Kava Local Coffee

If you're passionate about drinking really good coffee and supporting small independent businesses while you do it, then you'll be excited to learn that South Bank has a brilliant artisanal coffee shop located right at Waterloo Station in The Sidings Centre (below platforms 20-24).

Kava uses beans from the local award-winning small-batch roasters Scenery (based in Bankside), and the coffee itself is pulled from a Synesso Hydra espresso machine (said to extract more flavour from the coffee due its mid-pull pressure change). Or you can order a pour-over or opt for the day's filter options.

Great coffee also needs great baristas and the staff behind the counter are some of the best in the biz - super-friendly and happy to talk beans all day long.

Inside the coffee shop is plenty of space to sit and read, a large table for those big group catch-ups, and small discreetly set tables with very comfy seats that are ideal for casual business meetings.

In addition to excellent coffee, they also do matcha – and yes, like with the coffee, this is the real thing, whisked by hand it in elegant ceramic bowls for that perfect pour.

On the food side, they have a delicious selection of daily pastries on the counter; arrive early to get your hands on the hottest favourites before they're sold out, including pistachio and white chocolate croissants and classic cardamom buns. 

If your day in London is starting early, they open at 6am for a well-made brew and super friendly service to get your day started on a positive note!