Federation Coffee

I tried Federation out because I was passing through Brixton. I’m glad I did. This is a proper coffee shop with baristas who are knowledgeable about coffee and can give good advice. I enquired about purchasing beans to take away and had a chat about the flavour profile of the coffee and the best grind for my Bialetti. The barista then let me try an espresso to ensure I was happy before buying. The espresso was seriously good. The beans that were ground for me were only roasted a week ago and filled my vehicle with the most beautiful aroma all the way home. I bought a flat white with Bonsoy and was very impressed. Balanced flavour and creamy texture all the way to the last drop. My only gripe is that they didn’t have Oat milk (odd for a hipster coffee shop in 2018) and no vegan cake options either. I’ll be back for the great coffee though. Keep it up guys.

Not the best curated place but amazing coffee in vibrant Brixton Village Market some more attention to the interior decor would help ...not many seats inside and only few table outside if you lucky to grab a spot is a very enjoyable place to suck in all the energy of the village market while sipping your coffee and people watching ! They also have some pastry I love their cinnamon ban with moka w/soy as combo!

Fabulous coffee but don’t bother with takeaway food - I waited 10 minutes for half toasted bread, which I then had to attempt buttering myself (and no jam/basic toppings on the menu). Sit in breakfasts did look amazing, just don’t think takeaway should be offered if it’s not done properly.

Baristas were super friendly and dedicated to their work. Seemed to really enjoy working there. Love the vibe, outdoor seating is really cool, they give you blankets to use while you're out there!

Small coffee shop in Brixton Village but good ambience and good coffee. As a digital nomad, the only thing I feel disappointed is no power outlets. I cannot stay longer. 😂

An absolute gorgeous place though absolutely terrible customer service! I have basically just been thrown out by the staff for absolutely no reasons. This happened while I was quietly waiting for a take away coffee that I have been told would take no less than 5 minutes be be served. I had no problem to wait if you were busy, dair enough, but it s not a reason to be rude! I asked for my money back and left, unfortunately I wont be back

One of the best places in Brixton for quality coffee - Pastries/cakes aren't too shabby either.

The coffee is always amazing (ask what they have on batch brew), the tunes are always banging, the food is simple but very high-quality and the staff are a delight.

Cool coffee options, with a nice taste. We definitely have to do better out here in the states where apparently a ridiculously large cup of Joe is equated with strong good coffee but um no. I learned otherwise at Federation which was nice and cozy and like going green with the sustainable options. For example, they only gave you a to-go cup if you were really trying to go. If you were sitting inside, then you would be using a reusable dish like a decent human being. I loved that idea. Great service and affordable prices.

Not bad! Server was nice, and recommended I get the mocha instead of the macchiato as it was lots bigger :) (and I'm used to American-sized coffees ^^). Tasted sweet and nice, though still wasn't very big. About 2,80 pounds. When we came on a Sunday afternoon this coffee shop was super busy so no place to sit outside, but I guess it means it's considered a good place.

It's a great place to study and hang out with friends. It's also really affordable. I would definitely recommend this place to those who wants good coffee and tea at reasonable prices.

I've been to a lot of coffee shops and this one is by far the best. Great coffee, friendly staff, very welcoming atmosphere. I will definitely be back.

Always good to have friends with local knowledge, or I may not have wandered into Brixton Village on a random Wednesday morning. A snowy one at that ... We were lucky to grab the last free table and warmed up with a cappuccino and a toasted carrot loaf. Just like carrot cake, only better, and you get extra butter to spread on top - yum! At this time of year it is not a place for lingering mind, unless you keep topping up that coffee. Most units are not heated and Federation Coffee is no exception - and people keep leaving the doors open ...

Federation Coffee suffers from being what one might term 'a victim of one's own success'. The bright, airy, open space of this little café offers tantalising-looking food and ever-compelling coffee to the caffeine-deprived. Late morning on a Saturday was probably the absolute -worst- time to make a first foray to Federation Coffee, though. Interminable lines, no free seats*, and 10-15 minute waits for even beverage orders. On the flip side, my iced soy latte was delightful. The jury's still out on this coffee shop. With so many stellar caffeination stations to be had in Clerkenwell, I'd have to 1) already be in Brixton, 2) be really craving a fix, and 3) have someone else suggest a visit here to consider giving it another go. --- * I was fortunate enough to arrive at the perfect time that a cute stranger was getting up; he graciously offered me his stool.

Oh my, the coffee in this place just flirts with you. Check out the menu board and it's like a list for lovers. Serving up square mile coffee and with a secure place in The London Coffee Guide 2011 one rainy Sunday afternoon I headed South to this coffee mecca. It's really quite delightful. You get a selection of about three blends that they have on offer that day, you grab a seat and sit. Wait. Sit. Coffee arrives and the smell fills you with the hope of the morning. I am having a mini love affair with Brixton Village at the moment and this place is one of the reasons why.

It's a darn cute coffee shop located in (ok I should know the name of the area but I don't) a cool shopping sort of area near Brixton tube station. Super busy but we managed to snag a spot. Yes their desserts are VERY good and their coffee as well. Very fun to people watch and chill.

I really can't add much more than the previous reviews. This seems to be a bit of a coffee drinker's mecca! It's always full at the weekends. I don't even like coffee all that much and I don't pass here without grabbing one. Enough said.

The place is a little divey, but the coffee and the staff make it worth the visit. They obviously enjoy working together and make for a lively environment.

You should really "rock down to" Brixton Village Market which is directly next to that other market made famous by that Eddie Grant song. The coffee, roasted a few doors down, if I'm not mistaken, is well done. Little sweet-treats with fancy names like "Financier" and costing under two quid are a good pairing with your flat white, or whatever your pleasure. There are tables both inside of the shop and out. Both spots are good for people-watching, the likes of which, really, remind me of the natural-fiber clad, comfortable shoe-wearing types back home in Berkeley, CA. The best part is that the Brixton Village Market is just a stone's throw away from the Brixton Underground station for those of us not living at the So. end of the Victoria Line.

Perfectly quirky, perfectly tasty, perfectly antipodean. I was wow-ed by the three single-estate drip coffee options on the menu, but otherwise this café didn't have that 'wow' factor for me. It offered a good place to loiter and people watch, sure. And I feel kind of harsh giving it just four stars, since the coffee was delicious (sourced from Nude Espresso). But I just wouldn't find myself going back to Brixton specifically for this coffee experience; there are other coffee outlets in London that I would travel for, you see. So - if you live in Brixton this is totally a solid option for you. And the baked goods looked shit-hot. I might go back to have the coffee with one of the cakes, actually. So there you go. Oh, and free wifi. Bonus. And I was really digging the fact that they actually had cortados and piccolos on their coffee menu. Yeah, this should probably be five stars; you're right. I'm a bitch.

Excellent low key coffee house, located in Brixton village. I love how laid back it is here. If you're looking for fancy schmancy, this isn't your place. Staff are great! Very friendly and on top of things. The coffee is ok. It's a bit too acidic for my liking. They also have a pretty extensive food menu that goes beyond sweet stuff. Big downside is no wifi. Not a deal breaker but a bit 20th century!

Amazing coffee and food selection. Good vibes and excellent location. Horrible service. So horrible. No complaints about anything except staff attitude. They totally ignored us when we took a seat or try to order. Maybe we weren't cool enough for them (it's quite tiresome to get notice if you're not enough hipster or trendy). But we tried. We got a dirty table and a promise of coffee and cake. 20 minutes later (YES, 20 minutes) our Flat Whites and Carrot Cake arrived. They were delicious. Coffee was great. We had a nice time after waiting forever to get notice and served but I guess it's worth it. We went to the counter and tried to pay. Three people behind it and no one noticed us at all. We waited a couple of minutes (I was about to leave without paying hehehe) and nothing. I had to raised my voice. Maybe it was a little bit rude but I was quite upset at that point! Again, lovely coffee and food, but crappy customer service. Not sure I'll be back (and honestly I don't think they care hahaha)

Big Announcement: Amazing coffee found in Brixton market - go here! While attending our Yelp Secret Brixton campaign last week in London, I was spoilt for choice in terms of places to go and things to do - but also was tasked with the main responsibility of keeping the team well 'caffed' and 'beer/wine refreshed' as the long days took ahold. --- and this place really did the biz a good few times. Really nice flat whites and some awesome banana bread was sampled by myself and with super friendly staff you're talking a great local business. Check it out!

Antipodean friendliness, spare decor, free wifi, in the middle of Brixton Market (just off Coldharbour Lane). Follow the signs for "The Best Coffee in Brixton". If you're into the flat white/long black Kiwi/Aussie-style coffee, it's worth a visit. Although it's puzzling that they serve a flat white but then an Americano (rather than a long black). It still tastes pretty brilliant. You'll never, ever have to ask for an extra shot.

As I quickly learnt, arrive at 10:30 on a Saturday morning, and there will only be standing room left! Hidden in the atrium that is Brixton Village beats one of it's many hearts. Fedz (we're very "street" in Brixton you know) does what any coach would ask his team to do; 'keep it simply, get the basic right and don't make schoolboy (or girl) errors.' - A great selection of freshly made pastries. - The coffee is ground and roasted a few doors away. - The staff are polite even though they are rushed off their feet most of the time. - Draws in a wonderfully eclectic crowd. - Indoor and outdoor seating. - People watching opportunity. Really what more could one ask for? And what more could be said... other than see you there in 5!

Great coffee. Need I say more? Seriously, worth a trip to Brixton Market for a visit. I have not tried any of the cakes and buns but they do an excellent flat white here.

Solid cup of coffee. The food items are a bit stake and cliche but for a coffee stop, this place holds up. Grab food elsewhere in brixton and stop here for coffee

I found out totally randomly about Federation Coffee. We had planned a day visiting Brixton and I asked Google about good coffee specialty places in the area: Federation Coffee was one of the first results and definitely what most people were talking about. We made it there one hour before they would close and had a delicious Flat White and a toasted piece of banana bread with butter, which was incredibly tasty. And they roast their own coffee! I particularly loved their location inside Brixton Market (we struggled a bit to find it, but we did!) and the fact that it doesn't have the same look that is repeated over and over again in most specialty coffee places (yes, I mean Scandinavian). This place is, for a change, more laid-back, relaxed and... can I say a bit "funky"? The service was also very kind. I will definitely go back!

Pretty delish flat white. Not enough seating around, but you can always take your coffee to go and just walk around!

Federation Coffee keeps it simple - good coffe, good cakes and a small list of lunchtime snacks are all that is offered in it's small Brixton Village outlet. However, I suspect that this is why it is so sucessful - better to do a small number of things well rather than overextend oneself. The coffee appears to be uniformly well made, whether in Macchiato or Flat White form, and the Anzac Biscuits, in particular are a real success, with great texture and flavour. I can imagine it must get super busy here but we found a table easily enough and didn't feel rushed away. A great option for Brixton dwellers/visitors.

Tea: The tea was surprisingly brewed well and in an appropriate cup (so frequently not in coffee places) Cake: they had 2 gluten free cake options (thats 2 more than usual!) And it was goood! Coffee: My friend rated there Coffee - I don't like coffee - apparently it was good. Cost: Typical Brixton market gentrified part of the market prices. Atmosphere: Inside, trendy relaxed coffee shop, Cakes to pick from, staff who looked chilled out. Seating was some - also wooden benches outside (but still inside the covered up market) Service: They screwed up the timing, but provided my friend with a cookie to apologies for the extreme delay in her coffee - wonderful (but I secretly thought, I should have been offered more tea - as either mine would have been cold (it wasn't cos i was too impatient) or gone... it was gone) but never mind :-) Anyway impressive that they cared enough, it was an indication that it wasn't a normal error. Overall - gentrified Coffee shop, with well brewed tea, gluten free cake and prices to match.

Tucked away in Brixton Village is this really cool coffee shop. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. Had a flat white there, it was well made and service was really friendly.

Not very good and a bit expensive for what it is Don't take the homemade nutella, it is extremely greasy and just taste like melted chocolate with pieces of nuts We gave back one of ours and they still counted it on the bill, and refused to remove it. Not professional at all.

Fantastic coffees made with love and care. I try and stop by here for a quick cortado (my new coffee of choice) before work each day. Take heed Londoners, ditch you overpriced morning cups of warm caffeinated milk and indulge in the real stuff. Places like Federation are where it's at.

lovely atmosphere, beautiful looking sweet treats, and a people watching heaven. it's super busy, and like most things in brixton village market, a small space, so you will be cramped, and you will get jostled by others, but you will just have to deal with it. also don't go expecting your coffee to be ready super quickly - as they will take their time making it, which obviously results in a better cup of coffee, so it's hard to complain about that. i got treated to a mocha as i was feeling on the sweeter side of life that day, and it was really good! definitely one to return to when i'm in the area and looking for a caffeine hit.

The cheesecake here is probably the crowning jewel of Federation. I've always found the coffee can be a little hit or miss, but it may be down to new baristas being trained? Not really sure, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt because the cakes are brilliant and the staff are always fairly cool. Closes pretty early, so don't expect to hit it up at 5:30 and find it still open.

Love this place. As a kiwi, I think the coffee in London is generally rubbish. So, it was great to find this place- the flat whites are smooth, and SUPER strong. Just the way it should be. Plus the cakes are great, and the service is always very friendly- its always nice to hear those flattened vowels of home. Only downside are the queues...

Can't complain about the coffee, though the coffee machine broke when I went and it took about 20 minutes to fix. We'd already ordered and the staff came over to tell us about the wait, but didn't offer to bring us anything else in the meantime (water or desserts would have been nice). I am very surprised that they bring it out to your table in such a small place, so that bit is a nice touch.

Until I decided to write a review for this place, I had no idea it was part of a chain. The coffee is delicious, mouthwateringly so. The only drawback is that their space is limited, and their waitstaff have to shuffle a lot of folks around, so they may get grumpy if this occurs. This happened only once though, of the many times I've been there, so I highly recommend it, regardless.

This place does great coffee...and the vibe is authentic.

Coffee absolutely above average. Despite the fact no aeropress is served, blend for their espresso was spotless and would definitely go back if I am in the neighbourhood and in need of that extra caffeine jolt to keep going with my day.

Good coffee. Service could be faster but with the demand they do their best and the wait is worth it.

i had a yummy mocha here today. they don't do filter coffee on the wknds for some reason, so they just have the espresso drinks.

The coffee is indeed wonderful, and I've been coming here for three years now. Price wise it's expensive, but about the same as similar quality coffee elsewhere. For me it's a once in a while treat for financial reasons but they definitely have a loyal following of regulars. My only gripe is that the cakes are way too pricey so I can never justify having one, but they look amazing. Also very busy and can be really cold in the winter because essentially most of the seating is outside (although covered).