I

made the mistake a couple of months back of impulse buying a book while on a Sunday mooch around the city. I do this quite a lot, but it’s rarely a mistake (I said rarely. Looking at you, Cloud Atlas). But, having wandered into Angel after a visit to the Ray Stitch haberdashery, the lures of Waterstones and coffee were too strong and I ended up walking out with the London Coffee Guide*.

You  know what’s in the London Coffee Guide? Recommendations, broken down by area.

You know what’s abundant on the internet for free? Recommendations, broken down by area, with loads of photos and personal notes.

As much as it kills me to admit that a book might have been made a touch redundant by the wealth of information online, it’s true in this case. So, here’s a few of my favourite ways to find out about London’s best coffee shops. Bring on the flat whites, chilled out music, and cosy nooks.

On Pinterest

The Runaway Kiwi and friends have put together an excellent Pinterest map of London’s coffee shops, complete with notes on brunches and baked goods. (Image: above right)

On Instagram

Pretty much everything about Jo’s Instagram feed makes me salivate, but it’s the flat whites and cafe shots that have me desperately googling to find out where her latest discoveries are. (Image: above left)

Blog

A must for North London dwellers, Sally’s round ups feature the best coffee stops north of Euston. Check out her Holloway Road recommendations — and others — at The Cafe Cat.

* You can also sign up to the London Coffee Guide here – its listings are incredibly comprehensive. There’s also an app for iPhone users.