Department of Coffee and Social Affairs
Quick info
About Department of Coffee and Social Affairs
Department of Coffee and Social Affairs is a London cafe at 3 Lowndes Ct, in a quiet alley just off Carnaby Street. The coffee bar pours drip coffee in different blends and offers a small taste before you buy, so you can pick a blend before committing to a cup. East End Blend is the house coffee, and beans are sold for brewing at home. An almond croissant sits on the menu alongside the espresso drinks. Seating is split between a street-level floor and a basement seating area. The cafe takes walk-ins.
Good to know
“Smart, modern espresso bar with cakes and chunky sandwiches, with room upstairs for coffee sampling.”
- ReservationsWalk-in only
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention flat white, east end blend, cold brew and almond croissant.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention flat white, east end blend, cold brew and almond croissant.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers return most for the flat white and other filter coffee, describing it as smooth, balanced and flavoursome, with the East End Blend, a Burundi blend drip coffee and the cold brew all singled out. One reviewer was allowed a small taste of each blend before buying, and another took beans home to brew. Close behind is the staff, called friendly, helpful and warming by several. The almond croissant is praised for a rich filling, and the food is called simple and delicious. The matcha draws a lukewarm response, tasting more like iced green tea, and one reviewer says to go for the coffee instead. Seating is the recurring complaint: one reviewer found nowhere to sit and uncomfortable seats, another noted the downstairs area was flooded and out of use, and one found the staff chatting loudly. One reviewer was disappointed that the staff could not say whether a sandwich was halal, and the largest cold brew size is only 12 oz. A regular from the old Chancery Lane and Leather Lane cafés was delighted to find them again just off Carnaby Street.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers return most for the flat white and other filter coffee, describing it as smooth, balanced and flavoursome, with the East End Blend, a Burundi blend drip coffee and the cold brew all singled out. One reviewer was allowed a small taste of each blend before buying, and another took beans home to brew. Close behind is the staff, called friendly, helpful and warming by several. The almond croissant is praised for a rich filling, and the food is called simple and delicious. The matcha draws a lukewarm response, tasting more like iced green tea, and one reviewer says to go for the coffee instead. Seating is the recurring complaint: one reviewer found nowhere to sit and uncomfortable seats, another noted the downstairs area was flooded and out of use, and one found the staff chatting loudly. One reviewer was disappointed that the staff could not say whether a sandwich was halal, and the largest cold brew size is only 12 oz. A regular from the old Chancery Lane and Leather Lane cafés was delighted to find them again just off Carnaby Street.
Featured reviews
- Google user
“Nice specialty coffee. Very friendly staff. My husband had coffee, but had a matcha. According to my husband, the coffee was pretty good. He even brought their beans for brewing at home. As for my matcha, I like my matcha iced without any milk. It was nice, taste like an iced green tea, but not really a matcha tea. But it's not bad. So better go for coffee if you want to drink here.😉”
- Google user
“Quick stop to rehydrate, refresh and rest the feet. Nice and cosy place. Outdoor, indoor -street level and basement seating. Apart from loud chatting of service staff all else was great.”
- Google user
“Great service and brilliant coffee at the Department of Coffee and Social Affairs, just off Carnaby Street. I used to be a regular back when they had cafés on Chancery Lane and Leather Lane, so I was genuinely delighted to hear from a friend that they have a café in the West End. This will definitely be my go-to spot whenever I’m in W1.”
- Google user
“Had a Burundi blend drip coffee. Absolutely fantastic. The barista allowed me a small taste of each blend before purchasing. I felt sorry for the staff as their downstairs seating area had been flooded and out of use, which made things tricky for them. I will definitely return next time I'm in Carnaby Street.”
- Google user
“There was no place to sit. I overall did not like the seating arrangement. The seats were very uncomfortable. When I asked if a sandwich was halal the staff had no idea haha. I went a far way to have coffee here because I heard great things about it. To be honest I wasn't much impressed by the coffee. The only thing that impressed me was the very very helpful and friendly staff. I wish the outdoor seating was available because that looked very refreshing and comfortable.”
Location
Cafes near Department of Coffee and Social Affairs
- Flat White4.41,1050.2 mi£1–10
oat milk flat white, loud music, chocolate chip cookie
- Crêpes, Coffee & Chai4.41,8970.4 mi£10–20
crêpes, chai, coffee/oat latte
- Italia Uno4.76990.5 mi£1–10
lasagne, panini, pasta
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Coffee and Social Affairs | 4.21,039 | — | — | flat white, east end blend, cold brew |
| Flat White | 4.41,105 | 0.2 mi | £1–10 | oat milk flat white, loud music, chocolate chip cookie |
| Crêpes, Coffee & Chai | 4.41,897 | 0.4 mi | £10–20 | crêpes, chai, coffee/oat latte |
| Italia Uno | 4.7699 | 0.5 mi | £1–10 | lasagne, panini, pasta |
The 3 nearest cafes by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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