Department of Coffee and Social Affairs

I arrived on Holborn heading for a meeting a little earlier than expected and searched Unilocal for a coffee place. This place topped the list so even though I was beside a place that boasted of the best espresso in London I took the short walk to the Dept of coffee and social affairs on Leather Lane.
I ordered an Americano and porridge (it was freezing that morning!) I had a choice between sweeter coffee or more caramel nuttier. I went with the caramel one.
Place is like super hipster. The coffee is fab. Have to nicest porridge ever! The staff were really polite and nice. They check when they bring the coffee /​food order to your table is you need anything else.
A little prices apparently but given I’m used to Dublin prices it was on par.
Definitely worth a visit.

Outstanding coffee, I had to have another. Great buzz and clearly customer service is a priority!

The Department of Coffee and Social Affairs is a good place to co-​work, albeit a little on the pricy side.
I ordered a soya latte and a slice of carrot cake, both were delicious; the buttercream icing was spread very generously. At £6.50 for a coffee and cake, it was a bit on the pricy side, but this is London… And I did end up using their facilities all day…
The interior looks minimalist and is pretty comfortable, though I was freezing the entire time I sat here; did they have the heater on?
Nice cake and coffee, but please next time turn your heaters on!

It was a very nice and relax place! And coffee was absolutely amazing! It’s the best coffee I ever dink in London! Definitely recommend to others!
It’s a little bit walk from Farringdon tube station because it’s not on the main road. But the coffee and atmosphere there will worth the time you walk!
I ordered a latte and a custard tart, it was so tasty about the tart. The staff warmed it for me which was so thoughtful!
RECOMMEND!

Really good coffee.
I usually alternate between here and Prufrock, just a little further down Leather Lane. I’d say they’re both top-​tier, with some small differences (which may sway you towards one or the other at any given time). For example, I feel like the staff are a little friendlier here — they also give you the choice of bean when ordering. The ordering process is very smooth overall — they accept card (+ contactless) for any amount, which is rarer than you’d think (Prufrock only accepts card above ~£5 the last time I checked).
It’s a relatively small space inside — although it’s deceptive, since there are a couple of side rooms to sit in. If I’m planning to drink-​in, I’ll usually go to Prufrock, but that’s mainly personal preference; I’ve happily sat here in the past working from my laptop (they have wifi, although in my experience the signal isn’t amazing everywhere inside).
They have a good selection, and actually list the various espresso-​based drinks explicitly on the board, if you’re less familiar with what your options are. I liked the fact that they had cold brew available during the summer too.
Definitely worth visiting, along with Prufrock to sample the differences from both.

Nice space. Lots of nearby workers come here and fill it up and has good coffee and nice little extras. Like moju healthy juice (very nice!) and crossaint a but loved the bright attitude and fun spirit of staff the most. Lovely on early mornings.

Though it is a bit on the pricier end of coffee, you definitely get your money’s worth as, just as other reviews have said, they make no effort to make you feel as though you’ve outstayed your welcome. We were even offered water, even after being there for 4 hours. The staff is super friendly and inviting. The sandwiches are nicely toasted and good as well. The wi-​fi is quick, the service is great, and there is plenty of seating: all in all, a great place to get some work done or have a meeting.

Love this place and I’m lucky enough to have them in my office. Love the simplistic vibe they give and love that it’s all organic. I think my favourite thing is the option of different roasts. Sometimes I’m in the mood for a big bold, velvety espresso, whereas other times I want a nice sweet treat. Love that I can go to the same place for both. They also have a great assortment of breads and pastry’s available. I love their fresh bread in the morning! I also think their prices are super reasonable.

Pricey and a bit small, so I wouldn’t make a habit of coming to lunch here too often BUT their pastries and coffees are quite tasty. Plus the café is full off friendly staff. So I would deffo recommend coming here for a casual meeting :)

Adore. Adore. Adore.
I work nearby, but I actually popped here on a sunny Sunday with a friend for a coffee. The first thing I loved about this place was how hidden it is. It’s just off the main road in busy central london in a lovely courtyard that helps you escape the hussle and bussle. We were greeted by some friendly faces, laughing with each other and who seemed to be really enjoying working and each others company.
We ordered our coffee’s and took a seat opposite the coffee bar. I had a regular Mocha. It took a few minutes to arrive, but you can clearly see why, each coffee had been carefully made. They arrived with beautiful Latte Art designs, but the taste was devine. The best word I can thank of to describe their coffee was ‘smooooth’. Its delicious and I drank it all in practically one gulp! Which I think pretty much sums up my experience.
Can’t wait to return.

When I saw the name of this coffee joint, I couldn’t wait to go here. The coffee is good, albeit a little more expensive than similar shops. It is, however, much larger than most London coffee shops, so a great place to study or to meet someone and have a chance of finding a seat. I noticed they offer some gluten-​free treats as well. The icing on the cake for me was their awesome music selection, though. I remember, in a particularly triumphant moment, hearing Santigold overhead. Okay, maybe it was a tad loud for having a conversation, but how can I argue with good taste?

Great coffee shop, wonderful coffee shop actually. It has steep competition from Prufock round the corner which serves lovely coffee but with an air of pretension.
The department has a great location, lovely staff, great music, plenty of seating and a range of snacks. If you are a rookie coffee drinker then the staff will definitely fill you in on what you should be having based on your tastes.
It’s comes 4^th in my London coffee shops, however that could move up as I experiment with the beans.

I don’t really have anything to add here beyond what other Unilocalers have very comprehensively detailed.
So, erm, I’ll say… I really like this spot. On a low-​key Saturday when it’s even more conducive to some work? I REALLY like this spot.
Great coffee (I only ever go for the flat white), nice — albeit minimal — selection of snacks (apple muffin, with a crumble top gets my vote, but also some gluten free selections). What really makes it is the staff: knowledgeable, friendly, never giving a hairy eyeball /​hinting that you should leave (thankfully).
I’m a fan. 5 stars, y’all!
Unilocal note: wifi!

Mouthwatering pastries and great coffees
Almost too hip for its own good, with bare brick walls, canteen-​style seating and knowledgable staff, this is the *other* coffee magnet on Leather Lane, if Prufrock isn’t to your taste.
A great selection of pastries and hot food complements the very good coffee but I always feel the atmosphere is less convivial; a personal preference I must admit as it’s always busy.

First of all, good name. Great name even.
Second of all, good coffee. Great coffee event.
At this point, you pretty much should be here all the time.
SoCaSA (the only real way to type it) gets some love from me. It’s in a very popular spot and yet never seems overly populated. There’s the main counter as you walk in and a couple of rooms for drinking. Because of the area though, it can be mighty noisy in here. But it beats the hell out of spots that are so dead quiet, you feel like you’ll be shushed just for speaking to a friend. I’d take energy any day.
They make a nice cup of coffee that’s always powered me through the rest of my day. Nothing overly outstanding food wise but if you need a quick bite, it’s not a bad place.
What really wins it here though are the staff who are as hipster as they come, complete with the very nice caffeine fueled lovely attitude. It’s just a nice place to be. You feel welcome the moment you walk in and it’s a spot where they’ll never ask you to leave. Sit there all day, enjoy the sun from the giant windows and people watch, there are many worse ways to speak and afternoon.

I’ve been thinking about this place ever since I Googled it before coming to London!
I love its quirky name and the urban vibe of the building. The coffee is quite good — had a flat white with the nuttier blend? I forgot the name of it. Food selection is quite small, but they do know what they’re doing.
Rock music plays in the shop — not sure if that appeals to you or not. But it’s a great environment to kick back in! WiFi is fast and free. Coming here on a Saturday late afternoon also means you can grab seats fairly easily.
There’s no AC from what I can tell — there are fans keeping the place cool. I don’t particularly mind, because it’s not sweltering inside! I also think the vibe it has, the décor, etc. will make for a totally awesome winter experience — I guess I’ll have to come back to London someday to see how it is.

The visual aesthetics of this coffee shop are inspiring. Worn, textured brick walls with smooth black table tops, and exposed wiring generate a creative ambiance… for those who can stand the thumping beats playing at club level sound. It’s not to say the music isn’t good, it’s just too damn loud.
I definitely do NOT recommend if you want to be able to have eardrums at the end of your coffee session, to hear your conversation at all, or god forbid, stay for an extended period of time to work.
On the drinks — the prices range from about 2.30 — 2.80, pretty standard hipster fare. The mocha was beautiful but somewhat lukewarm and lacking in flavor. They don’t serve it in a mug so if you want to curl up with a warm mug, you’ll be disappointed. I’m ending the review here because I have to leave this damn place otherwise I’ll become deaf.

Came here on a Sunday afternoon to get some studying done. The surrounding area was SO QUIET when I came! But inside the Dpt. of Coffee and Social Affairs, there was a nice and comfortable atmosphere — music playing in the background over the conversations of the people inside. There are quite a few tables here; though I’m not sure if there are many outlets. I sat at the long bar table in the front — perfect for people watching! The staff here is great as well — very welcoming, happy, and friendly.
I ordered a regular size latte. I believe it was £2.70. I thought it was a bit pricey for the size but the taste was great. Next time, I will have to try one of the pastries!

Department of Coffee and Social Affairs serves up some pretty decent coffee in a relaxing setting on Leather Lane. The coffee is not nearly as good as the one you can get a short walk down the road at Prufrock but they make fairly good espresso based beverages and the filter coffee is ok. Main benefit from a coffee perspective is they rotate the coffees rather frequently and always have something in the guest grinder.
The food is what one can expect at a café so there are some sandwiches, pastries, cookies etc. For me not being a great fan of sandwiches (nor pastries for that matter either) the options are a bit limited but if that is your thing you will be able to find some stuff to eat here as well. It all looks nice and fresh but perhaps slightly higher prices than in some other places.
Service varies depending on who is there — I have been here numerous times and it is most of the time good and friendly service but there have been instances when the staff have just been chatting away with each other and their friends and showed no interest whatsoever do their jobs.
Otherwise do like to sit and slack here and it is also fairly good for working (or studying) as it is fairly relaxing and there are proper tables.

Yep, they have really nice coffee.
At stonking prices.
Staff can be sniffy.
The customers can be worse.
They’ll charge £2.50 for a flapjack.
My, those must be nice oats.
Or maybe it’s the golden syrup?
I don’t know.
All I know is…
I feel dirty every time I go in.
It is good coffee.
But I think it’s about to fall.
Off a cliff.