Coffee Shop: Redemption Roasters
Vibe: Hipster joint with unique coffee, in a London hotspot, that draws a crowd
Cost: £3.50-4.50 coffees / bakes & sandwiches from £4
Location: 40 Drury Ln, London WC2B 5RR (but 10 shops across London)
Closest Tube: Covent Garden station (under 5 minutes' walk)
Website: https://www.redemptionroasters.com/
Also Nearby & Worth a Visit: Lowlander Grand Café (review here)
Redemption Served Here - "One Americano please Guv'na!"
A quick visit to the Redemption Roasters website offers an instant (no pun intended) insight into who they are. Their philosophy - as appears front and centre - is "Reducing Reoffending Through Coffee". A bold statement one might think? But digging under the surface, reveals a dedicated programme, operating out of HMP [His Majesty's Prison] The Mount (North West of London), whereby a Five-Part "Redemption Model" trains, rehabilitates and teaches foundational skillsets that should set prison residents on the path to meaningful employment once their time is served.
"Our model is unique. Not only do we train our graduates with the skills they need for a career, we then work to place them in a suitable role either in one of our coffee shops, or within our wider network of partners. If placed at one of our shops, our graduates work alongside our team of highly skilled baristas and managers. It’s the diversity of past experience among our team that makes Redemption successful, inclusive and more than a little unusual." Redemption Roasters Mission
With over 10 locations in London, there's a good chance you'll find a Redemption Roasters whilst in the capital. I visited their Covent Garden branch, which is prime real estate for both workers and tourists alike. Located on Drury Lane, a mere 3 minutes walk from Covent Garden Tube Station, across from the Freemason's Hall, and next door to The Lowlander Grand Café (see my review of The Lowlander here - great for mussels & Belgian beer!), there's a wealth of things to do in the vicinity of this coffee shop. My recommendation is to grab yourself a coffee and go for a wander [walk] around Covent Garden Market, to Seven Dials or any of the cute streets between here and Tottenham Court Road.
Cute cups @ Redemption Roasters, Covent Garden.
Inside, you're certainly met with the central London, cool coffee shop vibe. With white walls and plenty of pine furnishings, if you're looking for a chic coffee spot, with a side note of that Sunday morning nonchalance only achieved otherwise in East London (Hipster) bakeries, then this is the place for you.
Patrons range from hybrid workers with laptops, to families taking a break from their tourism travails. You probably won't get too comfortable for long in here, what with the wooden seating *but* that's a good thing because it means there's a relatively heavy churn of people vacating seats. And if you can't get a spot inside, there are a handful of tables out front, offering prime people watching scenes. Oh, did I mention the food too? I did not. Alas, as you'd expect, there's a plentiful supply of pastries and sandwiches, catering for all dietary requirements. I resisted on this occasion but wasn't too far from ordering!
Unique blends & cool coffee machines!
All in all, I would recommend a pit stop at Redemption Roasters - they have some unique blends, and of course, you'll be supporting a distinctive and somewhat unusual (but positive) Prison programme that appears to be having a successful influence on inmates re-integration into society.
Check out their website (linked above) for more information - this is definitely one of the more interesting places you'll visit for your caffeine hit whilst in London - enjoy!
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