Specialty Coffee in Central London — The Italian Cup on Whitcomb Street
Two minutes from Trafalgar Square, four from Leicester Square, six from Covent Garden — there’s a specialty coffee worth stopping for. Moresso specialty coffee, 100% Arabica, graded 80+. Cappuccino, latte, espresso from £2.80.
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Specialty coffee in Central London at Bombolone, 21 Whitcomb Street, London WC2H 7HA. Moresso specialty coffee — 100% Arabica beans from Brazil, Nicaragua and Ethiopia, graded 80+, with notes of chocolate, hazelnut and forest berries, roasted in small batches by an independent London roaster. Cappuccino, espresso, macchiato and latte with latte art from £2.80. Frappe in coffee, caramel and mocha from £5.50. Open Monday to Friday from 9am, weekends from 10am. Two minutes from Trafalgar Square, same street as the National Gallery
Best specialty coffee in London
You’re two minutes from Trafalgar Square. It’s busy, loud, and every coffee place looks the same — chains on every corner, hotel lobbies serving whatever’s quick, counters designed for volume not flavour. Most of the coffee you’ll find in this part of London is fine. Warm, fast, forgettable.
This one isn’t.
When Sonia and Paweł were opening Bombolone on Whitcomb Street, good coffee wasn’t a nice-to-have — it was one of the things they cared about most. They’d spent years travelling through Italy, drinking coffee the way Italians drink it: at the bar, small cup, three sips, gone. That kind of coffee has a standard. And when they started looking for it in Central London, properly looking, they found that the standard was harder to meet than they’d expected.
So they went further than they needed to.
The search
They tested dozens of coffees. Most weren’t right — too bitter, too flat, too forgettable. They researched roasters, tried different suppliers, looked at machines. They searched for baristas who already knew what a great cup looked like — not people to train from zero, but people who understood the craft and cared about getting it right.
The coffee they chose was Moresso.
Moresso is an independent specialty coffee roaster — not a chain brand, not a large corporate supplier. They started in Crystal Palace, London, in 2015, spending years trialling different beans and roasting styles before establishing their dedicated roastery. They roast in small batches of 10kg, which keeps the coffee fresh and the quality consistent. Their blend uses 100% Arabica beans from three origins — Brazil, Nicaragua and Ethiopia — and the result is a medium roast with notes of chocolate, hazelnut and a hint of forest berries. Graded 80+ by the Specialty Coffee Association. Only around 5% of the world’s coffee reaches that standard.
Two independent businesses, built on the same refusal to settle. That’s what’s in the cup on Whitcomb Street.
Why it matters
Most coffee in Central London — the chains, the hotel lobbies, the grab-and-go counters — serves commercial-grade coffee. It’s consistent, it’s inoffensive, it does the job. To earn the specialty designation, beans must score 80 or above on the Specialty Coffee Association’s 100-point scale, assessed by trained experts called Q-graders who evaluate aroma, flavour, balance and overall quality.
This is the difference between a coffee you drink and one you remember.
The chocolate and hazelnut notes in Moresso’s blend don’t come from flavouring — they come from the bean itself, from the altitude it was grown at, the way it was processed, the care in the roast. At Bombolone the machine was chosen to match the coffee. The baristas were found for their skill, then trained further on Moresso’s specific extraction and milk technique. The latte comes with latte art, because a barista who knows what they’re doing shows it in the pour. None of it was accidental.
The Italian coffee ritual
In Italy, ordering a cappuccino after lunch is almost a crime. Cappuccino is a morning drink — strictly before 11am — because Italians believe milk is harder to digest later in the day. After that it’s espresso. No discussion.
At Bombolone we open at 9am, which gives you a two-hour window of entirely legitimate cappuccino time. A cappuccino in Central London made the way it should be — properly steamed milk, the right cup, the right temperature — at the bar, standing up, or at a table in a cosy café with a fresh bombolone in front of you.
The specialty coffee Central London that actually follows the rules.
The coffee menu
Every cup made with Moresso — 100% Arabica, graded 80+, notes of chocolate, hazelnut and forest berries.
Specialty coffee
from £2.80
Espresso
Short, strong, gone in two sips. The base of everything. Drunk standing at the bar, the Italian way.
Cappuccino
The one people slow down for. Espresso with steamed whole milk and foam, equal parts, in a 150ml cup. Before 11am only.
Macchiato
Espresso with a small amount of milk. Stronger than a cappuccino, gentler than a straight shot. The Italian compromise.
Latte
Espresso with steamed milk, served with latte art. Take a table, take your time.
Frappe
from £5.50
Blended coffee, cold and smooth, available in coffee, caramel and mocha. Made with Moresso specialty coffee. Available all year round, whatever the weather. The one people come back for.
Most people don’t stop at just the coffee.
We recommend pairing with a fresh bombolone made with Italian brioche-style dough — soft, light, proved until it reaches the right texture. The Vanillissimo, with crema pasticcera made from Grade A Madagascan Bourbon vanilla beans, was made for cappuccino. The Dolce Cheesecake with an espresso. The Apple Pie di Nonna with a macchiato on a grey morning. The caramel frappe with anything, honestly.
Some of our menu items contain allergens.
All food is prepared in a kitchen that handles gluten, nuts, dairy, eggs, and other allergens.
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Bakery in London
On Tripadvisor – Here’s What People Say
Every review below is from a real customer. No incentivised reviews. No paid placements. Just people who walked in off Whitcomb Street and wanted to tell someone about it.
La dolce vita, in every bite
Where to find us
21 Whitcomb Street, London WC2H 7HA — the same street as the National Gallery’s Sainsbury Wing entrance. Walk-ins always welcome. No booking required.
Address
21 Whitcomb St.
London WC2H 7HA
- 2 minutes walk from Trafalgar Square
- 3 minutes from the National Gallery
- 6 minutes from Covent Garden
- 4 minutes from Leicester Square
- 8 minutes from Piccadilly Circus
- 6 minutes walk from Charing Cross
Opening Hours
Mon – Fri:
9AM – 6PM
Sat:
10AM – 8PM
Sun:
10AM – 6PM
Specialty coffee in central London — frequently asked questions
Where can I find specialty coffee in Central London?
Two minutes away. Easy to miss. Hard to forget. Bombolone on Whitcomb Street — same street as the National Gallery, open from 9am. Moresso specialty coffee, 100% Arabica, graded 80+, notes of chocolate, hazelnut and forest berries. Cappuccino, espresso, macchiato and latte from 2.80. Coffee, caramel and mocha frappe from £5.50. Walk-ins always welcome.
What is specialty coffee?
Specialty coffee is a formal designation — not a marketing phrase. To qualify, beans must score 80 or above on the Specialty Coffee Association’s 100-point scale, assessed by trained Q-graders who evaluate aroma, flavour, balance and quality. Only around 5% of the world’s coffee meets that standard. At Bombolone, Moresso specialty coffee — 100% Arabica from Brazil, Nicaragua and Ethiopia, notes of chocolate, hazelnut and forest berries — is graded 80+ and roasted in small batches by an independent London roaster.
What coffee does Bombolone use?
Moresso — an independent London roaster founded in 2015, roasting in small batches of 10kg. 100% Arabica beans from Brazil, Nicaragua and Ethiopia, graded 80+, with notes of chocolate, hazelnut and forest berries. Served as espresso, cappuccino, macchiato and latte with latte art from £2.80. Coffee frappuccino, caramel frappuccino and mocha frappuccino from £5.50.
Is there a frappe near Trafalgar Square?
Yes — Bombolone on Whitcomb Street serves frappe in coffee, caramel and mocha, made with Moresso specialty coffee. Available all year round, two minutes from Trafalgar Square. From £5.50. Walk-ins always welcome, no booking required.
Is there good coffee near the National Gallery?
Bombolone is on Whitcomb Street — the same street as the National Gallery’s Sainsbury Wing entrance. Specialty coffee near the National Gallery from £3.50, open from 9am, one hour before the gallery opens. Moresso 100% Arabica, graded 80+, with latte art on every latte. Frappuccino in coffee, caramel and mocha from £4.90.
Where can I get a cappuccino near Trafalgar Square?
At Bombolone, 21 Whitcomb Street — two minutes from Trafalgar Square, same street as the National Gallery. A cappuccino near Trafalgar Square made with Moresso specialty coffee, 100% Arabica, graded 80+. Properly steamed milk, the right cup, latte art on every latte. From £4.00. Open from 9am, walk-ins always welcome.
What is the Italian way to drink coffee?
In Italy, coffee is a ritual. Espresso is the standard — strong, short, drunk standing at the bar in one or two sips. Cappuccino is a morning drink only, ordered before 11am. At Bombolone on Whitcomb Street, everything is served correctly — cappuccino before 11am, espresso any time, latte with latte art, macchiato for those who want something in between, and coffee, caramel and mocha frappuccino all year round.
Where can I get a caramel frappe near Trafalgar Square?
Bombolone on Whitcomb Street — two minutes from Trafalgar Square. Caramel frappe made with Moresso specialty coffee, graded 80+. Also available in coffee and mocha. From £5.50, all year round. Open from 9am Monday to Friday, 10am weekends. Walk-ins always welcome.
Is there specialty coffee near Leicester Square?
Bombolone on Whitcomb Street is four minutes from Leicester Square. Specialty coffee near Leicester Square from £2.80 — cappuccino, espresso, macchiato, latte with latte art — using Moresso 100% Arabica graded 80+. Frappuccino from £5.50. Open from 9am Monday to Friday, 10am weekends.
Is there specialty coffee near Covent Garden?
Bombolone on Whitcomb Street is six minutes from Covent Garden. Specialty coffee near Covent Garden from £2.80 — Moresso 100% Arabica, graded 80+, chocolate and hazelnut notes, served the Italian way. Frappuccino from £5.50. Paired with fresh bomboloni made that morning on site.
Is there specialty coffee near Piccadilly Circus?
Yes — Bombolone on Whitcomb Street is eight minutes from Piccadilly Circus. Specialty coffee near Piccadilly from £2.80. Cappuccino, espresso, macchiato, latte with latte art, and frappuccino in coffee, caramel and mocha from £5.50. Moresso 100% Arabica, graded 80+. The specialty coffee Central London has been looking for.
What time does Bombolone open?
Monday to Friday 9am–6pm. Saturday 10am–8pm. Sunday 10am–6pm. 21 Whitcomb Street, London WC2H 7HA — two minutes from Trafalgar Square, same street as the National Gallery, four minutes from Leicester Square, eight minutes from Piccadilly Circus.
Come and say ciao
Two minutes from Trafalgar Square. Specialty coffee done properly. Something made that morning if you need it.
Sonia and Pawł didn’t need to go as far as they did — most cafés in Central London don’t. But the coffee matters here the same way everything else matters here. It was a deliberate choice, and the choice was Moresso — an independent London roaster, small-batch, specialty-grade, with the same standards as the people serving it.
Specialty coffee in Central London, from £2.80. Frappe in coffee, caramel and mocha from £5.50. On Whitcomb Street. From 9am.
Come say ciao.
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