London Coffee Podcast

Jamie Strachan, Head Roaster at Caravan Coffee Roasters, joins the London Coffee Podcast to talk about his journey into coffee, the power of community, responsible sourcing, regenerative agriculture, and what it takes to create meaningful impact across the coffee chain.
 
Credits music: Alive by Greta Lovisa in association with The Coffee Music Project
Create a free profile on The London Coffee Guide website, subscribe to @thelondoncoffeeguide on Instagram and follow the latest coffee news, openings, and stories from London’s specialty scene. 

In this episode of the London Coffee Podcast, we're talking with Jayne Cromwell, co-founder of Carnival Coffee Roaster.
Jayne shares the extraordinary story of how her partner Juan's grandfather won a coffee farm in Colombia in a poker game. We're going to explore Carnival’s remarkable journey from a garden shed roastery during lockdown to one of South London's most community-focused coffee businesses, discuss building a coffee business through COVID, creating meaningful community spaces, balancing the needs of traditional coffee drinkers and curious coffee explorers, and why experiential coffee culture could play a vital role in the future of the high street.

Credits music: I could Just Come Round by Darcey Hope in association with The Coffee Music Project
Create a free profile on The London Coffee Guide website, subscribe to @thelondoncoffeeguide on Instagram and follow the latest coffee news, openings, and stories from London’s specialty scene. 

For our 20th episode of the London Coffee Podcast, we’re delighted to welcome David Rickenback — Coffee Beverage Community Expert, competition judge, and coach.

With an extensive career across the coffee industry, David might just have one of the best jobs in coffee. In this episode, we talk about building a destination coffee shop in London, navigating a career in coffee, and the importance of intention, community, and growth along the way.
At the heart of it all is David’s philosophy: “leave beautiful footsteps everywhere you go.” A thoughtful and inspiring conversation for anyone in the coffee world.

Credits music: Glastonbury by London Artist Jo Hill in association with The Coffee Music Project
Create a free profile on The London Coffee Guide website, subscribe to @thelondoncoffeeguide on Instagram and follow the latest coffee news, openings, and stories from London’s specialty scene. 

In this episode, we chat with Siala Farani-Tomlin about her journey in coffee — from front of house to Head of Coffee. We explore the importance of origin trips and how coffee continues to shape the lives of people around the world.

Credits music: Simple One by London Artists Elle Delanee and Hogarth Hannam in association with The Coffee Music Project
Create a free profile on The London Coffee Guide website, subscribe to @thelondoncoffeeguide on Instagram and follow the latest coffee news, openings, and stories from London’s specialty scene. 

Today we’re talking all things flat white with, of course, Flat White Frank. We discuss his amazing story of finding a niche and growing a social media following around coffee. Along the way, we get into the details of what actually makes a great flat white and, naturally, attempt to answer the big question: where can you find the best flatty in London… and maybe even the world?

Credits music: "One Love" by Florence Noon in association with The Coffee Music Project
Create a free profile on The London Coffee Guide website, subscribe to @thelondoncoffeeguide on Instagram and follow the latest coffee news, openings, and stories from London’s specialty scene. 

In this episode, we chat with Matthew Orchard and Jamie Rose from Plot Roasting, about their journey into coffee and the story behind building their roastery. They share insights into their education courses, the challenges of running a coffee business today, and their perspective on how London’s coffee scene is set to evolve.

Credits music: "Home With A View" by  London artist HOLNE in association with The Coffee Music Project
Create a free profile on The London Coffee Guide website, subscribe to @thelondoncoffeeguide on Instagram and follow the latest coffee news, openings, and stories from London’s specialty scene. 

Today’s episode takes us inside the story of Moonstruck Café with its founder, Liam Clifford. In just two years, Moonstruck has become one of London’s most respected coffee spots, earning its place among the top venues in the London Coffee Guide.

We dive into Liam’s journey from passionate coffee enthusiast to business owner, exploring how he’s stayed true to his purist vision while building a name in a competitive scene. Along the way, we talk collaboration with fellow coffee geeks, the philosophy behind his approach — and, of course, get into the details of turbo shots.

Credits music: "Rings of Saturn" by Matt Kent in association with The Coffee Music Project
Create a free profile on The London Coffee Guide website, subscribe to @thelondoncoffeeguide on Instagram and follow the latest coffee news, openings, and stories from London’s specialty scene. 

In this episode, we welcome Simon Peace, co-founder of High Ground Coffee, to the studio.

We talk about the realities of running a neighbourhood café in London — from the economics behind the business to the growing challenges operators face today, including rising costs and high VAT rates on hospitality in the UK.

Simon shares an honest perspective on what it really takes to keep a coffee business running in the city today. 

Credits music: "Home With A View" by  London artist HOLNE in association with The Coffee Music Project
Create a free profile on The London Coffee Guide website, subscribe to @thelondoncoffeeguide on Instagram and follow the latest coffee news, openings, and stories from London’s specialty scene. 

Today we’re joined in the studio by Ellie East — musician, artist, professional drummer, and London Coffee Guide Ambassador.

We talk about Ellie’s journey in music, how coffee became part of her creative life, and why cafés so often become natural meeting points for artists and creative communities.

Credits music: "Dirty Harry" by  London artist Rosie Smith in association with The Coffee Music Project
Create a free profile on The London Coffee Guide website, subscribe to @thelondoncoffeeguide on Instagram and follow the latest coffee news, openings, and stories from London’s specialty scene. 

In this episode of the London Coffee Podcast, we’re joined in the studio by Brendan Olley and Chris Fields, the co-founders of SHED London.
SHED is more than a café concept — it’s also a photo studio, workspace, and wine bar. A space where coffee, wine, food, and art come together, built around community and creativity.
We talk about what it takes to run a three-site, multi-faucet business, how they maintain quality as they grow, and the philosophy behind creating venues that people genuinely connect with.

Credits music: "Miraculous" by  London artist Riya Gadher in association with The Coffee Music Project
Create a free profile on The London Coffee Guide website, subscribe to @thelondoncoffeeguide on Instagram and follow the latest coffee news, openings, and stories from London’s specialty scene.