Algerian Coffee Stores

"The red and white striped awning and curling gold script makes Algerian Coffee Stores look like an olde sweet shop—and it is, if you replace children with adults and gobstoppers with Jamaican Blue Mountain beans. The floor-to-ceiling shelves at this Soho spot are packed with jars containing speciality beans from all over the world, like Indian Cherry AA, unprocessed Kopi Luwak, as well as exclusive house blends. Tell the staff what flavours you like, how you brew, and they’ll pluck something from the shelves like a sommelier pairing wine. Or just get one of their excellent, £1.50 freshly brewed coffees to go." - sinead cranna, rianne shlebak

"The red and white striped awning and curling gold script signage make Algerian Coffee Stores look like an olde sweet shop—and it is, if you replace children with adults and gobstoppers with Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans. The floor-to-ceiling shelves at this Soho spot are packed with jars of all sizes containing speciality beans from all over the world, things like Indian Cherry AA and unprocessed Kopi Luwak, as well as exclusive house blends. Tell the staff what flavours you like, your preferred brew method, and they’ll pluck something from the shelves like a sommelier pairing wine. Or just get one of their excellent—£1.50—hot brews to go. Just know that the shop is endearingly chaotic—there’s no seating and most of the space is given up to coffee beans. Expect queues and make sure to look at the wooden board before you reach the front so you don’t waste time when ordering. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch" - Sinéad Cranna

"Trading since 1887, this shop stocks an ever-growing range of speciality teas and coffees sourced from around the world. A bustling shop, it retains many original features and has an intoxicating aroma. Oh, and it also serves coffee." - Hyperkit

"In Soho, a district more noted for its neon-lit nightlife and modernity, a red storefront houses a coffee store chock full of old-school charm, from the original 19th-century wooden counter to the oodles of jars lining the shelves. The shop, Algerian Coffee Stores (yes, it’s plural), was opened in 1887 by a merchant from Algeria named “Mr. Hassan.” It is a testament to his keen eye for business that the shop he founded has somehow managed to survive the Blitz, numerous financial crises, and 21st-century gentrification. Today, you can find a wide array of beans that overwhelm with their enticing aromas from distant lands such as Ethiopia, Cuba, Kenya, Colombia, Java, and more. The coffees range from Kona, a rare variety from the volcanic soils of Hawaiʻi’s Big Island, to the precious, pricey Jamaican Blue Mountain. If you are more of a tea person, there are also hundreds of varieties, from Japanese Genmaicha green tea to Indian Nilgiri Pekoe tea to good, old Argentinian mate. If you can’t wait to take your leaves or beans home and need to satisfy your caffeine fix immediately, the shop also makes espresso and cappuccino. While there is no sit-down area, the drinks—at £1 and £1.20 respectively—are some of the cheapest you’ll find in the city." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

"Algerian Coffee Stores, Soho. Trading since 1887, this shop stocks an ever-growing range of speciality teas and coffees sourced from around the world. A bustling shop, it retains many original features and has an intoxicating aroma. Oh, and it also serves coffee."