The Best Cafes in Kingston Upon Thames, Greater London, United Kingdom (2025)

I contacted Ginger Bees to enquire about a picnic for a boat trip and they went over and above to provide not only a delicious selection of goods but also beautifully presented! We had a vegan and a dairy/wheat/egg intolerance in the group and it was no stress for Gavin, Beth and their team. Delicious and highly recommend as a compliment to your trip along the river!

Fabulous staff and great drinks. The atmosphere is friendly and the view of the river is fantastic. Plenty of vegan and gluten free options ; the staff are very accommodating :) - Josie

In that sunny autumn afternoon, the atmosphere was 6-star. I didn't expect much from what looked like to me a refreshment kiosk but the food was surprisingly good, so was the espresso. My smashed avocado on sourdough looked artistic and tasted fresh with plenty of tomatoes. They forgot to fill the order of my coffee though perhaps because they were too busy. The queue never ended.

We live just down the road from the Ginger Bees and have stopped a few times on our walk around the Promenade for a take away coffee. Today we decided to share a cone on the way home. The staff are friendly and the coffee is good. My biggest issue is the price vs the really small size take away coffee cups. The ice cream was a decent value for a double scoop but wasn’t anything spectacular. Definitely a fun place to visit when the weather is great to enjoy a tasty beverage and look out on the water.

Excellent coffee!! Lovely vegan cake! Amazing location!

I visited this cafe after doing a little bit of shopping and it was the right decision! The people behind the bar were really friendly and nice and were happy to help. The homemade brownie I had was delicious and perfectly sized and the general atmosphere was amazing! Would very much recommend.

I went there for a few days in a row and the coffee was really consistently good. I had some food as well and their pastries were excellent especially the chocolate croissant. It’s already solid choice in Kingston for coffee probably the best I’ve been to. They also had decaf available.

Nice cafe with good prices. I chose the Full English Breakfast which comprised of two fried eggs, two sausages, two rashers of bacon, two slices of toast with a serving of baked beans and added a can of lemonade to the order and the total price was only £9.00. There is a customer toilet which was in reasonable condition. The cafe seats around 30 people indoors and in the region of 16 outdoors. If you found this review helpful please click on the heart icon, thanks.

Welcoming and helpful staff who make you feel valued. Incredibly fast service. Great tasting food and drinks for a very reasonable low price. Cannot recommend this cafe enough for anyone in the area. Plus a 10% student discount for those it applies to. Overall just a wonderful atmosphere.

Must-try café! Coffee Break in Kingston offers exceptional service and high-quality food at great prices. The staff are always friendly and welcoming, making every visit enjoyable. The menu features delicious options, including a variety of drinks like cappuccinos and lattes. Plus, there’s even a 10% student discount available. For those visiting Kingston, this café is a delightful stop that truly stands out for its value and inviting atmosphere.

Yummy breakfast, sold at a reasonable price. Definitely will come back.

Perks: The place is really cute. Perfect if you want somewhere nice to drink coffee or socialize, the coffee is superb. Cons: food wasn't really good unfortunately. Had the vegetarian breakfast. Poached eggs and bread were nice but that's about it. Avocados and mushrooms were pretty sour-tasting.

Really great place. Good service. Such good food- the salads are always a winner. Had the apple cake after friends insisting it was the best. They were not wrong.

Nice little cafe with some great healthy options. Came here for lunch after shopping, seating available inside and out and the service was good, the waitress was very friendly and helpful. They have huge salad potions with different varieties daily. Freshly made juices and smoothies were nice as well and all very reasonably priced. It’s just off the main market area but still quite busy and has a nice casual chilled vibe.

Fantastic service and a fairly good cooked English breakfast… just not sure about the seeds sprinkled on the eggs, the slight taste of vinegar in the mushrooms and the very murky coffee. I’ve definitely had worse but there’s better breakfast options in Kingston.

This is a lovely place with gentle relaxing music and well spaced tables. The staff are amazingly good and helpful. Cakes, drinks and food great. I come and enjoy every day. Highly recommended.

Lovely new cafe I came across this morning.I’m currently on a diet so I only had a flat white which was excellent .Will return to try out their savoury and sweet treats at a later date.

cute cafe matcha was nice, and pesto tomato mozzarella toasties was way nicer than The panini choice! English breakfast was BIG, smoothies not the freshest, nice vibe, service was okay 👌seems like a good place to do some laptop work or coffee date I would go again

A bright and pleasant place to stop for a coffee, with a wide variety of toasties and baguettes, as well as salads and soups. The large windows let in plenty of light and service was friendly and quick.

Excellent location by the river to have a beverage or nibble

Nice location in Canbury Park. Premium quality products and friendly staff. All the services are really good. Enjoy if you are in this area!

A lovely cafe kiosk on an excellent riverside location - An oasis in the Borough of Kingston. Excellent coffee and fresh pastries - . Lots of grab and go options for your picnics and parties in the park. Interesting ice cream options too! Great for those sunny days by the river,.. just the thing for your kiddos.. unbeatable fudge swirl ice cream! You can tell the proprietor has made an effort on his business, Setting high standards. Believing in what he does and what the customers want. We had a great time with friends on this stretch of the riverbank. Enjoyed the waterside activity and watching the colourful boats during the Bank Holiday weekend.

Hidden gem. Lovely array of baked goods, a really decent choice of hot drinks and a good sized food menu. There are picnic tables available but it’s also surrounded by benches by the river, and lots of options for a stroll too.

We were on the fence about trying a new cafe as there is Gail’s a few yards away but so glad we did. The Flat White was sharp, perfectly proportioned and the roast was simply delicious. We paired this with the Salted Caramel Chocolate Brownie which was rich in flavour and perfectly baked to a crisp top. The cafe was busy even on a rainy day so expect to fight for a table when the weather is right. All in all, our coffee experience here was flawless and this might very well be our ‘local hero’. Highly recommended cafe and one we will definitely be back to soon.

Great coffee, such a hidden spot! I can’t believe it took me so long to find it. The coffee was so good, i had to order a 2nd one. The staff were so friendly and the vibes are cozy. Perfect for a quick brunch with a friend or getting some work done on a laptop perhaps ! Would 100% recommend over those big coffee chains Kingston has to offer

Nice cafe with very friendly service. It's quite small but there's an outside window to order to-go from, which is a brilliant idea. Our food was ok. I ordered pancakes which were nice but not normal pancakes, more cakey. My mum ordered a cake and my review was that it tasted healthy. It's not bad at all, but there are better places for food in the area

Fika is a lovely cafe, amazing coffee! It's close to the kingston gate of Richmond Park so not too far if you're out for a stroll. The owners provide personal and genuinely welcoming service every time and are extremely accommodating. The cinnamon buns are to die for, don't leave without trying!

This simple little cafe at the corner of a junction offers big stuff like, 1. The simple English town view while u sit at the window, awesome (an add on to Point 4) 2. The drinks especially their hot choco, is simply hot!! 3. The simple delicacies especially the cinnamon roll, soft and deep in taste.. awesome! 4. The simple English cafe ambience is simply a great experience esp for people who is not a Brit, and who appreciates simple things in life.. like being in this cafe.. (an add on to Point 1) Leant something from here, u dont have to be a big Fika (the more renowed restaurant chain) to be a great Fika! 😀 Thanks for the awesome experience! And thanks to the awesome staff too!!

nice little chomp after a walk in richmond park, just outside of kingston gate and lovely atmosphere. cinnamon buns were warm and yummy and also huge, four pounds each which if you factor in the way it’s london then it’s ok! chai latte did disappoint me slightly as was very milky and the sugar at the bottom kind of all clumped so there wasn’t much flavour apart from the cinnamon on top, but lovely netherless

Such a cosy place! The food was such a good price for the amount we got and was so so tasty! The service was great too, everyone there seemed so sweet. Special shout-out to the berry-go-round smoothie- SO good. We’ll definitely come again :-)

Perfect for a break and some peace and quiet. Lovely staff, nice coffee and perfect spot.

First stop of the day after a three hour train journey to complete the Bear Hunt Sculpture Trail (May 2024). With two bears in the bag it was time for a coffee, and that was the best coffee in forever!!! This little place was so inviting from outside and fabulous friendly inside. The staff were helpful and had a fabulous sense of humour. They proper made me smile. The surroundings were cosy and practical with a variety of seating whether alone or with a group, outdoor seating was also an option. Some people were catching up with a cuppa, some were meeting in groups, a few were content working on laptops, and some were clearly on business. Clearly everyone was welcome. With an array of sweet and savoury treats, as well as a few hot and cold meal options, along with very good beverages to choose from. I was also surprised by the very reasonably price tag. The facilities here were good and clean. They advertised boardgames being available and hosted live entertainment. I was not at all disappointed and so pleased I went in based on how inviting the café looked from outside. Such a gem. I would definitely visit here again if I was in the area! I'd walked from the train station. I did note a small amount of on street parking, possibly permitted, and some nearby bus stops.