Kaffeine is an independently owned café and espresso bar in London, inspired by the coffee culture of Australia and New Zealand. It has two shops in Fitzrovia, a few minutes’ walk from Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road. The original opened in August 2009 with two baristas, a chef and one part-time server. The second location, a few streets away in Fitzrovia, followed in March 2015 as an updated, larger version of the original. Gwilym Davies, the 2009 World Barista Champion, called Kaffeine “the benchmark for all other cafes to follow”.
Each shop has a menu that changes weekly and reflects the kitchen team’s preferences, influences and what the market has. The current one runs from sourdough toast with Estate Dairy cultured butter and filled croissants through brunch dishes such as espresso pancakes with Kaffeine’s own espresso syrup, eggs Benedict with espresso maple syrup ham and Eggs Australia with Vegemite, to filled focaccia, salads and a pork belly sausage roll at lunch. The sourdough is from Wildfarmed, the eggs from Cacklebean and the pastries from Seven Seeded Bakery, and the baked goods include ANZAC biscuits, Portuguese tarts and banana bread. The same kitchen caters breakfasts, lunches and baked goods to offices and homes, with free delivery in Fitzrovia and Soho.
Coffee classes have run every fortnight since 2010: a group class on Thursdays, or a private class for one or two people, teaching latte art or working one to one with a barista. In 2016 the second shop hosted the London Latte Art Smackdown finals.
Photograph: Kaffeine