Alchemy Café - Old Street

Alchemy Coffee Reveals New London Speciality Coffee Shop in Shoreditch | Eater London

"Founded by Joe and Anne O’Hara and based in Merton, south‑west London, this roastery and speciality café — which currently operates a flagship on Ludgate Broadway in the City — will open a second London shop in November on Scrutton Street at Victorian warehouse conversion Zetland House in Shoreditch. Often overlooked beside larger London roasters, its coffees punch above its modest footprint: the flagship “Elixir” espresso is celebrated for pronounced fruit and floral notes and a high sweetness. The business emphasizes a genuine direct‑trade purchasing model — committing to full‑container buys paid in advance based on representative samples, which shifts financial risk onto the roaster and producer rather than brokers — a sourcing ethic it presents as a meaningful credit amid an industry where the phrase is frequently overused." - James Hansen