Local Hero in Kingston upon Thames

Nice coffee shop with very pleasant service. They don’t charge extra for alternative milk either which is a rare bonus

Fantastic eggs benedict with smoked salmon on sourdough with salad. Great staff, and busy atmosphere.

Went into this coffee shop to get a takeaway cappuccino on the weekend and it was one of the worst coffees I have had in a while. The coffee was burnt, and the milk was over steamed. Overall, coffee was super hot and tasted bitter.

What a shame. Always go here whenever I'm in Kingston. U r always guaranteed a good coffee. Today was no different but sadly I enjoy reading my paper on Saturday while enjoying my flat white. Apparently this is no longer allowed on weekends because my paper happens to be on a tablet. What utter nonsense. How can me reading my paper be intrusive to other people enjoying their coffee. Don't know if the refit has brought new management policies but a coffee shop that bans people from reading while drinking their coffee is one that has lost sight of its purpose. So goodbye, time to find a coffee shop that hasn't lost its mind.

Their recent refit has reduced seating, confused the flow of customers and made the atmosphere less appealing. Don’t get us wrong the coffee is great, if overpriced, which didn’t put us off going in the past. But having experienced the new layout it totally puts us off returning further.

Friendly coffee spot and some tasty vegan options.

This is a lovely place for breakfast ❤️❤️❤️

Adore this place! The menu is amazing, best breakfast/brunch in Kingston by a long way (and there are some strong contenders, so that’s saying something!). Great coffee too, and lovely atmosphere. I just hope they keep the same menu, as they’re currently closed for refurbishment!

A café located in Kingston where you can enjoy a variety of drinks and healthy brunch. Because it is so popular, there are many visitors and many people take takeout. It's clean and has friendly hospitality.

We had our best sandwiches here and the service was lovely!! Definitely will return ☺️

Great coffee, great food. What's not to like!

Please note that they DO NOT allow laptops on the weekend! I used to come here with my son when we were wondering around in Kingston, as they do good coffee. Today it turns out to be a total buzz kill. I dropped my son off at a playdate nearby so I thought I'd find somewhere to have coffee and lunch (the weather is fabulous so I am enjoying my 'me' time). However, just as soon as I sat down with a cup of coffee and was wondering what to order for lunch, a staff came to me telling me bluntly that my laptop is not allowed on the table. I am sure they have their commercial reasons to back this up, but the embarrassment and the surprise totally ruined my mood. No doubt I will not buy my lunch here now but am feeling unfair if I just leave given that I spent money here. Such a shame, probably wouldn't visit again now.

I came here for some 'me time' after dropping off my son at a nearby play date. Got a coffee but before I could order my lunch, a member of staff told me bluntly that my laptop is NOT ALLOWED ON THE TABLE ON THE WEEKEND. I respect their commercial decision but I have to say this totally embarrassed me in front of all the other customers and ruined my mood . Shame and will not visit again.

My wedding party of 40 decided to stop by for a coffee after our ceremony and the staff were very lovely and the service was quick even with lots of us. 100 % recommend, best coffe in town and wonderful cakes !

Calling brownie lovers everywhere! I'm really picky and usually disappointed by brownies I buy in cafes... I also balk at the prices... I wouldn't usually pay £3.90 for a brownie... However my intuition told me this one was wouldn't disappoint and it was fantastic. It was gooey, rich and delicious... everything I look for in a brownie. So if you're a brownie afficionado living in, or visiting Kingston, this is the place to come!

A Kingston gem - I've been coming here for years, and the coffee and breakfasts are amazing. The best poached eggs in Kingston!

Their food is an artwork! Lovely local cafe, nice atmosphere and friendly staff.

Today I decided to treat my daughter to a brunch. We went to local hero as I have been in the past and it has been great. The staff today were amazing and the food was good however this is where it goes wrong. I ordered poached eggs on toast which on its own was £9.50 which seemed a little steep. I then added some avocado , some bacon and some mushrooms . Each portion was £4.00!!!! Yes £4 for two tiny streaks of bacon £4.00 for some mushrooms and £4.00 for some avocado. So my food was £21.50!!! For a brunch . My daughters came to £17.50 for eggs Benedict with a bit of salmon and mushrooms. My fault I should have taken us somewhere else as soon as I saw the total bill. While I appreciate businesses have over heads this is just too extreme and greedy. For this reason I would never go back there. Hopefully the owner will listen to his staff who are on the ground working and listening to what customers say but somehow I doubt it 🤷🏼‍♀️

Excellent coffee and good selection of sandwiches and cakes/pastries.

Had a flat white. It was pretty good, lots of flavour. They wouldn't accept cash payment, pretty sure it's legal tender. No sign on the door to say card payment only. I was supposed to pay for a friend and instead I was met with a shouting of card payment only card payment only ... Won't be coming back.

Busy coffee shop serving excellent coffee and tasty food.

Popped in for a light breakfast on a Sunday morning. They were the only place open before 9am that we could find. Very glad and lucky to find it. . Really tasty food, great ingredients, Lovely staff. Big pot of tea and a really great cappuccino. Scrambled egg on sourdough with a tasty Cumberland sausage for me. Well presented and tasty. My wife had avocado on sourdough with crumbled feta. Outstandingly tasty. Thanks Guys. Keep up the good work. 👍👍

They should learn how to do coffee before working in a cafe' (espresso was burnt) and most importantly they should learn how to talk to paying customers. Kicking them out because there is no space while they talking to people sitting at the table is rude and unprofessional. Will definitely advise anyone I know to not even get close to this place!

They should learn how to do coffee before working in a cafe' (espresso was burnt) and most importantly they should learn how to talk to paying customers. Kicking them out because there is no space while they talking to people sitting at the table is rude and unprofessional. Will definitely advise anyone I know to not even get close to this place!

Had brunch here the other day. The food is great, really tasty and I could tell the ingredients were of high quality. Poached eggs were the best I’ve eaten. Good quality eggs cooked to perfection. Service and staff lovely. Will certainly be back.

The chilli eggs were exceptional, truly amazing! My coffee was perfect, but my partner's coffee was incredibly bitter and he had to not drink it in the end. I don't think the same person made his coffee. I have been a few times before and noticed the quality of the coffee was really inconsistent amongst the people I went with.

We ordered coffee to go and the whole experience was stressful. The barista was rude and annoyed we were standing there (there was nowhere else to stand). She was clearly overwhelmed by the number of orders and was rude to customers. If you don't want people to send by the coffee order section - maybe have one less table so there's space to wait for your order? £4.50 for a small coffee and I would say the minimum is to not be rude to your customers. I honestly wouldn't mind the price is the people weren't so rude - left a bitter taste in our mouths.

I went inside to buy 2 takeaway cappuccinos. My wife and her friend waited sat on their bench outside and were abruptly and rudely told by the manager they couldn't sit there unless they bought a drink. My wife told him her husband was actually buying drinks...he looked confused, said nothing ( no apology ) and went back in. Perhaps he should learn a few manners when addressing people. They now have a sign saying to 'wait to be seated' as if they are some great establishment. Used to go for breakfasts before he knew the place existed. Rude individual...avoid going.

Good coffee, but random claim by (friendly and polite) staff that no laptops allowed over weekend - just when i sat down, not after an hour.. Not sure what the difference is between reading a book or scrolling through mobile, would have been nice to just be given a time limit one could stay. Asked whether i could see that policy but clearly there wasn't. So nice place for food, but not if one wants to just enjoy a coffee by themselves.

Nice quiet Sunday morning sausage sandwich and coffee whilst on my dog walk! Most welcome. Not to mention the best sausage sandwich in Kingston!

It's one of my favourite coffee shops in Kingston, coffee is good, friendly staff!

Very nice coffee shop at Kingston upon Thames. Great food and coffee with sandwiches and homemade cakes.

Lucky discovery when at TEDx. Only wanted a cuppa but say someone else's food and so glad I did. Spectacular. Highly recommended.

Great coffee and delicious food. Highly recommend the avocado with chorizo.

What an absolute local gem! It's cozy inside with tables scattered around. You order and pay at the till which I quite enjoy, from there you go sit down and wait for your delicious coffee and food to be brought to you. The flat white is the best I've had, and I find it difficult to resist getting one when I'm in the area. The food is also heavenly. I can highly recommend their avocado toast with chorizo and poached egg as well as the salmon Benedict. Both of these dishes are simply fantastic and full of flavor. You can taste the quality of the ingredients as well as the effort that goes into the plating and presentation. We do eat with our eyes first. Once you have finished your meal and coffee, your table is quickly cleared by a friendly member of staff. Because you have already paid for your food, you can simply leave whenever you want. You are always waved out the door with a warm "bye, thank you" from staff. I will continue to support this amazing local hero!

A lucky find. Great breakfast menu. Loved the Chorizo and Avocado Poached Egg option. Nice coffee.

The food is all right at best but what is a real letdown is the terrible service. Atmosphere also not pleasant unless you like having your breakfast in the midst of a bunch of loud, drenched and muddy cyclists.

We were on the fence about trying a new cafe as there is Gail’s a few yards away but so glad we did. The Flat White was sharp, perfectly proportioned and the roast was simply delicious. We paired this with the Salted Caramel Chocolate Brownie which was rich in flavour and perfectly baked to a crisp top. The cafe was busy even on a rainy day so expect to fight for a table when the weather is right. All in all, our coffee experience here was flawless and this might very well be our ‘local hero’. Highly recommended cafe and one we will definitely be back to soon.

Gabriel was amazing!!! Had such a great time thanks to how friendly and helpful he was.

Great place to go if you want to experience central London prices without the schlepp of travelling in to zone 1....£4 for a mocha for ants...?! It was good quality - tasted as if made with actual dark chocolate, not sweet....but tiny, so really don't think that justified the price. Specifically chose to go here to support small / local biz (didn't realise it's a chain). Felt ripped off but venue was busy so maybe just me.

Lovely staff, but it took over 30 minutes for an avocado sourdough. I get that it was busy but it was an unusually long wait.

One of my favourite cafes in kingston. Their matcha is the best around. The staff are really friendly and the service is fab. Their morning pastries are really yum (be quick, they disappear fast!) and have good GF and VG options. Great options for seating too. Lovely little window seats if you’re there on your own or with one other person. Great people-watching spot. Wifi is easy to use and reliable and some of the tables have nearby plugs making it idea for a bit of work. We often find the music is a little too loud for us, though the music choice is always on point. Can just be a little difficult to have a conversation if you’re easily distracted or overwhelmed by noise level.

I ordered a latte, and it was evident that they offer delicious lattes, just like the great cafes around London. I haven't had the chance to sample their food yet, but it certainly looks enticing. It's worth giving it a try.

After reading loads of great reviews I was looking forward to trying on a Sunday morning. Unfortunately, it was incredibly disappointing. There was no veggie breakfast on the menu, so I asked if I could have the Eggs Benedict, but instead of bacon, could I have a vegetarian item as an alternative e.g spinach, avocado or mushrooms. This is a simple request but it became so complicated. The cashier said this could not be done and offered me salmon instead - which is fish and not vegetarian. The Manager Angie came over and she said they didn't have spinach but could give mushrooms and avocado, which I was fine with. She said she would do this as a swap, or it would get too expensive which I was also fine with. Looking at my receipt though, they charged me for a poached egg on toast, plus £4.50 for some mushrooms and £3.50 for some avocado. This made my veggie breakfast £17.50!!! When I raised it, they said this was correct and they couldn't swap it for the bacon as the owner says veggie items have to be added on as extras. This is outrageous - it's 2023 and flexibility in a menu for different diets has to be taken into account. To give them credit, all our food was tasty. But the inflexibility, borderline rudeness and being ripped off made it hard to enjoy the food. I really wanted to love Local Hero, being a local myself, but it's not somewhere I could recommend based off my experience.

You won't believe how amazing this meal was! The pancakes were unbelievably light and fluffy because they were made with spelt flour. They were topped with bananas, strawberries, and honey, creating a perfect blend of flavors. It's the kind of meal that strikes the ideal balance between delicious and healthy. Another masterpiece, well done Local Hero Kingston

This is our cafe of choice in Kingston. The service is always welcoming and the coffee is the best in town. We have tried all the other cafes around the area and no one can beat a Local Hero coffee and especially when it has been made by Angie, she is not only the friendliest person but she is the best Barista by far.

Great cup of coffee and enjoyed the Egg Benedict with Salmon.

Great coffee, the size of double espresso a bit too short. Baby changing facility with the automatic light off in the middle of changing nappy. Not very smart

Nice little cafe but felt a bit of a rip off. I ordered the eggs benedict and added advogado as extra and asked a bit of chilli flakes. I was charged £5.45 on top for that… and ordered a smoothie that was nice.. the food was nice but there were two pieces of bread with a tiny amount of salmon with two small eggs for £18.50 with the extra. Definitely not value for money. I appreciate the cost of food has gone up but way too expensive for what you get and be charged almost £6 for a avocado and a bit of chilli flakes. Will have to think twice before going back.

Arguably the best coffee in Kingston. Avoid the bland chains and head here for a real coffee. Lovely, friendly and welcoming staff is just a bonus!

Very nice and quick service. Nice music playing. Very informative with regards to the coffee beans they had. Brilliant coffee taste.

Really lovely independent coffee shop, polite staff, peaceful music, amazing little bathroom that was spotless, great coffee. I didn't have any food but it all looked very tasty with good portion sized!

Nice coffee shop. Very friendly staff. Seen some complaining in reviews re cost of food & coffee. I'd say the prices are realistic, hospitality is struggling & inflation is crippling. I hope places like this get through.

Great coffee! Best in Kingston!

Went there the other day after beeing recommended by other baristas in the local area. It honestly was a great experience I had and I loved the staff they were super nice and patient despite me being extremely nervous to order. The atmosphere was absolutely great and they made it feel like a safe space. I didn’t order anything to eat this time but I would certainly be going back again to enjoy the food.

Staff was so angry , rude and noisy

I was there with my baby today . The girl I supposed manager was so rude and noisy . My baby was sleeping . She saw but she made terrible noise at least five times . Baby woke up at every time .. I looked at her when she is making this noise and she started to make more and more .. she was really so rude !

갈때마다 친절하고 커피도 맛있는 카페❤️ 아이스라떼, 오트플랫화이트 추천합니다. 부드럽고 고소해요

Nice atmosphere on a Sunday morning. We had Scrambled Eggs on Sourdough Toast with an added Sausage, and a Cheese and Relish Focaccia Toastie — along with an Americano and a Hot Chocolate. Scrambled eggs were decent and seemed well seasoned (although I do like abit of black pepper in my eggs, which this didn't have, but that's just a personal taste). Toast wasn't buttered which I think would be standard in 95% of people's estimations. The Focaccia Toastie was decent and overall I enjoyed it, but the flavour conbination seemed a bit off — it was fairly bitter even with a sweet Relish in it🤔 Can't speak on the Americano, but the hot chocolate needed a touch of added sugar, which is not usually something I need when getting a hot chocolate anywhere else. Overall, I think Local Hero is a decent café, but I was expecting more. The 'hype' and price suggested to me that I was going to get a better than average experience, which I don't necessarily think I got. Expectation was high, but the experience fell about where most average cafés fall. Only real differentiater for me is the decor

The coffee was excellent but the brunch food was dreadful and so expensive. Had scrambled eggs on sourdough for £9.5 - the toast wasn't even buttered and the sausage ordered on the side (an additional £3) didn't arrive although they did refund this despite the waiter initially insisting we must not have ordered it. The plate was extremely cold so whilst the eggs on the toast were hot all the eggs which were on the side touching the plate were cold by the time it arrived at our table. The bacon and cheese melt (also £9.5 for a sandwich) also had no butter on the toast so was extremely dry. The bacon was about 50% chewy fat - not crispy and not edible. The cheese was not really melted. more congealed. Overall really really disappointing. I've been a few times in the past and loved it but the menu has completely changed and has become much more expensive and the quality dramatically decreased.

Excellent toasted sandwich and superb latte. Well worth a visit.

Toasted sandwiches are STUNNING. Really friendly staff, super fresh food.

Read many reviews and had to go and try myself! I ordered black Americano, they used their Tao blend which is Arabica beans and plum, blueberries and toffee notes! I absolutely loved it, smell, the taste! Next time will try Soul man blend which they recommend with milky coffee!

Average coffee, expensive food, unfriendly staff, uncomfortable seats/environment, very loud. It’s always like this on the numerous times I’ve visited so not a one-off bad experience and think the only reason it’s busy is because there’s nowhere else

Local Hero is my number one coffee shop in Kingston. The iconic location on Thames Street is minutes from the historic market which is one of the most beautiful parts of Kingston. Their coffee is amazing and their food has always been top notch. Great when I’m buzzing through for a take away and just as lovely to sit down with my husband and family. We love the plants, the cheery decor and the overall branding as well as the nods to the movie Napoleon Dynamite! I can’t say enough about their long term staff, Angie, Galea, Emma and co - such sincere and lovely people who will always make sure the coffee is right.

Lovely coffee shop with a nice selection on food and great coffee to be had, the staff here is lovely and always ready to help

Nice coffee, friendly staff, and dog friendly!

Didn’t particularly like the attitude of the male barista while we were regularly ordering and calmly explaining our coffee choice to the girl. He kept interrupting and being intrusive, Coffees were great but I think the barista guy should relax a little bit. Hope a smile comes included in the price next time.

Nice place, good specialty coffee.

Fabulously rich, smooth coffee and great cake. Sometimes a wait if there's a queue but worth it for the quality. Yum.

Only had a flat-white, but it was excellent!

The best flat white and pastel de Nata in Kingston

Very nice iced latte. Staff are friendly and efficient.

Good coffee, poor food options and 50/50 staff. Smoothies and toasted sandwiches were great, but according to the manager they don’t do food/brunch anymore which is a shame. Girlfriend tried to ask for some butter for her banana bread, but was advised they didn’t even have this. American barista was lovely and super friendly though.

Cute interior and coffee is alright but why does staff think they can get rude to you while taking your order and chip into your conversations with your friends? 💀😭

No doubt the best coffee in London! Lovely people too and a very nice vibe! This place is my new addiction 🥰

Nice coffee but I find the staff quite arrogant. Also, doesn’t serve brunch during the week.

I have been visiting this shop regularly as a local. The coffee quality is superb, and the female staff lovely! However most of the male staff I have encountered seem not that willing to help and give the impression of being too busy to deal with more customers. That is a put off for me unfortunately.

Nice place for a lunch. Unfortunately they don't make eggs on toast anymore, but the sandwiches and smoothies were good.

Very friendly service, good and nice cake selection, very good coffee. Warm and convivial atmosphere in a relatively small cafe. Prices are reasonable.

My double macchiato didn't give me the caffeine kick I needed. Same as last time.

Local villains. Staff tremendously rude in taking our orders and serving us. Overpriced as well - £7.70 for an americano and banana cake loaf. You can easily find similar cafes nearby. Would not recommend.

Now £3.60 for a small, just okay, Americano👎

The best coffee in town. Dog friendly. Tasty food and cakes.

Best coffee in Kingston! When I first moved here I tried all the shops, Local Hero is without a doubt the best. The baristas are friendly, too!

Good coffee, no music so lacked a bit of atmosphere

A very cool coffee shop with gkos service its a small space cosy and good lighting and decor. Its good for couples, singkes or small families.as the vibe is good. The coffee ia very good, a bit strong so you may want to have more hot water. It isnt cheap... £3.80 for coffee and £6.95 for a smoothie so dont look at the price when ordering. I enjoyed it and would return

Great for coffee or a smoothie (green one is my fave). Friendly staff. Overall cool place ☮️

Went here this morning and was absolutely shocked to find that my decaf latte was £4.30 (extra charge for decaf) and a babychino was £1.50! Total cost was for those plus a kids hot chocolate was £9.20, when it would usually be £6 from my normal local independent. Sure have gone up, but this is just disgraceful. £1.50 for a tiny kids cup of milk! Won’t be returning, obviously.

Very slow service, nobody seems interested in taking your order or communicating with customers at all. Much better to go a few shops down and get coffee from 222 👍

Such a great atmosphere and packed! Clearly very popular amongst Kingston-ers. If only it was closer to home :)

£3.70 for the tiniest decaf Luke warm flat white ☹️ was going to have a slice of banana loaf but decided £4.50 😲 for a small, dry looking slice was just too ridiculous!! I'm happy to pay for something decent but this was a joke

The coffee at Local Hero never disappoints me :):)

Great coffee, the carrot cake was amazing and friendly staff.

Great little cafe, good food and friendly atmosphere. I love that you have Gluten Free items on your menu. However maybe you would consider putting them on a separate plate to the other items in your display and using dedicated tongs? This would allow people with coeliac disease to be able to enjoy your gf items.

Wow, it has been a while since I have such a good cup of coffee like this! African blend of beans, perfect temperature, latte art, great service and the sun was out! I think this has now become my favourite coffee shop.

Me gustó mucho el café y el bizcocho de este sitio.

Just want to say what lovely lovely people they are. I was volunteering for a hampton court half marathon. And I never got a chance to use the loo's. Been there since 5am and everything just went so quickly. Got to my marshaling post and realised once it starts I can't leave. They allowed me to use their loo with such kindness. Thank you I was so so grateful to you. I will definitely be back to buy coffee when I return!

This would be 5 star if it was just based on food. 1 star for really bad customer service. Not a one off - multiple interactions with rude staff making you feel unwelcome and overtly disrespectful to customers.

Really good coffee, great flavour and the right temperature. Expensive compared to other local outlets (£3.30 for a very small latte), but personally I would rather pay a bit more for a great-tasting coffee than I’m used to paying for the bland stuff they serve in Costa/Starbucks.