Bringing a fresh slice of third-wave coffee love to the city, St. Ali is the first London venture from South Melbourne’s long-standing café of the same name. Set in the East-but-not-too-far-East area of Clerkenwell, just past the corner with St. John Street, St. Ali is cosy in its bare brick and industrial finish.

Pull up a stool at the wooden-paneled bar for a site-roasted espresso, immaculately prepped latte or even a cold premier beer or glass of wine. The food menu at the tables changes regularly, but if it happens to be on the menu when you drop by, a particularly good accompaniment to any drink is the homemade banana bread with date and orange jam. Make sure to pick up a bag of the site-roasted beans from the back of store before re-emerging into the bright lights of the real world.