--- title: "Travel with Me for: London Coffee & Book Mornings" description: Wherever I go, I carry a book with me like a security blanket... canonical_url: https://melissacraven.me/travel/travel-with-me-for-london-coffee-and-book-mornings md_url: https://melissacraven.me/travel/travel-with-me-for-london-coffee-and-book-mornings.md last_updated: 2026-06-15T09:14:29Z --- # Travel with Me for: London Coffee & Book Mornings Wherever I go, I carry a book with me like a security blanket... *Published June 6, 2026* ![Choco Cappuccino](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/4elnij88/production/032223371e920aa58a208778c883e601ed91fad2-3024x4032.jpg?rect=0,1260,3024,1512&w=960&h=480&q=75&fit=max&auto=format) *Travel With Me for:* **Coffee & Book Mornings** *Feelings felt: calm, thoughtful* Wherever I go, I carry a book with me like a security blanket – subway commutes, waiting rooms, bus rides. Most times, I don’t even read on the go, as there’s so much else that catches my eye! But knowing it’s there puts me at ease. I keep a stack of “next up” books by my bedside, ready to go! A “good intentions” set that have been relegated to nearby shelves… I even keep a box packed for summers at my Paris apartment! Fellow book-lovers get it, I’m sure. So, as you can imagine, I’m drawn to bookshops & market stalls, window displays and libraries. What treasures might I find?! I especially love to steal away for an hour to a comfy spot with a book and a latte, so I thought it would be fun to share some bookstore-coffeeshop “neighbors” that make that easy. ***Notting Hill/Maida Vale*** Pick up a food-related book at **Books for Cooks** in Notting Hill, then pop into **Chai Guys** for one of four different types of chai. Walk to a nearby pocket park - your chai will still be hot (so hot!) and enjoy flowers & birdsong while you browse recipes and reviews. ![Books Cooks](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/4elnij88/production/42bd5b6f79d4d375dc7b18eef66d507b66f2050e-754x846.jpg?w=960&q=75&auto=format) Alternatively, pick up a novel at **Notting Hill Books** (yes, the one from the movie!) — carry it to **The Rug**, in nearby Maida Vale, where you can tuck into a shady courtyard or cozy corner table with the most beautiful & delicious rose latte. ![NH Books with Friends](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/4elnij88/production/0213499643f91fee5333ec25082004ed609ee47e-3264x2176.jpg?w=960&q=75&auto=format) ![Rose Latte](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/4elnij88/production/e73663c723daa15c996520e7aa7599667419a489-3024x4032.jpg?w=960&q=75&auto=format) ![The Rug](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/4elnij88/production/e8814bad0ecc0c69f55c7cca51d2a221db6cdaa8-2488x2775.jpg?w=960&q=75&auto=format) Bookstore Info: [http://www.booksforcooks.com/](http://www.booksforcooks.com/) Bookstore Info: [http://www.thenottinghillbookshop.co.uk/](http://www.thenottinghillbookshop.co.uk/) ***UCL Campus*** I love the coffeeshop attached to Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, **Burnt@Rada**, for their daily-special lunches at extremely reasonable prices! It gets quite busy and is rather bustling, so grab a drink to go and head around the corner to shady **Gordon Square**. There’s also a little outdoor café, **Momo’s**, in the square itself. If you didn’t bring your own book, **Waterstones Gower Street** is a handy stop. (Yes, it’s a chain, but this particular location is stunning and worth walking past even if you aren’t shopping.) ![Momo's](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/4elnij88/production/1645d2e8544d9ce70b3561b4ba3e34709e0e7dbb-3024x4032.jpg?w=960&q=75&auto=format) ![Waterstone's Gower](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/4elnij88/production/16938f00f5c46b02ee8d96e67a1f1d2a7c3158ec-4032x3024.jpg?w=960&q=75&auto=format) Bookstore Info: [https://www.waterstones.com/bookshops/gower-street](https://www.waterstones.com/bookshops/gower-street) On the edge of campus lies my favorite local bookshop: **Brunswick Books**. Pop into **Aux Pains de Papy** by KingsX for a pastry & espresso and sit at a sidewalk bistro table with your new treasure for reading/people-watching. If you prefer not to be distracted while reading, the nearby **Wellcome Library** offers cozy, plump chairs & floor pillows in a quiet space. (Bonus: there is a gallery of historical medical arts & marvels woven into the space!) ![Brunswick Books](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/4elnij88/production/07ea22825b7bef6845f69da1d131ff7adad42d5d-4280x5565.jpg?w=960&q=75&auto=format) ![Wellcome Gallery Reading Room](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/4elnij88/production/e0f7e1ca582a0645dfd52d3d7539613f53986908-3264x2448.jpg?w=960&q=75&auto=format) Bookstore Info: [https://www.instagram.com/brunswickbookshop/](https://www.instagram.com/brunswickbookshop/) Library Info: [http://wellcomecollection.org/](http://wellcomecollection.org/) ***Thames South Bank*** Due to travel distance, I don’t frequent the south side of the river, but it makes a nice, occasional weekend-morning excursion, with so many markets and sights! My family stayed in East Dulwich during a recent visit, and we enjoyed the most delicious (& beautiful) cardamom buns and cappuccino at **Soderberg**. Highly-rated **Chener Books** is just steps away. ![Cardamom Buns Cappuccino ](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/4elnij88/production/65990ecfa70c95bb3f1e9efe9688b3ff53c70a98-4284x5712.jpg?w=960&q=75&auto=format) Bookstore Info: [https://www.chenerbooks.com/](https://www.chenerbooks.com/) I also love to wander through Shad Thames and Bermondsey on a Saturday morning. The sausage rolls at **Chapter 72 **are flaky and worth a stop. Wander (or take a bus) along to **Southbank Book Market** under Waterloo Bridge for vintage finds at bargain prices and find a bench along the Thames for waterside reading. ![Sausage Roll at 72](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/4elnij88/production/5a5542913888f4c2930b6b41d11446733526b43a-3005x2206.jpg?w=960&q=75&auto=format) ![South Bank Books](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/4elnij88/production/0da526149e60b40491bb170e71ec1027bb899d1f-2611x3264.jpg?w=960&q=75&auto=format) **Neighborhood Strolls** Honestly, just strolling along the side streets of London will provide endless opportunities to indulge your book & coffee wishes! A few honorable mentions where I frequently pop in are **Rye Deli **for lunch with a book, or **[Word on the Water](https://www.wordonthewater.co.uk/)** and various free libraries, such as this adorable **Red Phone Booth** outside a school in Islington. ![Al Fresco ](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/4elnij88/production/aaa4e0c9369cae12e81b607fa0c75b76721bc426-2874x3391.jpg?w=960&q=75&auto=format) ![Word on Water](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/4elnij88/production/e61631bd6a31611e4e299141610d8aa2a9652a2c-3264x2448.jpg?w=960&q=75&auto=format) ![Red Phone Books](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/4elnij88/production/cad60a09cd0faf011c366ccacc1f66e5f03bd156-3264x2448.jpg?w=960&q=75&auto=format) Happy reading! ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](https://melissacraven.me/sitemap.md) for all pages.