I religiously start my day with a cup of coffee and I love having them at random coffee shops. Last week I happened on one that was set in a church. Next to St Paul's Cathedral, you'll find a little church called st Nicholas Cole Abbey. It dates back to the twelfth century although it completely burned down in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and was rebuilt by the office of Sir Christopher Wren(Hence the name). This didn't prevent it from being left unused for several years. Until now. Hallelujah. Some firm coffee believers have turned the church into a place for coffee worshipers.
Churches and cups of tea go together like, well, things that really go together.
But there has been a recent boom in London churches really buying into the cafe culture - and some of them are truly excellent!
One of the finest examples is The Wren - a whole-church coffee and cake emporium set inside St Nicholas Cole Abbey, one of Sir Christopher Wren's pretty City of London churches.
This really isn't a cup of Nescafe and a Rich Tea biscuit affair - everything is done to the highest standards. Coffee is from the Workshop Coffee Company and tea is from the Brew Tea Company.
On this occasion, with three colleagues, I enjoyed a generous pot of English breakfast tea and a cinnamon whirl pastry. Yum!
This is a really great, stylish cafe - a success in its own right - being in a beautiful little church is a bonus. Go!
Nice and quiet space, I like the idea of a coffee shop in a church. Good location for us City workers. We obviously went there for the coffee, and it was very good! I had a Cortado (not on the menu, but they know how to make it) and my friend had a Latte which she really enjoyed as well. A lot of outdoor seating for the sun-lickers!
Not getting full pot for mainly three reasons: staff was very uncharismatic; despite being nice and giving me cortado off the menu, there were no smiles and they were both kind of mumble-y. The church is very nice, and I see they are trying to do an eclectic thing with their metal chairs, but it's not entirely working. It's too empty and it feels very unfinished. Lastly, although the coffee is quite good, it is not the very best, and only the very best gets the highest score.
The perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. The staff are extremely friendly and hospitable. Coffee is served in a compostable cup so you might want to bring your own reusable cup if you are bothered by that kind of thing.
Perfect place to meet up with friends, get some work done or just avoid the weather and tourist. There is a large accessible toilet and outdoor seating area of the weather is nice.
Very peaceful and relaxing place in the buzzy busy City of London. Need rest and high quality coffee? Pop in there. I am serious. The only one thing I have been a bit ,,disappointed, ....they serve coffee only into the take-away cups but I do love, when sitting in, real coffee in a real cup. But it s only one minus. Space is amazing, looks hidden but just 3 min walk from St.Paul' s Catedral, you will pass small chillout garden, just 20 min walk to very Liverpool street Station - tube, train, city bus, bus 🚍 heading to airport....why not to have perfect coffee before you fly :-)
Nice to grab a cuppa joe from an established roastery (they use Caravan coffee beans).
Barista was courteous and coffee was good!
Amazing spacious cafe in a church. Great for a break from London rain. Also great service and delicious pastries and coffee.
Beautiful, secluded and aesthetic place for coffee in central London. Loads of seating and tables and very spacious, making it peaceful and not noisy. Would be better if they gave mugs rather than disposable cups for coffee.
Looking for a quiet, convenient and aesthetic cafe to work or study?
If you haven’t had the chance already make sure to check this cafe out: because that’s exactly what it provides.
Поліна Шальнева
+5
Very nice and interesting place. A lot of space, even if you want to have a cup of coffee with dessert and work a little bit.
Kind staff. After 15:00 they have a 50% discount for some dessert, so I ate one pastel de nata there and got two more takeout.
Highly recommend.
If you are looking for incredible drip coffee, this is your spot! With close proximity to St. Paul’s, spacious seating, and a kind staff, this is an ideal locale for commuters and tourists alike. The building is called “Wren Café” because like St. Paul’s, it was designed by famed architect Christopher Wren. It’s nice that this café opens at 7:30a, earlier than most in the area. Highly recommend!
Most delicious croissant anywhere, large and covered in almonds and unlike many, still moist and full of almond flavour. Go there for that alone, if you like them!
Been meaning to come here for a while and it's worth the wait. Beautiful use of an old church, which on Thursdays still holds meetings.
Wonderful place with delicious coffee. I went around 930 AM on a Wednesday and had no troubles finding somewhere to sit. Additionally, the staff were incredibly friendly! Will be visiting again.
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Breathing room. *sighs*
While good enough coffee is easy to find in London, staying away from the town’s frantic pace can be quite a hard task in its most dense areas, even when one seeks refuge in cafés.
And The Wren is exactly that alternative — a breathing room (after you regain your breath upon entering the breathtaking space of the church it is located in) to enjoy good coffee and cakes and snacks and more, while in The City itself!
The young staff seems to take pride in their preparations, and service is efficient without being hurried, and very friendly.
Food is simple and unpretentiously good, which can be a plus in a town like London, too. Seems to have vegetarian options everyday.
And there’s the striking space itself, of course, permeating all things that happen here. Though there is music, there is so much space that one actually perceives the silence. Natural lights flows in through stained glass (some colorful abstractions contrasting with the golden ornaments on the walls and ceiling). While the dimensions make one feel small, they also enable a subtle and gradual expansion of the senses, and maybe of the spirit too — after all, this is a church that’s still used for its original purpose of helping people realize a different dimension to life.
A place to be thoroughly enjoyed, where one feeds body and soul.
Amazing find. Flat white was very tasty, you could feel the strength of the coffee. Almond croissant was amazing. Not 100% fresh but you can't expect it either, because the consumption is not that large.
we dropped by before our visit to st pauls cathedral, and had a delicious lunch. we were very impressed by the helpfulness of the service staff (after a couple of unpleasant experiences at other cafés)! the lady taking our order (sorry I didn't get your name!) double-checked with me if i'm okay with having honey in my chai latte (the way they make it). the place is beautiful too and was very comfortable.
Great spot to work between meetings. Good coffee! Wish they had a wider selection of savoury food though.
This cafe is set in a working church. What a lovely setting for a cafe.Take a very serene and calming break from your hectic office job and relax with a single origin coffee. Barrista is super knowledgeable too. Definitely be back.
Very calm and silent space to work, chat, have coffee or simply gaze at the ceiling. Good choice of background music, puts you in the mood really, Has a toilet if you need one, very close to St Paul's Cathedral, in the opposite street of Salvation Army headquarters, Not a very cozy place but definitely a solemn place to find yourself getting focused on work/study..
The Wren is accommodated in a beautiful historical church building near St Paul's Cathedral overlooking Millennium Bridge. They have everything a great cafe needs, friendly staff, local beans, fresh food, nice space and supplements for coffee and tea lovers. It's a whole package of amazing experience. The only thing is it could potentially get a bit too busy during the week when office people come by for lunch break.
Not just a relaxing, comfortable ambience but a great latte too!
Good to support an independent endeavour.
Giant croissants etc.
Very nice place to spend an hour of your day. Mansion House station is very close by. Coffee costs around 3 pounds. Very nice people serves you, very nice. Would definitely come again if i am close by. Long Black coffee could be a good choice.
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