How many coffee shops are there in London's busiest areas?
We counted 1,179 coffee shops within 1 km of the centres of 14 London areas. Soho is the most crowded at 78.3 per km²; Clapham is the least, at 8.6.
Mapped
1,179
in 14 areas
Busiest area
78.3/km²
Soho
Average rating
4.4★
places with 10+ reviews
Last scanned
13 October
2026
Coffee shops by area, most crowded first
Measured within 1 km of the centre: LOW under 5, MODERATE 5–15, HIGH 15–40, INTENSE over 40 places per km².
| Area | Within 1 km | Per km² | Avg rating | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soho4.4★ average | 24678.3/km² | 78.3 | 4.4★ | INTENSE |
| Covent Garden4.4★ average | 20565.3/km² | 65.3 | 4.4★ | INTENSE |
| Shoreditch4.5★ average | 13843.9/km² | 43.9 | 4.5★ | INTENSE |
| Marylebone4.4★ average | 12740.4/km² | 40.4 | 4.4★ | INTENSE |
| Islington (Upper Street)4.6★ average | 7122.6/km² | 22.6 | 4.6★ | HIGH |
| Notting Hill4.4★ average | 6420.4/km² | 20.4 | 4.4★ | HIGH |
| Camden Town4.5★ average | 5718.1/km² | 18.1 | 4.5★ | HIGH |
| Hackney (Mare Street)4.6★ average | 5417.2/km² | 17.2 | 4.6★ | HIGH |
| Kensington (High Street)4.4★ average | 5116.2/km² | 16.2 | 4.4★ | HIGH |
| Canary Wharf4.4★ average | 4113.1/km² | 13.1 | 4.4★ | MODERATE |
| Greenwich4.3★ average | 3611.5/km² | 11.5 | 4.3★ | MODERATE |
| Brixton4.7★ average | 319.9/km² | 9.9 | 4.7★ | MODERATE |
| Peckham4.6★ average | 319.9/km² | 9.9 | 4.6★ | MODERATE |
| Clapham4.6★ average | 278.6/km² | 8.6 | 4.6★ | MODERATE |
Where is it least crowded?
- ClaphamMODERATE
27 coffee shops within 1 km (8.6 per km²), averaging 4.6★.
- PeckhamMODERATE
31 coffee shops within 1 km (9.9 per km²), averaging 4.6★.
- BrixtonMODERATE
31 coffee shops within 1 km (9.9 per km²), averaging 4.7★.
Fewer coffee shops is not the same as more demand. Look at foot traffic and rents before you read a quiet area as an opening.
How they are rated
All 1,179 coffee shops in the 14 areas, by rating. Places with fewer than 10 reviews are counted apart.
- 4.5 and up619 (53%)
- 4.0 to 4.4340 (29%)
- 3.5 to 3.983 (7%)
- Below 3.528 (2%)
- Under 10 reviews109 (9%)
Chains seen most
Brands with two or more outlets inside one area circle.
- Costa Coffee27 outlets · 5 areas
- Starbucks Coffee24 outlets · 7 areas
- Caffè Nero22 outlets · 4 areas
- Blank Street Coffee13 outlets · 4 areas
- Black Sheep Coffee9 outlets · 3 areas
- Hagen Espresso Bar6 outlets · 2 areas
- Harris + Hoole4 outlets · 2 areas
- Coco di Mama4 outlets · 2 areas
- EL&N London3 outlets · 1 area
- heytea3 outlets · 1 area
Check competition at your exact address — free
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Questions
Is London saturated with coffee shops?
It depends on the street. Within 1 km of the 14 area centres we mapped, density runs from 8.6 per km² in Clapham to 78.3 per km² in Soho. 9 of the 14 areas count as high or intense competition (over 15 per km²). Check the exact address you have in mind before you commit.
Which London area has the most coffee shops?
Soho, with 246 within 1 km of its centre (78.3 per km²). Next come Covent Garden (205) and Shoreditch (138).
What is the average rating of coffee shops in London?
4.4 out of 5, across the 1,070 coffee shops with at least 10 reviews in the areas we mapped. The highest area average is Brixton (4.7), the lowest Greenwich (4.3).
Which coffee shop chains are most common in London?
In the areas we mapped: Costa Coffee (27 outlets in 5 areas), Starbucks Coffee (24 outlets in 7 areas), Caffè Nero (22 outlets in 4 areas).
How was this counted?
We scanned a 1 km circle around the centre of each area on 13 October 2026 and counted every coffee shop on the map inside it. Places missing from the map or opened since are not counted, so treat the numbers as a floor. Circles of neighbouring areas can overlap, so a place near two centres is counted in both, and the figures are not a total for the whole of London.