The World Peace Cafe:
The World Peace Cafe is a beautiful and tranquil place to spend a few hours unwinding and rejuvenating. Run entirely by a lovely team of volunteers, the cafe offers affordable vegan and vegetarian lunch options, cakes and drinks. I especially recommend the vegan melt! As part of the Najarjuna Kadampa Buddhist Centre, there are also daily lunchtime meditation sessions and a variety of evening classes and meals. The refreshing atmosphere of this place has brought me back time and time again. I wrote most of my dissertation here and got to know the volunteers well (shout out to Richard!) If you ever need a place to relax, have great conversations and vibe to ‘Texas Sun’ by Khruangbin (a song I discovered there) then pay the World Peace Cafe a visit!
Location: 17 Guildhall Lane, Leicester
@worldpeacecafeleicester
Saints of Mokha Coffee Roasters:
Tucked away on Evington Road near Victoria Park is this absolute gem! I first discovered Saints of Mokha’s wonderfully aesthetic and colourful coffee via social media. Their range of specialty lattes and hot chocolates are incredibly ‘Instagrammable’. After visiting a couple of times, I recommend the red velvet latte which comes topped with an adorable cat’s face in the bright pink froth. The taste is sweet and smooth with a perfect kick of coffee. The cafe itself is tiny, with cosy window seats, but they also do takeaway if you’re on the move! Be sure to check this cafe out - it is a little pricey, but you certainly get what you pay for and the baristas are all welcoming and chatty!
Location: 12 Evington Road, Leicester
@saintsofmokha
Northern Cobbler:
At Northern Cobbler on Queens Road in the charming Clarendon Park neighborhood, you can find excellent coffee and stylish dishware on offer. This shop was my daily pilgrimage this year during the lockdown months. Mainly driven by their perfect lattes, flat whites and drip coffee, the temptation was elevated by lemon-lavender shortbread and vegan raspberry croissants. Their baked goods are irresistible!
The coffee shop has benches outside for sunbathing while sipping your coffee, whilst the inside is very Scandi-inspired with light colours. Their coffee beans are fantastic! I would especially recommend the Burbot blend, which kept me awake during hours of studying and online lectures. They also earn extra points for their recyclable or biodegradable packaging.
Location: 104 Queens Rd, Clarendon Park, Leicester
@northerncobblercoffeeroasters
St. Martins Coffee Shop
St Martins Coffee Shop's little lovely takeaway window is tucked away in the pedestrian centre of Leicester, surrounded by small independent shops. You have 'Nada - Zero Waste Shop' just across the street, Pai, the new Pizzeria in town, 33 Cank Street with out of this world cocktails, and Harriman & Co. for cool household goods just around the corner. Be sure to explore the area!
St. Martins does all the great coffee classics and offers fun drinks like London Fogs and biscoff lattes to warm our hardworking student souls. They have delicious tempting pastries for your morning coffee run, and their lunch and dinner menus are also great. Check out @craftystmartins for their dinners. The staff is extremely friendly and always up for a pleasant conversation. Here you can be sure to always be greeted with a smile!
Location: Cank St, Leicester LE1 5DG
@stmartinscoffeeshop
The Tiny Bakery
I believe most people who study Museum Studies or Art Gallery Studies are aware of and in love with The Tiny Bakery. Of course, they have beautiful coffees and teas, but the pastries are the real showstopper! You’ll head in expecting to buy one thing and leave the bakery with five. The shop hosts an array of ever-changing delights that push the envelope every time - from strawberry and cream cruffins, to dark chocolate and blood orange vegan croissants, to (my personal favourite) caramelised white chocolate and pistachio croissants. If you haven’t got a sweet tooth, the bakery also offers freshly baked bread daily, which pairs amazingly with just a good slab of butter. One of my top recommendations is this delight in Clarendon Park!
Location: 98 Clarendon Park Rd, Leicester, LE2 3AE
@thetinybakeryle2
Ninety Six Degrees
For some UoL students it may be a bit out of the way, but if you are ever heading to Braunstone Gate you must check out Ninety Six Degrees. As well as having a wonderful selection of coffees, teas, and hot chocolates (all with alternative milk options), the cafe also offers an amazing selection of food and nibbles, such as homemade double chocolate brownies and brunch options like the infamous avocado on sourdough toast! Plus, until October students get 20% off their purchases, so why not give it a go?
Location: 38-44 Braunstone Gate, Leicester, LE3 5LG
@ninetysixdegreescoffee
Written by Maria Løcke Mortensen, Alice Whitehead, and Paige Manning