Hi! or Hiya!
A flat white, please
(straightforward)
The UK's most popular specialty order
Could I have an Americano?
(straightforward)
The traditional British 'long coffee'
Oat milk, please
(straightforward)
The UK's most popular alt-milk
To take away, please
(straightforward)
To go
The UK's runaway favourite since ~2010. Smaller and stronger than a latte, with velvety microfoam.
Still the most ordered coffee in the UK overall. Espresso with hot water — the bridge between tea culture and coffee culture.
Espresso with steamed milk. Often the entry point for people transitioning from tea.
Becoming standard at specialty cafes. Often better value than espresso drinks.
Equal parts espresso and steamed milk. Popular in London's specialty scene.
Not coffee — but worth knowing. Strong black tea with milk and sugar. Still the UK's #1 hot drink by a wide margin.
The UK was a tea nation until ~2008. The Australian/NZ expat wave brought flat white culture and transformed British coffee.
London's specialty scene now rivals any city in the world. Shoreditch, Bermondsey, and Soho are the epicentres.
Many cities outside London have excellent coffee too — Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol, and Brighton all have thriving scenes.
'Americano' was the UK default for decades — it's basically the British attempt to make espresso feel more like tea (a long, slow drink).
Reusable cup discounts are very common — many cafes offer 25-50p off if you bring your own.
High street chains (Pret, Costa, Nero) are decent but the independent scene is where the quality lives.
Not expected at counter-service cafes. Round up or add 10% if table service.
£3.00-4.00 for an Americano, £3.50-5.00 for a flat white at specialty cafes
Did you know? The UK's coffee market overtook tea in value for the first time in 2020. The flat white — brought by Australian baristas — is credited with making the British a coffee nation.