Business
Discover cafés and coffee spots in the Royal Docks
The Royal Docks is home to a vibrant array of cafés and coffee shops. Whether you’re after a flawless flat white, superb sourdough or a blissful breakfast, brunch or lunch, here are some of the popular hotspots:
Chill #08
Relaxed by name and by nature, Chill #08 is part of Ibis London Canning Town. Enjoy artisan coffee and an eclectic food menu til late. The welcoming café bar has wheelchair access and is a great all-rounder conveniently near Canning Town station.
8 Silvertown Way, London, United Kingdom, E16 1ED
Dialogue Café
Tucked away in the Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability you’ll find Dialogue Café, part of Dialogue Hub. This not-for-profit social enterprise is dedicated to fostering social inclusion and change. The café is run by Deaf and hard of hearing baristas, with customers encouraged to order using British Sign Language (BSL). Don’t know BSL? No problem. To help, there’s an interactive screen showing how to sign your order. Hand roasted Union Coffee, light bites and more are on offer.
The Dialogue Hub is home to much more than just the café. During your visit, explore the current art exhibition or book the unique immersive experience set in complete darkness and guided by blind tour guides.
Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability, 4 - 6 University Way, London, E16 2RD
https://dialoguehub.co.uk/dialogue-cafe
Fratelli’s
Popular with locals, Fratelli’s is an Italian café in the heart of Royal Victoria Dock. Serving breakfast, brunch and lunch, the tasty menu includes a selection of baps, sandwiches, pasta, bagels, and salads. For something sweet, indulge in their traditional Italian treats like tiramisu, chocolate cannoli and panini sfogliati.
Unit 1A, Royal Victoria Dock, Western Gateway, London E16 1BS
www.instagram.com/cafefratellilondon
Freight
Close to Royal Albert DLR, Freight is a great pit spot. Expect good coffee, pastries, cakes, and light lunch.
15 Royal Albert Quay, London, E16 2YR
Freight at the Pump House
The Pump House is an innovative 12,000 sqft creative hub featuring studios, co-working areas, and event space on the upper two floors, complemented by a café bar on the ground floor. The stylish café bar conveniently located next to Royal Victoria DLR is ideal for an artisan coffee and a light bite on the go.
30 Seagull Lane, London, E16 1YP
Graysons
Graysons is nestled within the London Regatta Centre. The cosy indoor and outdoor seating areas provide excellent views of the rowing and dragon boat racing on Albert Dock. Along with great coffee, the menu includes toasties, yoghurt pots, pastries, and a delightful selection of cakes.
1010 Dockside Rd, London, E16 2QT
Layers
A popular artisan café and bakery, Layers is also a wholesaler. It’s the perfect place for a seasonal brunch with friends by the riverside and to pick up freshly baked sourdough bread. Layers hosts a rolling programme of events and workshops from Viennoiserie pastry classes for adults to cookie workshops for kids. The family friendly venue welcomes dogs too.
68 Orchard Place, London, E14 0JZ
Little Hudson
Bringing a slice of brunch culture to Royal Wharf, Little Hudson is a family-owned eatery serving delicious brunch, lunch, and artisan coffee in a cosy laidback setting.
4 Starboard Way, London, E16 2PF
Perky Blenders
For superb coffee to go, visit Perky Blenders. This hidden gem is in Expressway, a bustling creative hub at Royal Victoria Dock. Their takeaway coffee kiosk serves its own brand of award-winning specialty coffee along with a selection of tempting cakes, pastries, and tasty light lunch options. As a prominent East London roastery, Perky Blenders also supplies coffee to more than 100 local cafés and businesses. Don’t forget to grab a bag of their coffee, which can be freshly ground right there, and enjoy a complimentary hot drink with your purchase.
Expressway, 1 Dock Rd, Royal Victoria Dock, London, E16 1AG
Plant Lovers London
For a unique café experience, head to Plant Lovers London in Custom House. This charming venue serves up delicious coffee and cake alongside a lush selection of houseplants. Be sure to try their homemade samosas too.
29 Freemasons Road, London, E16 3AR
www.facebook.com/PlantLoversLondon
Silver Building
The former Carlsberg Tetley headquarters, spanning over 60,000 square feet, stood abandoned for 15 years until its refurbishment in 2017. Now, it serves as a vibrant hub for creative professionals, artists, makers, and small businesses.
In the foyer, you'll find a café bar perfect for enjoying coffee while people-watching. The space buzzes with energy, hosting everything from fashion photo shoots to pop-up events and open-air parties. If you're hungry, Wings of Heaven, also located on the ground floor, serves up a mouth-watering array of chicken wings, burgers, and other tasty options, perfect for dining in or taking away.
The Silver Building, 60 Dock Road, London, E16 1YZ
The Barre
Located within the English National Ballet, The Barre is one of the many highlights of London City Island. Serving an enticing all-day brunch menu, refreshing cold-pressed juices and specialty coffee by The Espresso Room, it’s perfect for brunch lovers. Be sure to try the delicious homemade banana bread and freshly baked cookies.
English National Ballet, 41 Hopewell Square, Leamouth Peninsula, London, E14 0SY
The Factory Project
The Factory Project is another unique creative work and event space redevelopment in the Royal Docks with the bonus of a community café. Spanning 5.2 acres, the 100,000 sqft site has re-purposed unused Tate and Lyle Sugar buildings and outdoor yards. Showcasing striking Brutalist architecture, it boasts raw concrete flooring, stunning original staircases, and exposed brick walls. Visitors to the café can look forward to refreshing frappés, quality coffee, and light lunch.
Thameside Industrial Estate, 33 Factory Road, London, E16 2HB
The Orchard Café
Housed in a shipping container in the Docklands' Arts Quarter, The Orchard Café offers a classic London café experience surrounded by quirky sculptures. Grab yourself a hearty brekkie and strong coffee and enjoy the beautiful views of the River Lea.
64 Orchard Place, London, E14 0JW
Triple Two Coffee
Located in Royal Wharf next to The Clubhouse leisure facility, Triple Two Coffee is a contemporary café bar. Emphasising their motto ‘real food, awesome coffee’, Triple Two Coffee offers the local community and gym-goers a stress-free way to kick-start their day, boasting speciality coffee alongside fresh, nutritious, and wholesome food.
38 Royal Crest Avenue, Royal Wharf, London, E16 2TF
https://www.instagram.com/tripletwocoffee
Well Bean Café
Well Bean Café is another local gem with a unique twist. This plant-based community café and event space is the perfect place to relax and enjoy a tasty bagel, a luxurious hot chocolate, and a sweet treat. Committed to supporting mental health initiatives, Well Bean Café also offers a weekly timetable of donation-based wellness classes from meditation and yoga to Mindful Adult Crafternoons with Colour Therapist and Happiness Facilitator, Momtaz Begum-Hossain.
1-2 Upper Dock Walk, London, E16 2GU
With Milk
Located in Thames Barrier Park, With Milk, is an exciting new café and community hub. Recently refurbished, it features a stone-bake pizza oven, decking with comfy seating and floor-to-ceiling windows providing a stunning 180-degree views of the park. Owned and run by sisters Hana and Lela, the café serves specialty coffee and locally sourced food with a nod to their North African heritage and Tottenham roots.
Thames Barrier Park, North Woolwich Rd, London, E16 2HP
Yapix Coffee and Wine House
Just a two-minute walk from Canning Town station, Yapix serves a delightful selection of Italian coffee, food, cocktails and wine. The skilled baristas use their expertise and premium Veronero beans to create the perfect coffee. The food menu draws inspiration from the traditional Puglian emphasis on enjoying life's simple pleasures. Evolving with the seasons, Yapix sources fresh, local ingredients to create wholesome, hearty dishes available to dine in or take away. Buon appetito!
15 Minnie Baldock Street, London, E16 1YE
