"Behind Dalston Kingsland station, Kris runs an espresso bar where the coffee earns the visit. The chains two minutes away will feel like a mistake afterwards."
unit 1, sledge tower, Dalston Square, London E8 3GT, UK
Batch brew runs two single origins at once, rotating by roaster, and the staff know why the Colombian drinks differently from the Ethiopian. For filter drinkers, this is one of East London's more serious stops, and the name is earned.
Allpress roast on-site in Dalston. Single-origin espresso, cathedral ceilings, sacks of beans visible from the cafe floor.
Order the kopi susu: Indonesian palm sugar, real Indonesian beans, a drink with no equivalent at a standard London espresso bar. The retail shelf of those same beans is there if you want to take it home.