, Moose brings New York City to Liverpool with its big-time hot beverages and calorie-heavy breakfast menu. We recommend taking a Moose Macchiato (complete with a slug of caramel and topped with whipped cream) with the famous Moose American Pancakes – sticky, sweet and completely OTT.
12. Root Coffee
One for the coffee bean aficionados – Root takes coffee seriously. Really seriously. We’re talking state-of-the-art coffee processing, seasonal bean selection and illustrated info boards explaining the science behind your morning wake-up drink.
They’ve recently installed a ‘Colombian Nitro Cold Brew Tap’ which pours cold brew coffee like a pint and have served beans from an eclectic selection of origins including Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Rwanda amongst many others. If your serious about the hot, black stuff, this is one of the coffee shops Liverpool you can’t miss.
13. Coffee & Fandisha
Until came along, the Baltic was crying out for a specialty coffee shop. This edgy venue on Brick Street is inspired by the origins of coffee drinking in Ethiopia, where serving coffee was a traditional welcome into the home, with a side of popcorn (Which, in Ethiopian is Fandisha!)
Look out for its beautiful street art front and make sure you try some of their unusual combinations such as slow infused mint mocha or honeycomb Ecuadorean hot chocolate.
14. The Bastion, Shankly Hotel
Liverpool’s coffee shop of champions is undoubtedly The Bastion at The Shankly Hotel. Celebrating the legacy of Liverpool FC’s legendary Bill Shankly, you can enjoy a cup of coffee or a delectable afternoon tea while exploring the life and career of one of the city’s most famous sportsmen.
With exclusive and previously unseen memorabilia, including a ‘Good Luck’ telegram from The Beatles, and Shankly’s very own typewriter and OBE medal displayed around The Bastion, it’s the perfect coffee spot for any Reds fans.
15. Ryde
Liverpool’s first bicycle café, situated in Cains Brewery in the Baltic is both a hub for cycling fanatics and a great coffee spot on that side of town. Get your bike fixed at Ryde’s service and repairs centre while you enjoy some freshly prepared brunch and a Brazilian origin coffee.
16. Love Locks
Tucked away on Old Haymarket on the edge Liverpool’s business district, Love Locks is a homely little café with a big heart. Filled with plenty of greenery, delicious bakes and friendly staff, it’s the perfect coffee stop for a rainy day when you want to get out of the cold.
17. PANNA Artisan Café & Eatery
Another business district favorite, look out for the sunshine yellow coffee cups of PANNA customers make their way across the city first thing every morning. This simple but special coffee shop offers freshly prepared breakfasts and bakes and their own coffee blend to brighten up everyone’s morning.
18. Mulholland, Arthouse Hotel
Seel Street’s movie-inspired diner offers extravagant milkshake concoctions with a musical surprise… the Mulholland is Liverpool’s only singing waiter café. Combining classic American food and drink with incredible talent, you’re choco shake is served with a side-helping of Disney Classics or showstopping power ballads. No, it’s not like the traditional coffee shops Liverpool – but it’s seriously fun.
19. Naked Lunch Café
Head to South Liverpool to discover this co-operative owned café on Smithdown Road. Fitted with stripped-back interiors and available-to-buy local artwork, Naked Lunch is as much a coffee shop as a community hub for the freshly born independent spirit that’s awoken on Smithdown.
Alongside hosting live gigs and art installations, it also serves up a mean coffee and a great vegan- and veggie-friendly brunch menu.
20. Pippin’s Corner
Over in Aigburth’s Lark Lane, seek out for a quiet coffee meet up or a freelancing work hour. We recommend trying one of their elaborate hot chocolates or extravagant milkshakes. Often overlooked in the plethora of coffee shops Liverpool hosts, it takes the crown of the city’s hidden gem.
21. Freida Mo’s
For a caffeine boost in a stunning vintage setting, head to Lark Lane’s Freida Mo’s. The quaint little shop serves delicious coffee and tasty homemade cakes, alongside a wonderfully colourful collection of vintage clothing and homeware.
A labour of love for owner Sally Ayres, Freida Mo’s is named after her grandmother and is an idyllic little hideaway on the hugely popular Lark Lane.
22. FIKA
A little slice of Swedish coffee culture located in the suburbs of South Liverpool, head to Wavertree’s for scandi-style breakfast platters, Swedish hot chocolates and perfectly brewed coffees. Menu highlights include their fish breakfast platter, open smörgas sandwiches on artisan bröd and delectable cakes from scandi-recipes. We like the look of their amazing Morotskaka – a deliciously moist carrot cake.
And the best bit? You don’t have to head to Warrington IKEA for traditional Swedish meatballs anymore: FIKA serves Köttbullar with mash and lingonberry jam from 12pm each day.
23. Other Cafes and Coffee Shops Liverpool
Alongside these incredible cafes and coffee shops Liverpool has listed above, there are loads of other tip-top venues across the city where you can grab your daily coffee.
Check out the light and airy Cuppa Coffee at Avenue HQ in the Mann Island building on the waterfront, Community SOUL in Wallasey, and Caffee Oro on Smithdown Road.
Can’t spot your favourite coffee shops Liverpool has on our list? Make sure you comment on our Facebook page which cafes you think are the best in the city.
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