Watford’s got a thriving artisan coffee scene and what I like about the selection below, beyond the quality of the coffee and atmosphere, is how different they are from one another. These coffee shops are spread across the town in such a way that you’re never far from somewhere special.
Simba Bru Coffee
One of the quieter coffee stops in Watford, this lovely little neighbourhood café was opened by Abbas just over four years ago. It has built a strong local reputation and, during the busiest periods, there is a steady procession of regulars arriving from nearby homes and offices.
From the outside, Simba Bru keeps a low profile. In fact, if it wasn’t for a sign just up the road, you wouldn’t know it was here. A grey-painted frontage and simple awning sit beneath the building’s yellow-brick upper storey, while the café’s signature orange hanging sign tells you all you need to know: there’s hand roasted coffee here. A large front window fills the shop with natural light and creates an inviting connection between the café and the quiet street outside.
There are two outdoor tables offering views of the church across the road, while inside three tables and a long bench run alongside the window. Abbas told me he has kept the layout largely unchanged since opening. The space works well, and it is hard to imagine a more efficient use of the compact footprint.
I asked Abbas about the artwork displayed on a table near the espresso machine. “That was gifted to us by one of our customers,” he said. The back-lit piece depicts a densely layered map of London, its hundreds of intersecting streets and pathways forming a mesmerising web of urban detail. I recognised the artist’s name immediately, having noticed several other works by Tannaz Oroumchi at Ocean Bells, another café on this same list. I later got in touch with Tannaz directly, who told me she’d given the piece to Simba Bru simply out of love for the café and to celebrate its opening. Beyond that, the décor is intentionally restrained here, with the bright orange bags of beans lining the shelves providing most of the colour. Overhead, Gaze by Toby Schay was playing, and mellow electronic tones added another layer of the café’s calm, contemporary feel.
Food is kept simple too, with a short menu of grilled sandwiches and bagels sitting next to a display cabinet of sweet treats. On the savoury side are grilled cheese sandwiches and filled bagels, while the pastry selection includes almond croissants, carrot cake, brownies and banana and sesame caramel bites. It is not all about coffee either. A column of fresh oranges beside the counter is another nice touch, and completely on brand, with freshly squeezed orange juice available for those looking for something different.
Coffee, however, is the reason Simba Bru exists. The business traces its roots to 2020, when Abbas returned from a trip to Tanzania with green coffee beans and began experimenting with roasting them at home.
He’s recently expanded the business, opening a second shop in Uxbridge. As a result, he has been juggling the demands that come with running two sites. “Today was meant to be an admin day,” he told me while working behind the espresso machine. “I’ve got loads of emails to go through,” he said. Despite that, he remained cheerful, greeting customers and chatting between drinks. When I asked which coffee he most enjoyed making, the answer came quickly. “That has to be a flat white. It has the perfect balance of milk and coffee.”
Simba Bru Coffee | 61a Sutton Road, Watford, WD17 2QE | Open Mon-Fri 8-4pm, Sat and Sun 9-4pm | Motorcycle parking: Sutton Road Car Park (free for motorcycles) | Instagram: @simbabrucoffee
The LP Café
Hidden away from Watford’s busiest shopping streets is The LP Café, one of the more unassuming coffee stops in Watford until you actually step inside. A generous area at the front leads into an interior where shelves of records stretch along the walls. As I arrive, Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain is playing, but customers are free to choose whichever vinyl spins next.
Coffee and music have shared the same space since day one. “That was always the idea, coffee and records,” said Leila, who has been part of the business since it opened in 2013. The concept grew out of her partner’s lifelong involvement in music retail and a moment of opportunity that pushed them to take the leap. “He worked for HMV for years and when they originally went into administration, it was like, okay, now is the time, let’s do it,” she said. “That was the propeller to actually go ahead and open the record store that sells coffee.”
More than a decade on, the formula remains much the same, although Leila says the business itself has evolved with its customers. “You have your plans, you have your ideas, but you don’t know how they’re going to play out,” she said. “The customers will tell you what they want once they start coming.” Rather than forcing a vision onto the community, The LP Café has adapted around the people who use it. “We provide for the people that were our community, who were our customers,” she said. “In any business, you need to be adaptable.”
From behind the counter, Leila has had a front-row seat to the connections people make at the café. “It’s nice to see friendships that have formed and blossomed from people coming in here,” she said. Some relationships have become even more significant. “There’s families that exist because they met here,” she said. “That’s something that is very special.” Even now, after years in the town, she still enjoys welcoming first-time visitors. “It’s still such a pleasure when people say, ‘I didn’t even know you were here.'”
The space outside the shop becomes a gathering point during the summer months, with live bands performing while customers spill onto the grass nearby. “It’s so nice with the bands playing literally just outside the front of the shop,” Leila said. “People sit on the grass if it’s good and it’s like a bit of a little mini festival vibe.” Back inside, the record bins remain packed with new releases and second-hand discoveries from across the musical spectrum. “We have second-hand records, all different genres,” she said. “Hopefully whatever people are into, they can find here.”
Coffee is taken seriously here, too of course. I ordered a long black, brewed with beans from Climpson & Sons, the East London roaster that has supplied The LP Café since it opened in 2013. A chalkboard behind the counter describes them as “pioneers of the evolving London specialty coffee scene” and notes that their approach to sourcing focuses on sustainability, ethical production and transparency. The menu covers all the expected espresso-based drinks, from cortados and flat whites to iced coffees and chai lattes. Alongside them is a straightforward lunch offering of sourdough toasties, ranging from classic cheese to ham and cheese and spinach, cheese and onion, reflecting the café’s unfussy, neighbourhood feel.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect as I rounded the corner and stepped into Watford’s OG Independent Record Café, but by the time I left, it was clear that The LP Café offers far more than coffee and records. It’s one of the best coffee stops in Watford, and not to be missed.
The LP Café | 173 The Parade, High Street, Watford, WD17 1NJ | Open Mon-Fri 10-4pm, Sat 9-4pm, Sun 10:30-4pm | Motorcycle parking: free just outside | Instagram: @thelpcafe
Ocean Bells Coffee
Ocean Bells Coffee may sit on the busy high street, but of all the coffee stops in Watford on this list, it’s the one that best shuts out the hustle and bustle of the surrounding shops.
It’s a surprisingly spacious place, with more than twenty tables spread throughout the café and another five outside in the mall corridor. An expansion into the adjacent retail unit in 2024 means there’s plenty of room here for laptop workers, coffee catch-ups and shoppers looking for a breather between errands.
During my visit, I could hear Jamiroquai’s Space Cowboy playing overhead followed up by something from the Sugababes.
Hanging plants spill from baskets suspended above wooden tables, exposed filament bulbs cast a warm glow, and dark wall panelling adds to the welcoming feel. At one end, a large chalkboard menu lists everything from espresso-based drinks and loose-leaf teas to more indulgent options such as Biscoff and Nutella lattes.
Art plays a major role in the atmosphere. The walls double as a gallery, displaying dozens of pieces ranging from portraits and landscapes to abstract works and coffee-themed paintings. Every piece is available to purchase, and a barista told me the café is currently showcasing work from four artists, all of whom are regular customers. The artwork gives the café a strong sense of local identity. I even spotted someone I recognised from St Albans featured in one of the paintings.
Look carefully enough and you’ll also find a small piece of television history. Beneath a painting of Ocean Bells hangs a photograph from Peep Show, labelled “Season 9, Episode 6”. According to a member of staff, the production team closed the café for three days while filming took place. Eagle-eyed fans can even spot an Ocean Bells employee appearing in the scene.
Coffee comes courtesy of Campbell & Syme Coffee Roasters, the Hertfordshire-based specialty roaster known for sourcing traceable coffees from around the world. I ordered a batch brew, encouraged by a recommendation displayed on the window, and it proved to be an excellent choice.
If you’ve been trawling through the Harlequin Shopping Centre or along Watford High Street, my recommendation is to skip the chain food outlets and head here instead. The counter is filled with tempting homemade bakes, including banana bread, brownies, lemon drizzle cake and dark chocolate cookies, with several gluten-free options available. Those looking for something more substantial can choose from a menu that ranges from avocado on toast and scrambled eggs to smoked salmon bagels, halloumi flatbreads and colourful salad bowls. A selection of freshly made toasties, including classic cheese, ham and cheese, and “The Works”, rounds out an offering that makes Ocean Bells just as appealing for lunch as it is for coffee and cake.
Ocean Bells Coffee | 133-135 High St, Watford, WD17 2ER | Open Mon-Sat 8:30am-5pm, Sun 10am-5pm | Motorcycle parking: free at King Street near the McDonalds | Instagram @oceanbellscoffee
Viento Coffee Company
Of all the coffee stops in Watford I’d lined up, I had been looking forward to this visit most. Not long ago, I rode past Viento Coffee Company’s second location on Hatfield Road in St Albans while making my way back from Sustain Coffee Co. I’d already hit my caffeine limit for the day, so I resisted the temptation to stop. I’ll be back to that shop soon enough, but today I’m visiting Viento’s main location on St Albans Road in Watford.
Viento means wind in Spanish and the logo appears to draw inspiration from a traditional windmill. From the outside, Viento looks very much like the working coffee roastery it is. It’s got a European feel to it too with its four tables outside under the black branded awning. I could easily sit there and watch the traffic go by, there’s a lot to take in on this busy road so close to Watford Junction.
The interior has a serene industrial look, softened by warm lighting and plenty of greenery. Exposed metal shelving displays bags of coffee beans, brewing equipment and merchandise, while dark wooden tables and benches add warmth against the white subway tiled walls and dark-painted floorboards.
On the door is a polite sign explaining that laptops, tablets and studying are not permitted. The rationale is straight-forward: customers had complained about a lack of seating. I’d noticed the same sign at Viento’s St Albans branch and, to be honest, I can understand the decision with space at a premium.
I asked the barista for a double espresso and enquired about the drinks menu. “We are an espresso-based café,” he said. In practice, that means the focus is firmly on classics such as flat whites, cappuccinos, lattes and americanos. That said, there’s also plenty here for the home brewer, with shelves stocked with moka pots, pour-over drippers, kettles and filters.
After making my drink, the barista busied himself with the substantial drum roaster housed in the dedicated area behind the till.
Speaking of the till, there are some good food options that I can see. The pastry selection includes classic croissants, pain au chocolat and almond croissants, alongside sweet treats such as brownies, muffins and flapjacks.
For those after something more substantial, there is a selection of toasted flatbreads and savoury pastries. Fillings include combinations such as mozzarella, tomato and olives, while a range of lighter lunch options are alongside the cakes and pastries.
Soft jazz hummed quietly in the background as I took a seat near the back. Looking up, I noticed a wall-mounted display case packed with coffee beans, complete with an “In case of emergency, break glass” sign. Love that!
Alongside the various artwork on the walls there’s just one photo of a person in the shop and it’s a touching tribute to founder Engin Gok. In it he’s deeply engrossed in the roasting process, reinforcing Viento’s focus on coffee quality.
More than a decade on from opening, it remains one of the most welcoming coffee stops in Watford, a place to spend a little time, watch the roastery at work, and enjoy a coffee where it all began.
Viento Coffee Company | 157 St Albans Road, Watford, WD24 5BD | Open Mon-Sat 8am-3pm | Motorcycle parking: free for two hours on Leavesden Road | Instagram @vientocoffeecompany
Unit Vii
A little outside Watford sits Unit Vii, the most unexpected of these coffee stops in Watford, a recommendation passed on during my visit to The LP Café. I happened to arrive on the morning of an event, which turned out to be the perfect introduction to the place.
After ordering an americano from a tablet beside the coffee kiosk, I settled into a Chesterfield sofa and took in my surroundings. There is a lot to take in. Exposed brick walls are covered with automotive artwork, racing-inspired signs and colourful murals, giving the café the feel of a relaxed clubhouse. A bright red classic Fiat sits proudly in the middle of the room while funky beats play on the speakers overhead.
For Raman, who runs Unit Vii with his wife Zarina, the café was born from an easy observation. “It was kind of needed in the area,” he said. He felt there was room for an authentic specialty coffee destination, somewhere people could enjoy quality food and drink while spending time together. More than anything, he wanted to create a place where people could “get together”.
That’s exactly what I was seeing on this visit. The café was hosting a breakfast meet for Porsche Club GB, with members arriving throughout the morning to admire each other’s cars over coffee and breakfast. Raman explained that the group regularly meets between 9 and 11am and hopes similar gatherings will become common among motorcyclists too. While bike meets have yet to take off, he remains confident. “We will,” he said.
The concept behind Unit Vii reflects the couple’s backgrounds. Raman spent years in the motor trade, while Zarina built a career in recipe development and food manufacturing. “We just merged them together and opened this space,” he said. The result is a café that blends car culture with a strong focus on quality food and coffee.
Like the best coffee stops in Watford, the house blend here matters, a combination of Colombian and Brazilian beans, roasted by a husband-and-wife team in Chiswick. “We’re a stickler for good quality products,” Raman said.
Named after its location, Unit Vii has been open for just over a year. Above the entrance, the words “Coffee” and “Smashraps” leave little doubt about one of the café’s signature offerings. The menu also features breakfast dishes, loaded sandwiches and burgers, with American influences running throughout. I promised Raman I’d return to try breakfast for myself.
But if you are in a hurry, there’s a food truck inside. Yes, inside. Serving as the counter for cakes and bakes. Behind the glass sat everything from gooey chocolate brownies and vegan banana loaf to sticky banana ginger cinnamon slices.
Unit Vii | Unit 7, Moor Park Industrial Centre, Tolpits Lane, Watford, WD18 9SP | Open Wed-Fri 7am-3pm, Sat and Sun 8am-3pm | Motorcycle parking: free just outside | Instagram @unitvii
