You may be wondering: Martha, why on earth are you writing this? And to that I say, over recent weeks I have become a bit of a coffee shop expert, and I thought I would share my wisdom with you. Although it is clearly established that our own Café Sixth with the wonderful Irene is the best, here’s my objective opinion on external ones. A slight disclaimer though: I don’t drink coffee, so this is purely based on the vibe and price of each place. Enjoy!
1. Gail’s (Wimbledon Town)
- I couldn’t tell you why, but this one is just my favourite.
- A Gail’s cookie, cup of tea, and people watching. It’s got everything I need in a very convenient location.
- When exam season is coming up, or any season really, you will often find me here frantically trying to get as much work done before my laptop runs out of battery (which it does quite quickly)
2. DropShot
- The. Best. Brunch. In. Wimbledon. Do I need to say anything else?
- Also, the best fresh mint tea I’ve had in a long time, a particularly important quality for me.
- Vibes are brilliant, the main drawback is that it’s not an ideal study space (which, as a Year 13 with exams looming, I find quite important).
3. Caffe Nero (in Elys)
- The first of three Caffe Nero’s in the local area, this one is by far the best.
- Walking through Elys to get to the first floor always makes me feel fancy and hypes me up for all the work I have to do.
- The sofa by the window (in the back corner specifically) is also peak people-watching territory. I definitely recommend.
- Lots of good cake selections to fuel long study sessions, or a much needed catch up with friends.
- While it’s not my No. 1, this is my most frequently visited coffee shop.
4. Pret
- I mean it’s not a WHS coffee shop rundown without good old Pret.
- I hesitate to really call it a coffee shop, but it sells coffee and really quite brilliant sandwiches and that’s all I need it to do.
5. Gail’s (Wimbledon Village)
- This one caused some controversy when I informed a friend (who happens to love this one) that it was only number 5, but the joy of this being my list is that I get to decide.
- It may be open until 30 minutes later than the Gail’s in Wimbledon Town, but nonetheless it’s not the best one.
- Perfect for picking up a cup of tea before a walk on the common though, I can definitely recommend (my personal favourite is peppermint).
6. Caffe Nero (Wimbledon Village)
- If I’m honest I didn’t know this one existed until recently. But apparently there are three Caffe Nero’s in the Wimbledon area which is news to me.
7. Joe and the Juice (Wimbledon Village + Wimbledon Town)
- Whether this can be classed as a true coffee shop is up for debate, but I thought I might as well include it.
- My main complaint though is the music, every time I’ve been in the music is just too loud for me. Now that may be the grandma in me talking, but when I’m sat having a coffee with someone, or doing some revision, that much music just doesn’t cut it.
- A smoothie from Joe and the Juice though? A thing of beauty.
8. Gosto Fino (Wimbledon Library)
- Possibly a rogue choice to put on my list, but I happen to quite like this one.
- This one makes the list mostly based on the vibe: the people are nice, and Wimbledon Library itself is one of my favourite places.
- It’s well placed to get an emergency mid-revision coffee in the run-up to exams. I spend a lot of time revising in the library.
- And they fill up your water bottle for free. Even better.
9. Caffe Nero (by the station)
- I don’t know why there are so many Caffe Nero’s in such a small area either, but there just are.
- I’m sorry to say though, that this one is just my least favourite Nero.
- There’s nothing specific I can really say I don’t like, the other two just have better vibes I’m afraid.
10. Starbucks
- I’m sorry to any Starbucks lovers out there, but this one just isn’t for me.
- I’ve spent my fair share of hours in the upstairs seating area trying desperately to understand differentiation in Maths, or figure out a particularly difficult Greek translation, so I feel qualified to say this.
- My main complaints: the prices keep going up, and the baked goods just don’t live up to other places.
I realise that I’ve been writing a lot of these recently, whether you happen to have noticed or not, but maybe it’s just becoming my signature. As always, if you disagree with me on any of these reviews and/or rankings that is completely okay, and this is by no means a list that cannot be changed: my opinions are entirely subjective. That said, if you ever feel like going a bit out of your comfort zone and trying something new, maybe take this list as a guide for where to go.
I should also note that after writing this I was in fact informed that there are other coffee shops in Wimbledon (e.g. 21 Grams, among others) however I decided that for the sake of time, I would stick with these ones for now. Do let me know if you have a favourite that isn’t on this list though!!
