Notes is one of those famous, well regarded shops among coffee aficionados, but unusually it doesn't disappoint, as so many high profile places have before. The place has so much going for it: a great location right next to Trafalgar Square (but not occupied by many tourists), a very good cup of coffee (tho' not exceptional), super nice, super efficient staff who work well as a team and know what they're doing and, surprisingly unusual, actually want to do it and do it well! The layout is pretty much perfect text book coffee shop. It's roomy with a mix of attractively designed tables. There are plenty of two person tables around the edge and a number of communal tables down the centre. The twin tables are close enough together to adapt for a group of 4 or six people if the larger tables are full. When I went in it was busy given the time of day (around 3.30) but not packed so my perfect table was there waiting just for me! The only downer during the visit was lack of wifi, which seems to be increasingly common and rather unfortunate, as my experience is many 'pay' for their free wifi access by buying a drink and food. They perhaps wouldn't go in otherwise! Ok, another downer was the lack of padding at the back of the wall seats and their narrowness. It made it hard to get comfy as your back is forced against the wood back fixed to the wall. As mentioned, the staff were polite and friendly so that scores them an extra point. The cake was very nice but not mega. The coffee was Rwandan, a favoured country of origin, and a tad on the acidic side for my taste, but good. I think they roast their own now, but not 100% sure. Prices are OK given their location and it make you think how Birmingham shops get away with similar prices and actually less quality in the main - outrageous IMO! Definitely A place I'd go back to if I was around about the area. It was a place I'd like to spend more time in and watch the world go round. Shame about the wifi! read more

I love this new coffee hangout located right next to the ENO. Every time i have visited Notes its been full to the gunnels and with good reason. First of all the atmosphere is lovely; Jazz and opera play, whilst people chat over coffee and food sitting on large pale wooden benches with mirrors hanging in the back to make the joint is twice as big as it actually is. You can buy your ENO programme there so you don't have to fight the queues once you get inside the Coliseum. Or if your guest has left you stranded you can browse their extensive and interesting collection of DVDs and CDs on sale until you are rescued. The food is also lovely. Think italian deli. Out of the things i've tasted the chicken, pepper and pesto foccacia is delicious (as are the chocolate brownies), and the fresh juices are also fantastic. Everything seems to be fresh and organic so health nuts should be happy here. The service was also great. The last time i visited i took my mum with me who is sightly invalided at the moment. There weren't enough seats but i managed to find her a single stool at the end of the bar. The staff saw that she was in discomfort and that there were two of us so went round hunting for chairs until we could both sit comfortably at a main table. Little touches like these make all the difference. SECRET TIP: Beetroot salad with goats cheese and pomegranate. You'll thank me for it. read more

So: nice location, music store downstairs, skylight with a view? Sounds great on paper, but this place never really delivered. Service wasn't bad, exactly. The staff were friendly- maybe they just moved a little too slow. My coffee, though it was really good, was lukewarm and my sandwich, which I expected to be warmed up a little, was just given to me right off a shelf. To be fair, for cold coffee, it tasted pretty darn delicious, but on a cold winter day nothing is better than a hot drink and I just felt really let down. The music store in the basement was kind of cool, but not really interesting enough to be a selling point for me. read more

Updating my previous review and unfortunately it is not an improvement. Notes have had a development into a more and more busy place which seems to really impact the quality and service they provide. Upon my last 4 visits i have been able to order what I want once and all the remaining times they have claimed that they are too busy to prepare coffee (handbrew). If that is the case perhaps better to remove things from the menu instead. Quality has went downhill as well so while the espresso based coffees are still good the one hand brew I got was pretty and and the batch brew makes no one happy. They still have some decent pastries and salads but this used to be one of my go to places but I am now more or less using it as a back-up in case my main options in the center are not open or full. The wine part of the business is still good but I do miss the previous high quality coffee. read more

Cozy, casual spot to stop for a proper expresso in the area. I stopped in before checking out the London Film Museum across the street. My Americano was well done and I'd definitely come back for the coffee alone. They have food here, but it's nothing terribly exciting and a bit pricey. I ordered soup which was okay, but the brown bread that came along side was incredible - give me some of that bread and a pot of jam + butter and I'd be a happy gal! They also serve wine and have music in the evenings which sounded interesting. I might come back to check that out as wine is my other favorite drink :) read more

In my search for a really good coffee in London, I came two weeks ago to Notes, Music & Coffee while my boyfriend was left in the hands of a Brazilian hairdresser nearby, as I didn't want to be a haircut witness. I liked the decor and the staff, they were really nice and smiling. I loved to see the barista, handling what seemed Chemistry instruments. I had no idea what she was doing with those flasks, jars and test-tube like stuff, but the results was really good indeed. I asked for the flat white in order to compare with Kaffeine. I found it a bit expensive (2.60, I think), but they don't charge extra for soya milk, so at the end it was OK for me. Also I like the places where soya milk is free of charge, they win us, the lactose intolerant people. Although I think the one from Kaffeine was better, this flat white was really good and for sure I'll be going back if I'm craving for coffee in Covent Garden. Oh, and the food looked delicious as well EDITED: I was one of the lucky qypers to attend the coffee tasting event. It was great, it just confirmed Notes as one of my favourite coffee places in London. I learnt quite a lot about filter coffee and although I prefer espresso based beverages, I'll order filter coffee from time to time. You can't imagine how different this coffee was from that offered in coffee chains. It seemed a completely different thing. I really recommend anyone that likes coffee to come here and ask them about anything. They are truly coffee geeks and very nice people too. I wish I could give them more than 5 stars! read more

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Great coffee shop! I came here to study with a friend, and luckily for me she had already reserved a spot because this place gets crowded during dinner time, and it isn't the largest space! I thought it would be a nice escape from the craze near trafalgar square but no... it was pretty packed, loud, and lively when i stepped inside. It looked like most people here were eating dinner and drinking wine with friends, even though I was under the impression that this was more of a coffee shop but... who am I to decide what it is?! They have amazing mint tea, and you can taste the fresh mint leaves that they soak into the tea! I'm aware I can easily do this myself whenever I make tea at home, and I am also aware that having just come back from Morocco they soak fresh tea leaves in almost every pot of tea so it really isn't that unique... but hey, it was new to me at the time and it was SO REFRESHING! By the time I got there they had run out of all baked goods which was kind of a bummer cuz I was craving a piece of cake BADLY, but I ordered some soup and it was delicious! The tables were really small for 2 people though, and we could barely fit our laptops and all our teas onto the table. Oh, and there's no wifi here. I think they don't want any lingerers... I didn't really notice the Music part in the cafe... maybe they sold CDs from independent artists on the side? I'm not really sure, I wasn't paying attention. All I remember about it is that it was a cute cafe, the atmosphere was fun, the cashier/barista/waiter was extremely friendly! Maybe I'll come back if one of their events catch my eye! read more

I was browsing through yelp, looking for somewhere to meet a friend for coffee near Covent garden, without going to the the run of the mill coffee chains. I stumbled upon this place, and decided to check it out. This is narrow place, but has tons of character, and has a warm and cosy vibe. We went on a Friday afternoon and the place was busy, but we managed to get a table. I settled on a tea, and my friend a hot chocolate. The service was friendly and attentive. Prices are very reasonable. And i will definitely be back to sample some wines. read more

Today I went to Notes coffee house near Charing Cross. No question, they offer good coffee and good food in an in general nice atmosphere. But, what I really disliked are the big screens hanging on the walls, showing some movie with subtitles. Sorry, it's a nice place playing classical (?) music, but the TV screens just don't really fit in there. At least in my opinion. That's why I only give 4 stars. read more

Read thru raving reviews and mostly agree that it's a nice place in Leicester Square that's NOT a major chain -- but it's not quite an oasis. A great place to take a quick break and refresh, it's not somewhere to plop down and study. Aesthetic but relatively stiff seating makes for quick customer turnover, which makes sense for a café with few square feet. It's not cramped, though, so you won't be begging for space! I had a flat white and tomato/mozzarella sandwich. The sandwich has high quality ingredients but the bread to filling ratio was a bit ludicrous (baguette was sliced only about 55% of the way through). The espresso was also from an Ethiopian blend (not my favorite roast) but I could understand it as good quality. It's cute! Just don't camp out or come for the food. Come for quality coffee and wines. read more

Outstanding coffee , the shop is quiet and small, one of my favorite neighborhood coffee spot. The baristas are experienced and friendly, I could hang out in the coffee shop all day read more

Great little cafe/bar which isn't too far from the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. We visited on a Friday evening and it wasn't too busy. The service is friendly and relaxed. The wine and beer selection looked good. Downside was the bad cellphone reception and no Wi-Fi. Although they had some great snacks, the food menu doesn't currently cater to most dietary restrictions i.e gluten free. read more

Be still my heart. Notes offers not one, but two types of filter coffee. And coffee snobs you can choose french press or aeropress. And savour it all in the back where you can enjoy your right to be a coffee snob in peace. On my visit, I found myself taking in the Triplet of Belleville and perusing their decent wine and beer selection which was right by the jazz selection. Miles, Malbec and massive pours of coffee-I'll be seeing more Notes in my life. read more

I am disappointed by the fact that they do not provide wi-fi. It was obvious they don't want people to stay there for a long time. This place is very busy at lunch time so you have to share a table with others. When I came to this coffee house I had to move around several times to find a nice place to do some work. The tables by the window is not good at all. The stools are much lower than the tables so it's really uncomfortable. The overall interior design of it is catchy, though. The wall-size glass at the end of the room makes this place seems spacious. Their coffee is pretty good. One thing special on the menu is the green tea latte. I tried Blondie cake and it tasted wonderful, not too sweet. They are, however, a bit more expensive but maybe because they are located near the national gallery. It's worth to check out but maybe I won't recommend it as a place for you to do work. read more

Really good coffee and food. It shows up how mediocre the coffee and food the chains are serving. A good place for trendy and cool people with taste. read more

Great coffee!! Like its sister cafe on the other side of Covent Garden it does great coffee! Also realised it does Matcha Lattes, which i am a great fan of, but hadnt realises until i had already ordered, so will have to try it next time. Lovely coffee place but great wine/drinks little bar for the evening too, interesting offering of variety of wine at decent price. Worth the visit read more

Considering that Covent Garden's London tourists will settle for any old crap - ie Angus Steakhouse, Starbucks, Costas and all the other dross around - they are now spoilt by a new coffee shop opened on St Martins Lane. Now this is a coffee place. Good looking staff and environs. One of my favourite things - one size per drink - this means, you want a latte, you will have it in an 8oz glass. You want a flat white, a cappucino, you will have it at the correct size. Oh yes! No costa-style double-handled large-latte cofffee mugs [losers!] Multiple brewing options are available - pour overs, syphons etc - and of course espresso coming out of a la mazzorca strada machine. I had the Has Bean 'Kicker' espresso, lovely, stuff - then a latte. Am working my way up to the esmeralda at 8 quid a pop - supposedly a special, special bean. They have music and videos on sale as well - but these seem secondary to the food and drinks on offer. read more

Exceptional espresso, just small for a double, and the server was a little brusque and uppity -- but then again, it was quite crowded, and apparently not a place you just pop in for a quick cup on the go. Rather it's table service only - at least after 6 pm on a Friday. read more

Notes - A double espresso? £2.40 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - London, XGL

First time the steamer broke so no latte. Not a espresso drinker so did not know how to tell if it's good. 2nd day managed to try the soy latte and it taste great! Good coffee! :) friendly staff! read more

Notes - Cup of latte from notes - Coffee & Tea Near Me - London, XGL

What a nice cafe/wine bar/craft beer venue! We stopped by for a glass of wine and some nibbles and were not disappointed. The house wines were very good. We shared the veggie platter which was quite big - guac, spicy ratatouille, hummus, olives, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts and bread. We also got a bit of Comte cheese and marcona almonds. A good place for a chat and a pitstop. read more

They're just busy but I love he atmosphere and of course the delicious coffee. Their matcha latte is comparable to the ones I drank in Tokyo. Perfect cafe to chat or read a book. Near the National Gallery so it was good to get fueled afterwards. read more

Many bookstores have a coffee shop, Notes Music & Coffee is the opposite, a coffee shop that also sells books and music. Inside it's a big open space with lage tables, wooden benches and jazz&opera music, the atmosphere is really cool. I was lucky to attend to a Qype event, it was a coffee tasting and also a master class about coffee, the staff of NM&C have coffee inside their veins, they are friendly and truly wise. One tip, if you go, don't ask for an americano, ask for filter coffee and try it without sugar. read more

Great place to have morning coffee in a rainy day :) Enjoyed stopping by on my visit to London. Lots to choose from - tea, coffee, wine. read more

Notes - Coffee & Tea Near Me - London, XGL

I was at the Notes Music & Coffee in Covent garden a month ago and I enjoyed my time even if the venue was almost empty (just us and two others clients). Myself and my fiancee had two glasses of wine and a meat and cheese board to share. Everything was delicious altough not cheap and the service was friendly and nice. Good place for a pre-theatre bite or for a coffee with a friend, not the place to spend an entire evening in though! read more

Now going by the name Notes: Coffee, Food, Wine. Relatively expensive (panini for £6?) but as a nice little café in the quieter part of Covent Garden it represents a good lunch-break escape. A coffee and a sandwich/cake won't leave you much change from a tenner, but the service is good - rarely a queue and they do table service. There are always at least a couple of tables free so Notes is a good bet if Nero and Starbucks are chocabloc. While the costs may be prohibitive, the food is excellent and the coffee is of a higher quality than the local competition; coffee connoisseurs will find in Notes an opportunity to indulge. And that's where this place really steps up. With various events (including coffee brewing master classes and music sessions), Notes is more than just a coffee stop and takes a genuine interest in their products and culture. Intriguingly, there is a poster up for what they call 'Wagner and Wine Events', but I've yet to find someone who has experienced this... I will certainly try to attend the next one, although it's quite a small place so will probably have to get there super-early. I've put Notes in my 'Ones to Watch' list as it looks like it could be a real gem. For now they get four stars but I am looking forward to revisiting this once I've attended a special event! read more

Great bright lightings. Awesome brewed coffee and communal space.

I stopped by after visiting the National Gallery and had a very nice cup of Earl Grey. The tea was delicious and the service was prompt and efficient. I quite liked the ambiance of the cafe. I would be happy to find another cafe of similar quality any day of the week. read more

Nice coffee, and Ambience, but a little pretentious in its wares. The table service was good but took a while to get the coffee to us despite being not very busy. I'd also say the price was a little steep, and the lack of wifi was is not great. Wifi should be standard in a coffee house. Great place to take a girlfriend or meet a friend for a chat. read more

What are we looking for when we step off the street and into a coffeeshop? Good coffee, obviously. Service that makes you feel welcome, yes please. A nice ambiance and atmosphere, yeah why not? This place has all these but still is quite forgettable. It's great coffee, friendly service, decor is maybe a bit bland - maybe that's it, not enough personality. If you're after something to fill you up or pick you up, then you won't be disappointed. You just won't rush to tell your friends about it either. read more

Excellent coffee, lovely atmosphere and super muffins if you catch them fresh out of the oven (perhaps all muffins are good like this?)

At 11 am, they were out of decaf, do not offer sparkling water or diet coke, were out of salmon sandwiches so only had one kind of sandwich ( a strange cheese sandwich). Looked like good coffee. Wish I could have tried it. read more

A quick addition to my earlier review, raving about the amazing coffee. This is NOT the place for hot chocolate. Although they serve Montezuma, and that does lead one to expect something rather delicious, what they do with it is pathetic. A promising looking retro-style green enamel mug arrives containing, basically, pale brown milk with a lot of froth on top, some unmelted chocolate powder in the bottom (but nothing like enough to have made any difference had it actually melted) and very little impression of the cocoa bean. I'm sorry Notes, you understand coffee, but you do not understand chocolate. This is poor. Try Paul Young's or the Wolesley (very different styles, both good) and either take the 'hot chocolate' off the menu or revise your recipe completely. On another 'note', this trendy place does not serve a single gluten free item as far as I can see. They cater to the young, the hip, the glamorous, the West End crowd, and the Hoxton cool, and yet not one attempt to deal with allergies. ?????? Practically every second person you speak to these days doesn't eat wheat (or dairy, or both) and it's not as if those blessed with iron clad stomachs actually dislike an almond or polenta based cake. So please, dear people at Notes, could we have some nibbles for the intolerant. (If you want an example, try the polenta cake and the chocolate truffle cake at Ottolenghi's, or the chocolate brownies and lemon slices at Leon). read more

This is a reversal of the usual trend of having a bookstore with a coffee shop attached. It is a really good cafe that also sells books and music. I was told the coffee machine does something magical to the beans. Not sure about that, but I can tell you they know the great secret -otherwise lost in most London coffee shops- how to make a cappuccino. This is a welcome oasis in the West End that I look forward to visiting again. Next time I will try the food, that if on sale in Borough Market would probably be described as "artisan". Will probably visit earlier in the day if having coffee though. I'm sure it kept me awake a few extra hours. read more

We stayed just down the street at St. Martins Lane and one of the staff advised us to skip the Starbucks across the street and have coffee at Notes instead. We were so glad he told us to come here. Service, food and coffee was excellent here. We wanted to try lunch but were never near the hotel at that time so the review covers breakfast: cappuccinos and pastries which are excellent. Service is very friendly and we can't wait to go back to London to see and do more and to come back to Notes. read more

Notes Music Coffee is a wonderful coffee place and deserves to be rated among the best coffee shops in London. Staff are friendly, the coffee is good, and there's always something interesting (The King's Speech, Belleville Rendez-Vous) or just downright weird (a cartoon about a man's dog which had fallen in love with him) showing on the TV screens which can sometimes cause one to sit down for far longer than one intends to. The only problem and, yes, I know that it's entirely due to its great location is that this place sometimes seems a little too frenetic and crowded, which means that you do occasionally get asked to leave or make way if there are other people waiting for tables (or intending to order more than you plan to). It doesn't happen often, only towards the 6.45 pm mark when the more substantial food and wine menu comes out, but it's just something one should note if you're there around that time. read more

Stopped here for lunch and a drink after visiting the Portrait Gallery. It's a nice cafe with a good amount of seating. The service was friendly and quick. I had a toasted mozzarella and sun-dried tomato sandwich. It was delicious. Crispy, warm and filling. I also had a pot of mint tea made with fresh mint leaves. It was excellent. I would definitely recommend this place to friends. read more

Popped in before visiting the National Portrait Gallery (located vis-a-vis) for improved enjoyment. I was looking for a delicious, full bodied espresso. Expectations were fulfilled as I received a rich, mouth-watering coffee. Not the best I had in London but definitely near the top. Fully recommended! read more

UPDATE: The Notes Coffee tasting event was such fun that I have to write an update, even though I'm not allowed to award them anymore stars. I've never met a bunch of people so excited about coffee. Their manager Ben (the previously mentioned 'handsome coffee making dude') isn't excited because he's had too much caffeine, he just likes people learning about and experiencing what he loves. My outlook on coffee is so different after last night's event, I'd order black filter coffee in here without thinking twice about it (I'm usually a latte girl). The coffee is wonderful, the venue is still as gorgeous as ever and everyone who works here is full of smiles. It's such an enjoyable place to spend time. Go say hi to the guys, ask them to make you a brew and spend an hour doing just not very much. * Am writing this in Notes, having been sat here a short while. They've just given me a glass of water without me having to ask. They call the men sir and say hello when you walk in. They smile! The coffee is fab (£2.60 for a latte). I haven't even got to trying the food or nosed at the music or downstairs jazz venue. This cafe is already excellent. Instantly one of those places you feel at home. Handsome coffee making dude too. Yay. Finally a fabulous cafe that doesn't mean trekking into Soho. Happy as a clam. read more

What happens when someone is really passionate about what they do? Great things like Notes Music & Coffee. The attention to detail shown at Notes is amazing and it makes for a great expereince. Filtered coffee made by the cup, you can't get any fresher than that. Ben the manager knows his stuff, from choosing a great roast to the finer points of the science that is the art of making coffee he can answer an question. He has also make sure his staff are also familiar with all things coffee related. The result is a fanatic cup of brew every time you visit with friendly welcoming service. If you do decide to have your coffee at the cafe and spend a while, the atmosphere is relaxing and welcoming. Be warned though, you will be surrounded by great movies and music which you will be tempted to buy and take home. I love the thick wooden tables, especially the large ones at the back which make for a great place for a group of friends to meet up, or for random encounters with strangers. read more

I found out about Notes a while ago and always thought it was a nice place to chill out. However, since the Qype coffee tasting session that Notes hosted, my appreciation has greatly increased! The thing about coffee shops is, (and correct me if I'm wrong) most people just go there, order a coffee as a pick-me-up and don't really think about what they are pouring down their weary throats. The guys at Notes change all that. They are so into coffee that to not think about where the beans have come from, how long the coffee is brewed for and how freakin' hot the water even is, is comparable to a cardinal sin. They even have an ipad app to check that what they are doing is perfect. And their dedication is infectious. Ben and his pals took us through the coffee tasting like we were drinking wine, not coffee smelling and swirling and sipping with careful enthusiasm. They educated us as to what makes a good coffee and what makes a terrible coffee (hint: Starbucks!). I had no idea that some coffee shops serve coffee with beans that are up to 8 years old whereas Notes only serve coffee with beans that are under 6 months of age. Much better. I've come away with a keener taste for coffee and a venti-sized amount of respect for the coffee brewers at Notes. I'll be back, and I'll have it with no milk! read more