The Bath Coffee Guide: Where to Find Specialty Coffee in the City
The Bath Coffee Guide
Bath might be famous for its Roman heritage and Georgian crescents, but there's another reason coffee lovers should make the pilgrimage: this compact city punches well above its weight in specialty coffee. In fact, you could argue that Bath helped shape the entire UK specialty coffee scene, thanks to one very influential cafe that opened its doors back in 2009.
Here's your guide to finding great coffee in the city.
The Roasters
Colonna Coffee
If you know anything about UK specialty coffee, you know this name. Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood started roasting in 2015 after already establishing Colonna & Small's as one of the most important coffee destinations in the country. A three-time UK Barista Champion (2012, 2014, 2015), Maxwell has co-authored scientific papers on water chemistry and coffee, developed Nespresso-compatible specialty pods, and helped incubate the Peak Water project.
The roastery operates out of Bristol now, but Bath remains home to the original shop. Colonna's coffee is divided into four categories: Foundation (approachable, clean specialty), Discovery (experimental processing methods and unusual varieties), Rare (exclusive lots and competition-grade coffees like Geisha from award-winning farms), and Decaf. If you want to understand what modern British specialty coffee looks like at its best, start here.
Website: colonnacoffee.com
Round Hill Roastery
Founded in 2012 by Eddie Twichett, Round Hill started life at the Bath farmers market before growing into a proper wholesale operation. The roastery is based in Midsomer Norton, just outside the city, and supplies a growing list of cafes across the region.
Round Hill's approach centres on seasonality and direct relationships. Their house espresso, Unit Fourteen (named after their original unit), changes throughout the year as different harvests come in, but always stays sweet, balanced, and chocolatey. They've sourced beans from the same Colombian farm for seven years running. Look for their distinctive pink bags (espresso roast) and blue bags (filter roast).
Website: roundhillroastery.com
The Cafes
Colonna & Small's
The one that started it all. Maxwell and Lesley Colonna-Dashwood opened this Chapel Row cafe in 2009 with a simple mission: showcase exceptional coffees in a space designed for conversation. It worked. In 2016, Colonna & Small's was named Best Coffee Shop in Europe.
The minimalist interior puts the focus squarely on the coffee. You'll typically find three espresso options and three filter options, all from the Colonna roastery. The baristas are extraordinarily knowledgeable and happy to guide you through the menu, whether you're a seasoned coffee professional or someone who just wants something delicious. They use a ModBar system, offer multiple brew methods including syphon and AeroPress, and rotate coffees regularly.
Beyond the drinks, the shop now sells Colonna's capsule range and Peak Water filters. Don't let the product diversification fool you though - this is still fundamentally about the coffee in your cup, prepared with the kind of care that's earned Maxwell his reputation.
Address: 6 Chapel Row, Bath BA1 1HN
Instagram: @colonnacoffee
Society Café
Society has two locations in Bath: the original on Kingsmead Square and a smaller spot in the Corridor, a Georgian shopping arcade on High Street. Both serve as excellent examples of how to do specialty coffee in a welcoming, accessible way.
The flagship Kingsmead Square location is a proper destination: high ceilings, a striking blue La Marzocco, outdoor seating on the square, and enough space to settle in for hours. The Corridor branch is smaller but arguably more beautiful, with stone floors and windows on two sides looking out at the arcade and High Street.
Coffee comes primarily from Origin in Cornwall, with guest roasters rotating regularly (expect names like The Barn and Round Hill). They always have a house espresso plus a guest espresso, with filter options through AeroPress and Clever Dripper. The food offering runs to sandwiches and excellent cakes. Society also publishes a small paper covering coffee culture, barista profiles, and owner experiences; a nice touch that shows they're genuinely invested in the community.
Kingsmead Square: 5 Kingsmead Square, Bath BA1 2AB
The Corridor: 19 High Street, The Corridor, Bath BA1 5AJ
Website: society-cafe.com
Instagram: @societycafe
Mokoko Coffee & Bakery
Mokoko has carved out a niche as Bath's bakery-first specialty coffee spot. The main location sits opposite the Abbey and Roman Baths-prime tourist territory, but the quality here is genuine. Everything is baked fresh on site, and the pastries have earned a devoted following. The almond croissants, cinnamon buns, and salted caramel brownies get particular praise.
Coffee comes from James Gourmet, with guest roasters from Scandinavia and Northern Europe making regular appearances. There's also a smaller location in Southgate near the train station, perfect for a quick stop before or after your journey.
Fair warning: the Abbey Churchyard location has a 45-minute laptop limit upstairs, which tells you something about how popular it's become as a workspace.
Abbey Churchyard: 2 Abbey Churchyard, Bath BA1 1LT
Southgate: 7 Dorchester Street, Bath BA1 1SS
Website: mokokobakery.com
Café au Lait
Directly opposite Bath Spa station, Café au Lait has been a family-run fixture since 2010. It's small, often packed, and exactly what you want after stepping off a train: proper coffee, excellent brunch, and staff who genuinely seem to enjoy their work.
The coffee comes from Clifton Coffee Roasters in Bristol, pulled on a La Marzocco. They've built a reputation around all-day brunch-eggs benedict, shakshuka, halloumi plates; and cakes baked in-house. There's luggage storage available, which makes it doubly useful as a first or last stop on a Bath visit.
Address: 12-14 Dorchester Street, Bath BA1 1SS
Website: cafeaulait.co.uk
Instagram: @cafeaulait_bath
Cascara
If you're looking for plant-based options without compromising on coffee quality, Cascara is the answer. This vegan cafe on Upper Borough Walls is the sister business to the Green Rocket restaurant, and they take both the food and coffee seriously.
The coffee comes from Extract Coffee Roasters' Original blend, served with your choice of oat, almond, coconut, or soya milk. The food goes well beyond token vegan offerings - expect creative dishes like carrot lox (smoked 'salmon' made from carrots), tofu scramble wraps, and a rotating selection of salads and toasties. The cakes are excellent and entirely plant-based, though you'd never guess it.
The atmosphere is cosy and welcoming, with seating on two floors. It's become a popular study spot and casual workspace.
Address: 3 Upper Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1RG
Website: cascaravegancafe.com
Instagram: @cascarabath
The Colombian Company
For something with a different character entirely, head to Widcombe Parade. The Colombian Company was founded by Jhampoll Gutierrez Gomez (JP to regulars), a Colombian-born British citizen who started out at Bath's markets before opening permanent locations.
The coffee is imported directly from small Colombian growers - this is as direct trade as it gets, with JP personally knowing the farmers he works with. The roast profile tends darker than some specialty shops, which won't suit everyone, but if you like strong, rich, full-flavoured espresso, this delivers. Try the Bombon, their signature drink of espresso with condensed milk.
The atmosphere is distinctly Latin American: warm colours, Colombian music in the background, and a welcoming vibe that keeps locals coming back. There's also a location on Abbey Green if Widcombe is out of your way.
Widcombe: 9A Widcombe Parade, Bath BA2 4LD
Website: thecolombiancompany.com
Instagram: @thecolombianco
Silcox Coffee
One of Bath's newer additions, Silcox occupies a space on Kingsmead Square that used to be Silcox, Son and Wicks furniture store. The conversion has kept the name and added something increasingly rare: designated computer-free tables.
The setup is clever - there's a side area with sockets where laptops are welcome, while the main seating encourages actual conversation and people-watching. Coffee and food are solid, with gluten-free options available. It's a welcome addition to the Kingsmead Square coffee cluster.
Address: 5-7 New Street, Kingsmead Square, Bath BA1 2AF
The Route
Bath is small enough that you can hit most of these spots in a single day. Start at Café au Lait if you're arriving by train, work your way through Society and Silcox in the Kingsmead Square area, refuel with pastries at Mokoko near the Abbey, then finish at Colonna & Small's - because if you're only going to have one coffee in Bath, it should probably be there.
If you've got more time, venture across the river to Widcombe for The Colombian Company, or detour to Cascara for a vegan lunch.
Worth Knowing
Bath sits close enough to Bristol that you'll notice significant overlap in roasters and suppliers. Clifton Coffee, Extract, and Origin all feature across multiple Bath cafes. This isn't a bad thing - it means you're getting properly roasted beans from established operations rather than questionable in-house experiments.
The city's compact size means competition is fierce, which generally works in the customer's favour. Even the more touristy spots (looking at you, Abbey Churchyard Mokoko) maintain genuine quality because the specialty alternatives are never more than a five-minute walk away.
Find these cafes and more on the Coffee Pals Coffee Map →