Taking place between 15 and 18 May at east London’s Truman Brewery, The London Coffee Festival is organised by Restaurant’s parent company William Reed.
This year’s festival will feature more than 260 artisan coffee and gourmet food brands, demonstrations from world-class baristas, interactive workshops, competitions, street food, coffee-based cocktails, music and exhibitions.
Thursday 15 May and Friday 16 May are dedicated industry days and will have a focus on the trends, opportunities and challenges faced by operators and suppliers in the hospitality trade.
Free entry is available on these days to those working in the trade, excluding suppliers and distributors.
A key element of the festival is The Lab, where professionals and enthusiasts can learn from, and be inspired by, presentations, debates and workshops.
Sessions include The impact of rising prices, Improving workflow to heighten hospitality, and The future of speciality coffee.
Masterclasses and interactive sessions will also feature in the Latte Art Live zone, where visitors will be able to learn from leading coffee creatives.
Sustainability becomes more important to the industry every year and, for the first time ever, all single-use cups at the festival must be fully compostable.
Competitions are a big part of the festival, and this year is no exception.
The fast-paced Coffee Masters knockout competition will take place across the four days, with 16 baristas showcasing their skills head-to-head across seven disciplines.
New for 2025 are the London Coffee Festival Awards – a celebration of the vibrant and thriving specialty coffee scene and the people that work in it.
Through a combination of an independent, expert judging panel and consumer and trade voting, the awards recognise and reward the best coffee shops and influencers in categories including Best Community Coffee Shop, Best Sustainable Coffee Shop and Influencer of the Year.
“We look forward to welcoming visitors and exhibitors to the annual celebration of London’s bustling coffee scene and its creative subcultures,” says Dan Dixon, managing director for exhibitions at William Reed.
“The London Coffee Festival will again showcase the capital’s pioneering specialty coffee culture and first-class hospitality industry – and will reinforce London’s place as one of the most advanced coffee cities on earth."
Head to The London Coffee Festival website for further information and to purchase tickets.
Apply for your free to trade ticket for the industry days (15 to 16 May) here.