London is packed with all kinds of festivals dedicated to food and drink, from sweet treats and chocolate, to cocktails and more. However, if you’re a serious coffee fan, then the London Coffee Festival needs to be high up on the list of places to visit. With the city having a thriving coffee scene, it’s no surprise that it boasts a world-renowned festival dedicated to the fine art of the perfect brew, and you’ll find everything here under the sun related to those delicious little beans you know and love. Now, after running for seven years, the festival has gotten bigger and better than ever.
Read on to find out more about this year’s Coffee Festival, and what you can expect. Then check out great deals for stays at the Park Grand Hotel Hyde Park, to make sure that you can enjoy one of London’s most popular food festivals in style.
Going there: what to expect
Since its early days, the London Coffee Festival has been held in the heart of the East End at the Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, and takes place in spring. This year, the London Coffee Festival will be happening between 2 – 5 April, with a full schedule of events packed through the weekend. It’s easy to get to from Hyde Park accommodations, with excellent connections via Tube, buses and the Overground, and there are several stations that you can reach, within a short walking distance of the location.
Each year, the festival has only grown in popularity, with more and more visitors attending, so you can expect it to be busy. If you’re making your way down from the Park Grand Hotel Hyde Park and don’t want to tackle huge crowds, it’s worth trying to make it on a weekend morning. However, with so much fun in store, it’s definitely a good idea to try to experience as much of it as you can, especially if you’re a serious coffee connoisseur.
You’ll find a variety of activities taking place across the three days of the festival, ranging from fun tasting sessions, coffee brewing competitions, plenty of delicious food to accompany your cup, workshops and much more. You’ll also be able to check out the latest in coffee gear, so if you’re in the market for a stylish new coffee grinder or the perfect machine for your kitchen, this is the place to find it.
The festival also attracts plenty of people from the industry too, so if you’re working in the world of coffee or would like to, this can be a great place to get more information about what’s going on behind the scenes.
Discover The Lab
One of the most exciting things about the London Coffee Festival is their programme of special events, called The Lab. This is a packed schedule of special talks, workshops, master classes and more, giving you the chance to dig a little deeper into the world of coffee, and learn some insightful facts about what it takes to make the popular drink. Last year’s Lab events covered everything from what you need to know about the reality of starting your own coffee shop and roasting tips, to what to pair to make the perfect Scandi-inspired brunch.
You’ll also get to find out more about the serious side of coffee, including how to ensure that your morning cup of freshly brewed coffee is sustainably sourced, to an in-depth history lesson into the origins of the popular drink. With plenty of coffee-flavoured inspiration to discover, it’s a great idea to look up Hyde Park accommodations around the dates of the festival, to make sure that you can check out all that is in store.
Meet the biggest names in coffee
Another great perk of heading to the London Coffee Festival is getting to find out more about the leading brands in the coffee scene, including major international brands that you’ve probably heard of already, as well as some lesser known gems that you’ll be excited to discover.
It’s a great place to browse and find out more about the latest technology in the world of coffee making, and an ideal spot to ask questions or see things in action, before you decide to invest in something. If you’re looking for a some delicious new coffee to try, you’ll also see a variety of coffee roasters and manufacturers showcasing their products here, with plenty of opportunity to try them out. Afterwards, don’t forget to pay a trip to the artisan café, where there is a great spread of delicious food and drink to fill up on, before heading back to the Park Grand Hotel Hyde Park.
Show off your coffee skills
If you’re a professional barista or are particularly proud of your gourmet coffee making skills, then you might just want to get serious on the stage, with a chance to compete against some of the world’s top coffee talent. Even if you’re not confident about putting your morning brew under close scrutiny, it’s still incredibly exciting to see the pros do their stuff, and you can watch the heated competition as they drip, press and steam their way through to the grand prize.
However, if your coffee skills still leave a lot to be desired, then don’t worry. The Coffee Festival is packed with some great classes and events to take you through your paces and help you understand more about the fine art of coffee making. Discover how to perfect your latte art for that picture perfect foam creation, learn how to master the right grind for every kind of coffee, and if you fancy something a little different, pick up some tips from expert mixologists, who’ll be showing off a variety of delicious coffee-flavoured cocktail recipes. You’ll even get to learn more about the refined art of tasting, with the option to try out different sessions exploring coffee, as well as other drinks including craft beers and fine wines.
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