The London coffee scene is one of the most vibrant in the world. There are of course the ubiquitous chains – all of which have added seasonal confections to their menus (eggnog latte, anyone?) – but there is also a wealth of independent coffee houses championing the art of a proper cup of joe. Monmouth Coffee, close to The Lady in Covent Garden, always has a queue of people stretching down the Seven Dials.

But what if you want to enjoy a luxury blend in the comfort of your own home? We Young Ladies have recently discovered that The East India Company in Conduit Street can offer you the freshest coffee grinds around. They have a coffee roaster on site, which means you can select the beans in their green form, and they will be roasted (and ground, if you wish) to flavourful perfection as you peruse the store.

Coffee master Jurrian (who, incidentally, was responsible for introducing Starbucks to Holland) is on hand to take you through the different coffee origins and tastes. I was lucky enough to sample three as I waited for the machine to do its thing. My favourite was St Helena – a citrusy, floral coffee from the little island just off the west coast of Africa. According to East India Company lore, it was the coffee Napoleon asked for on his deathbed after being interred on the island.

Coffee and chocolate, of course, are a marriage made in heaven, and Jurrian is keen to recommend pairings. Chocolate covered lemon peel really brought out the citrusy element of the hot coffee, and when we paired chocolate covered caramelised pecans (my favourite) with Nicaraguan elephant bean brew…well, my morning was made.


The mouth-wateringly fresh roasted coffee will keep for up to three weeks if left as beans, and up to a week if ground. Frankly, you’ll want to return before then. The East India Company is a veritable treasure trove of delights.

For more information www.theeastindiacompany.com