One of London’s Oldest Coffee Shops You’ll Wish You’d Found Sooner

Coffee dates are intrinsically tied to story spinning, at least for me. Though, not all of them are worthy of retelling. And sometimes the tales I'm most tempted to share are the ones to be guarded. Like this quiet dalliance with HR Higgins, a hidden-not-hidden treasure on Duke Street in Mayfair, still pouring its craft as it has for decades.

Shopfront of HR Higgins

An invitation impossible to refuse drew me here. To this café older than some of the glass towers puncturing the London skyline. Perhaps, a chance whip up another of those soul stirring quotes, coffee in hand.

At street level there's a hum of commerce, a churn of takeaway coffee to steady hands. Their gold-and-black gift boxes of beans, beg to be carried home. Below, down a narrow staircase, lives the other heart of this place. The coffee lounge for those who've got a day to wile away. Talk, plot, fantasise. Don’t let its basement perch fool you; for those wishing to vanish a little further from the city’s noise, it’s an ideal descent.

I took my place at the bar by the window. Looked up at the rooftops of Victorian red bricks opposite, while the mid-morning sun sliced in like a spotlight on a stage.

It’s been a while since I entered a new coffee house and felt calm rather than frazzled by a dozen syruped distractions. Here, the menu converses in layman's terms: espresso, macchiato, cappuccino, matcha, mocha, latte. I chose the latter, with a croissant because some habits stay on like good characters. You want them in every chapter.

For the adventurous: one of their specialities, a V60 filter. For the date who ought to be impressed, Jamaica's Blue Mountain. Or maybe, a rare flourish among familiar friends.

My latte arrived, smooth, though I’d gladly welcome a touch more heat next time. The croissant offers a familiar trope in crumbs scattered like confetti on my plate and lap. But I conclude a buttery triumph.

Mid-morning, mid-week, the bustle is elsewhere. Conversations are as per its discerning clientele. Here, you'll be choosing to slow down so the creative in you can get going. I eyed a seat near the door to a tiny patio. A promising perch for more caffeine chronicles, finishing another draft or perhaps, starting something entirely new.

HR Higgins, almost hiding in broad day light is a steadfast keeper of London’s caffeine lore. After just one visit, I understand its pull. I know now why its patrons return and why perhaps it has escaped wider noise. And yes, now that I have found it, I too intend to return. Though part of me wishes I’d keep it to myself.

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Love coffee and a good read? How about Two Hands to Hold.

Or The Sail Away from 'Call Me Blair / Wrongdoing series.

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Wi-Fi strength: I didn't use it.

Coffee quality: Premium crafted latte

Loitering time: A comfortable hour.

HR Higgins: Lounging, Coffee Masterclasses, Take-outs

📍 Duke St, London W1K 5AS