Shoreditch Grind

Restaurants, Coffeeshops Old Street
3 out of 5 stars
(48user reviews)
Runner-up<br/>2018

Runner-up
2018
Runner-up<br/>2018

Runner-up
2018
ShditchGrind_RobGreig.jpg
Rob Greig

A café serving specialty coffee at Old Street Roundabout.

Posted:

Venue name: Shoreditch Grind
Contact:
Visit Website
Address: 213 Old Street
London
EC1V 9NR
Transport: Tube: Old Street
Do you own this business?
Static map showing venue location

Average User Rating

3.1 / 5

Rating Breakdown

  • 5 star:15
  • 4 star:7
  • 3 star:5
  • 2 star:6
  • 1 star:14
LiveReviews|48
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2 of 2 found helpful

TOTALLY APPALLING! If you go into any café, bar or restaurant, as a customer you expect to be treated with at least a measure of respect, however upon entering Shoreditch Grind, I was made to feel inferior and spoken to as if I was a second class citizen by the staff. In no uncertain terms I was told I was not welcome, “If you’re only having a cup of tea, you’re not sitting here for 20 minutes taking up space. You’ll have to take it outside!” I was a paying customer and to have been spoken to so rudely by the staff -never in my life have I felt as mortified and degraded as I did then. THE BEHAVIOR OF THE STAFF WAS UNEXCEPTABLE; I WILL NEVER GO THERE AGAIN.

1 of 1 found helpful

This place is disgusting.  It has a food hygiene rating of 1 out of 5 "Major Improvement Necessary".  Check the food standards agency website.  It also has weird coffee, incredibly rude staff.  It is clearly very poorly managed.  I will never go again and advise to stay away, there are better options.

1 of 1 found helpful

Disappointing -  style over substance

(1)  Coffee was nasty and acidic

(2)  Rude, obnoxious, stroppy, stupid staff.  Take these people to a pret or itsu or somewhere else with exemplary staff training and show them how its done.

(3)  For god's sake put the pastries under glass or cellophane or something instead of leaving them out all day for dust and dirt and people sneezing, coughing and breathing over them.

The only positive thing I can say is that the decor and design is quite unusual, although it looks better from the outside than from the inside.

QUICK TIP:  The following day I went to a little unpretentious coffee shop just across the road from this place called Kaffeine.  Lovely smooth beautiful coffee (served by a pleasant polite gentleman).  The best coffee always happens in unexpected places.

tastemaker

So I was a little confused by a certain friends enthusiasm for going here in the evening. I had been to the soho branch for great energy balls and a good coffee but a ‘strange place to start the night’ I thought! It dawned on me pretty quickly - Oh so it’s a bar too and superior espresso martinis ‘crash bang wallop’ you into the mood for going out! Great choice, and great atmosphere for a pit stop: perched on barstools, with a constant buzz of voices, so not ideal for a full evening or a long awaited catch up!

tastemaker

Good coffee and even better espresso martinis. The Old Street branch is perfectly located next to the tube for a catch up with friends, or coffee on the go.

Tastemaker

If you're a fan of style over substance then this is the place for you! It's well located and looks great inside and out, but it get's super busy and you probably will have to wait for ages for a table and equally as long for your coffee. My coffee was very strong which I usually like but it was probably the fact that it was lukewarm which spoilt it. Looked great though!

Tastemaker

A great coffee shop in a central Shoreditch location. Hipster/trendy style interiors, friendly stuff working and nice brunch dishes. What else to ask for on a weekend morning?

tastemaker

If you want a decent Espresso Martini, this is a good shout.  I also like the vibe in the various Grinds as it's a mix between a bar and a coffee place so you can talk to your friends without needing to shout while enjoying great cocktails.  The staff are always really friendly and it's a nice chilled-out environment.

Tastemaker

Having past Shoreditch Grind on the bus loads of times, and it always looking so trendy but delightful, I was interested in visiting. The staff were nominally nice, the space - although small - has a decent outdoor area. Seating wasn't terribly comfy outside, however, and the music inside is ridiculously loud. Tried one of the espresso martini's, which was, I hate to say, kinda awful. It was pretty much undrinkable, very sweet and way too strong. 

The margarita I had afterwards helped. Probably not a place you need to visit more than once to be honest. 

tastemaker

As the first ever Grind, I was a bit disappointed by this one in Shoreditch. Compared to larger versions and spaces, like the Grind at London Bridge for example, this was very small inside. There's no doubt the coffees good, but it was a bit overpriced for what you get. The staff are all very hipster and cool, which suits the area, but they did lack the friendliness and good customer service you'd expect. There is no doubt that the Shoreditch Grind is 100% cool, with its upstairs recording studio and famous autographs on the wall, but for me it was all a bit hip and not enough good value coffee and great customer service.

tastemaker

From all the mixed views below I wasn't really sure what to expect. The venue is cool with a really great outdoor heated seated area and the place was packed which is normally a good sign. The service was quick but don't go expecting attentive service, the barristers just move straight on and didn't really seam to communicate over who had actually offered the food they're giving out. I really enjoyed my coffee but the star of the show had to be the banana bread and honey, definitely the best banana bread I've ordered out before!


Tastemaker

Trendy coffee shop by day, trendy cocktail bar by night. What's not to like?! It's a shame to see the negative reviews below as I have always had a great experience here. It's the perfect place to pop into when you're on your way out or on you're way home, as it's located right by the Old Street roundabout. 


Great place. Favourite coffee shop in London. Delicious food & coffee! Be sure to visit.


Some of the best coffee in Shoreditch. Amazing coffee-infused cocktails. Awesome vibe. Not to mention, super-convenient location.


Amazing coffee, delicious food, hopping vibe- great for people-watching, safely tucked away from the hustle & bustle of the city- and yes, even espresso cocktails and martinis. Is there anything this place doesn't have?


I can't start the weekend without a large latte and smashed avo and poachies on sourdough toast. Great service, fun and lively atmosphere and brilliant price (just over £10)! Perfect!

They do a mean espresso martini if you fancy something stronger. 


Tastemaker

The banana bread with creme fraiche and honeycomb is a hands down epic dish. Consistently delicious flat whites too. The wifi isn't the best and it does get very busy - having said that, I've had business meetings in the Grind and also grabbed a window spot to work on my laptop. At some point I'll be back to sample those famous espresso martinis...

Tastemaker

Visited on a Saturday afternoon, the quality of their coffee is good, they offer a mean espresso martini and you'll have food envy from the moment you walk in. Members of staff were very friendly and welcoming, however the issue is always going to be getting a seat. I met 4 friends and we were crammed into a corner, although we were lucky than some to actually find some space. The chairs are high and not made for you to slowly sip your coffee and watch the world go by, which is a shame considering the location and glazed frontage. Would return, although sadly I think a weekend afternoon is out of the question.

Tastemakertastemaker

The only upside to this place is the outdoor seating, in summer, to people watch (hence the smiling face below)... or to stop undercover, to open your umbrella, to go to ozone coffee or lantana down the road.


Appalling service - they cleared our jars (how hipster) as soon as we were done in an obvious "please fucking leave" move

Terrible coffee - I mean seriously, for a place called Grind? You'd think they would know how to do that.

Food - don't. even.

Staff Writer

First time in Shoreditch Grind having been past it many times on my travels through Old Street. 


Sat down for a meeting and the music was so unbearably loud and abrasive that we were virtually shouting at one another, which was really frustrating. 


To add insult to injury, I'd asked for a Cold Brew (one of the few places I've seen that has it on tap) and while my guest's drink arrived almost immediately, it took over 15 minutes for the manager to come over and say that the Cold Brew tap was missing a tiny piece that rendered it useless. Fair enough. Then he offered me an Iced Coffee in exchange which would have been fine had it not taken a further 15 minutes for that to materialise and only after I went up to the counter and asked for it.


Maybe it's my fault for turning up at 9.30am but honestly, that's no excuse for such shoddy customer care. They'll get plenty of custom regardless, but I won't be recommending it to anyone, which is a shame.


Tastemaker

The place appears busy with customers day and night, but the only reason I can think of for that is it's great location. I pop in to Shoreditch Grind from time to time because it's so very close to Old Street station and is perfect for meeting people, who are not very familiar with the area, but I always leave regretting my laziness (Look Mum No Hands is only 5 min away and is hundred times better!). Drinks are overpriced and range in taste from this-will-do to I-cannot-pour-this-down-my-throat, staff are always in a hurry and have been a bit rude on few occasions. It's always nosy, hard to find a spot to sit down and generally makes you want to leave as soon as you come in.

Tastemaker

Oh Shoreditch Grind, my lovely local, trusted coffee shop. I don´t like queuing for coffee in rush hour as this can take pretty long sometimes, but I love a leisurely breakfast here. The porridge with coconut milk topped with fruit and lots of seeds and nuts is to die for!

I also like the loyalty points system which includes coffee-based cocktails and you can redeem and receive either coffees or coffee-based cocktails.  


The worst customer service I have ever experienced. The woman at the counter was exceptionally rude (not sure if she is a manager/supervisor. She huffed and rolled her eyes when we said we asked to have a quick look at the menu before ordering (mind you we were the only ones waiting to order...so we were not holding anyone up). When we placed our order requesting skim milk it instantly became a huge issue, prompting a further episode of huffing and eye rolling.

Once the ordering stage was over we took a seat and waited for our drinks. The staff had no idea as to where the drinks had to go, and ended up giving them to other customers. When we followed it up, and told the staff that our drinks had been given to others, the same woman who took our orders made a huge ordeal about having the coffees made again (and actually given to us this this around). She then proceeded to glare at us as we had our coffee. This was extremely uncomfortable.

Although the coffee itself was quite good, the service was not existant. The staff attitude needs to be addressed promptly.

I would never go back.


Really bad experience.  The girl serving had such a rude nasty attitude.  The coffee was pretty mediocre, although I understand that this place is Australian and this is how they make it.  Also, the girl serving kept licking her fingers, which seemed unhygienic, as did the pastries which looked nice but were left out uncovered all day without cellophane.


This place rocks! Properly amazing coffee, ultra cool vibe to an awesome soundtrack! Shoreditch Grind is an instant icon! Sure, its busy, and it can sometimes take a while to get a coffee, but i'd rather wait a few minutes for something amazing than drink that rubbish from the chains! Also the food menu is also getting bigger and better all the time! A++++ !


Easily the best coffee i've had in London, and an amazing vibe! The food is also pretty great. I'm a regular and the service is great and super friendly, contrary to some of the other reviews. My only complaint would be that there is often a long queue, particularly in the mornings! Overall a great transformation of what used to be a really bad corner of the roundabout.


By far the best coffee I've had in London - Thumbs up to the great staff, specifically the Australian barista, very talented!


I will never be back because: last time I was verbally 'attacked' by some slime ball rude manager(?) pompous guy in a blazer behind the bar, who was so aggressively 'chatty/flirty' that I almost walked out. At least that's what I think he was trying to do, but he was actually really insulting. That guy needs to leave.


the flat white is worth making a trip for but as the other reviewers, service is a big big problem here. They are apathetic and slow, the lady at the till having a face droopy would be proud of. The coffee has also been lukewarm on occasion, however the pastries have been a hit...ozone coffee roasters down the road on leonard street is far superior...


I think its great coffee!! Im from Australia and I think the place is owned by Aussies?? Thats how we drink our coffee its comes in small glasses and the milk is not overly boiled. I think if you guys are after big boiling cups of coffee then stick to Starbucks!! It does take a little longer to get a coffee than most places. Two reasons the place is rammed and secondly it takes time to make good coffee!


The coffee is average and the service is really bad. I will never go there again.


I want to like this place because the location is so convenient for me, but the coffee is just not good. I've had macchiato, late, cappuccino and mocha here but each time it's just been so bitter. Add to that the sizes are small compared to the prices charged, the barristers are incredibly slow seemingly making just one coffee at a time, and the the staff are not at all friendly, no smile no warmth. I never complain normally as I don't expect much to be honest but this place is truly awful. Also like so many coffee shops in London they don't know how to use Soya milk as they overheat and burn it each time. I still go occasionally though, as I like the space, but now I just drink tea and take a paper to read whilst i'm waiting.


Just terrible. For £2.45, I got a tiny glass of latte so lukewarm that I could have literally knocked it back in one gulp. When I politely asked for a hotter version, the sulky-faced barista said that was how they should be made and argued the toss for a minute before agreeing to make a fresh one. As she did, I heard her sniggering to her colleague (tattoos and asymmetric haircut, natch) that I wanted a ‘Starbucks latte’. So, to recap: tiny drink, huge price, and badly made by pig-rude staff. The atmosphere of hipster disdain was almost palpable and it was all just so unwelcoming. A master-class in how not to do it.


The decor and music made me think this was the kind of place I would like. The coffee, unfortunately, said otherwise. I asked for a strong cappuccino, and when I went to pick it up from the barista I said 'is there an extra shot in this one?' She looked at me witheringly, said rudely 'all our coffees are double shot' as if I was some coffee newb and turned away. I shrugged and took my coffee, hoping this could be my new local place. The coffee tasted like dirty dishwater, with the tiniest hint of coffee flavour. It was one of the weakest cappuccinos I've ever had, and I've lived in the US (!) I thought about taking it back and saying it wasn't good enough, which I NEVER do, but I couldn't be bother dealing with the rude barista again. Instead I forced half of it down and left. Terrible, terrible cup of coffee.


Extremely slow service.Pricing of their tiny Cofee cup also quiet a rip of. I do wonder if the Shoreditch Silicon Roundabout might be distorting the price/value...


The service sucks. The coffee is average. The 'witty' dialogue through their signage dreadful. Whilst the space is interesting and an improvement on the old empty phone shop, it's not a comfortable environment to relax in. Too bad.


Cool vibe, cool people, coffee and cakes were excellent. I will be popping back to sample the sarnies very soon, Save me a stool !!


At last! A proper cup of coffee at Old Street! The coffee is awesome and the sandwiches are really good too. Love the vibe of the place and the old cinema sign that display new messages every few weeks. I hear they're adding a recording studio upstairs?


Thought I'd give this a try as it looked like a cool concept and was a bored of Starbucks. Wish I really hadn't bothered. Waited ages for the coffee and when it turned up it was luke warm and very milky. Not impressed! To top it off the 'try hard' stools are so uncomfortable, they're like some kind of torture device. I won't be going there again!


I found it strange they were guarded about there beans... Something to hide? Good but not great. That said it makes grabbing a decent coffee after exiting old street tube on the way to work that much easier.

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