WatchHouse Somerset House in City of London, Westminster

Used to be fond of this place but very disappointed with the food. Food was served within 5 min of ordering suggesting it’s definitely not freshly cooked. The sausage does not have any meat in it. Is it vegan sausage even? Bacon and mushroom all very dry. Won’t have it again. Had eggs Benedict last time which was better.

V60 is 18£ ? And the cheapest is 8£?

Service is amazing thanks to Venus! Thanks a lot for being so nice and helpful.

I recently visited the Watch House Café at Somerset House. The café’s location is stunning, with a beautiful view overlooking the Thames and the historic courtyard of Somerset House. tried their flat white with a freshly baked croissant that was flaky and buttery. The staff were friendly, attentive, and made the experience even more enjoyable. I highly recommend the Watch House Café for anyone looking to enjoy a quiet moment in the best location

I have gone here every weekend morning without skipping a beat (except when I’m not in London) since 2-3 years ago, sometimes on weekdays too before I go to the office. Just finished my degree, and part of it thanks to their loveliest staff, for their excellent coffee and their warmest smiles and kind words that kept me staying awake until the end. 100% sure this is the best coffee place in London. Thank you again, love you so much, and see you next week! 🤎🤎

Venus was a wonderful waitress and made my Sunday morning :)

Good specialty coffee and beautiful view

WatchHouse in Somerset House is quite busy with university students now back in London. However, the vibe is still lovely! You can get quieter tables if you prefer to have coffee and food while reading a chapter of your book. Service is also really fast and food is honestly amazing. Thank you to the staff’s great effort and energy! Lovely people both customers and staff! Btw, you can always order additional sides if you’re hangry like I was 💕💕💕💕 you can never go wrong with a bit of WatchHouse experience as a part of your day ☕️

The staff named Crystal is so nice! She has service-minded. I love it as it’s rare to experience service like this in London. She suggest me to order iced chocolate with soy milk which is perfect!

Go to place for coffee around Strand. Coffee brews are always reliably good, pastries are fresh and beautiful as well. The cafe does get busy during peak times but the staffs are efficient and friendly!

Been a long standing customer of the chain but the customer service seems to have just gone downhill at this location as I was (repeatedly) asked to give up my seat and rushed through finishing my coffee as the waitress has offered it to a customer who just walked in, claiming the business operates a 45-min per table policy (which has not been communicated upfront). If you’d like to enjoy the coffee, consider other places where you are not timed for how long it should take to finish a cup.

Thanks Shraddha! Always love the coffee.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at WatchHouse Somerset House. The service was particularly exceptional; I appreciated how Ollie was incredibly patient in answering my questions about the coffee I enjoyed. His extensive knowledge of coffee processing and extraction was evident in the delicious pour over he made. The pour over Ollie made for me was the best extracted coffee I’ve ever tasted. I left feeling thoroughly impressed and inspired!

Beautiful area, with fantastic coffee and a delicious breakfast wrap. Highly recommend!

Really friendly service. We were a group of six for breakfast and everyone loved their food and coffee. Food was ready very quickly too.

My favorite staff member Venus was so kind and helpful!!

We had very flavoursome sandwiches and cakes. If you like strong coffee this is the place to come but my wife who doesn’t take strong coffee was just as pleased with hers.

I really enjoyed my meal at Somerset house, I had the sweetcorn fritters which I would really recommend, they were perfectly savoury with a great amount of spice. The service was also great, I’ll be coming back soon!

nice place for afternoon tea! Great cakes and cookies☺️☺️

Perfect spot for brunch and coffee🏅 right next to KCL! Will definitely come again!

WatchHouse at Somerset House offers a cozy atmosphere with excellent coffee, delicious pastries, and friendly staff. The perfect spot to relax or catch up on work!

Really nice atmosphere! Great coffee

This place exceeded all my expectations! The location is perfect, an ideal spot for both relaxation and productivity. My server, Freddie, was attentive and genuinely friendly, making sure my experience was nothing short of perfect. Nadiyah was also fantastic! With its great location, amazing service, and delicious coffee, I can’t wait to return! Highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great spot to enjoy a cup of coffee. 👍

Really great food and very friendly staff!

Friendly staff and great food! Love the decor too

Very nice place, probably the best coffee I've had in London. There avocado toast is also fab. Service and atmosphere were also very nice.

Amazing place, I like the atmosphere so much!!!

Amazing spot, great atmosphere and Freddy rocks. Recommend the salted caramel chocolate tart 🙌🏼

Amazing coffee, so delicious, would highly recommend the chai! Staff were great too, Freddie in particular, very knowledgeable, friendly and professional!

Great cappuccino and beautiful views!

It's delicious, but it's all bite-sized.

Very nice atmosphere and nice staff!

Lovely cafe!! Amazing coffee and great atmosphere!

Lovely peaceful setting, great service. Good coffee and tea.

Lovely place, great coffee break when you’re in the city. Super friendly staff, thank you Germaine!!

Had a free coffee to redeem, but wanted to order 2 coffees. They automatically apply it to the cheaper coffee. When told this, asked if I could just make two separate orders, but the code was ‘already scanned’. Great way to push customers to Blank Street…

Great coffee, friendly staff, and a gorgeous setting in Somerset House. Kristal was so welcoming and made sure everything was perfect.

This place used to be great before they started hiring 12 year olds who don’t know how to treat their customers

The place and the people are amazing! I come here all the time, the coffee is always great, everybody is so polite and helpfull. I already met Kristal and Eva, they are always wonderful and it is a pleasure spending my coffee break there! I wholeheartedly recommend visiting the WatchHouse.

Such a stylish cafe. Banana bread was amazing. The coffees are artisan. Staff was good but the policy meh. They are asking for more order after a while. Regardless of how much you’ve already spent. Doesn’t make sense and not very demure. Expect high prices as well.

I loved the atmosphere and the taste of the coffee. Especially staff Takumi and his female colleague were so friendly, I will visit again

Had a great experience here, the coffee was delicious and Shraddha provided excellent service.

Lovely people and lovely space, I try and stop by every time I'm in the area.

The coffee is consistently great and well prepared. The service is friendly, making it a great spot to chill and enjoy a book.

Great quick lunch, I love this spot to take a quick phone call or eat on my own in the middle of the day. Recommend the eggs! Shraddha was a super friendly server :-)

Brunch at WatchHouse Somerset was an absolute gem! The food was delicious, the ambiance cozy, but the real standout was Shraddha’s exceptional service. Her warmth, attention to detail, and genuine care made the experience feel truly special. Can’t wait to return for another perfect brunch!

We had an extremely unsatisfactory experience at Watchhouse Somerest. Upon entering, no one informed us of the 45-minute seating limit for customers only ordering drinks. The male staff member simply mentioned that only drinks were available, which we accepted, expecting to stay for a short while to have coffee and work. However, when we placed our order, the female staff member was visibly impatient, tapping on the tablet while we decided. This made us feel uncomfortable. After sitting for less than 45 minutes, we were repeatedly asked to leave without any explanation of the seating policy. Only after we expressed our dissatisfaction did another staff member mention the time limit, claiming that all customers were told upfront, which was clearly not the case with us. Even after voicing our concerns, no resolution was offered—neither an extension of our seating time nor any form of apology or compensation. The waitresses are rude and we felt disrespected. It was the worst experience I’ve had in London. Will never return to and recommend any Watchhouse after this experience.

Extremely disappointed experience. I went for brunch on Sunday and then pulled out my laptop for work. Later on, I decided to stay for a bit longer and ordered another cup of coffee. Five minutes after the coffee arrived, a waitress approached and asked me to clear the table because they have a queue. I completely understand, BUT SHOULDN’T SOMEONE TELL ME THAT I NEED TO LEAVE BEFOEE I ORDERED THE COFFEE???? I don’t know who would expect someone to finish a coffee within 5 minutes??? I kindly asked the waitress if I could finish my coffee first, she said she can give me another 15 minutes. After less than 10 minutes, she is back again demanding me to leave and said she can give me a takeaway cup, and I cannot stay here no matter what. Then I guess I just don’t understand the meaning of giving me 15 minutes table??? What’s the point of that. I really liked this place before but you really need to work on your staff training.

3 days in on our fortnight in London and we were beginning to despair that restaurants/ cafes were ever going to be able to cater for my celiac husband. Several places literally had nothing GF and didn't care or places would turn themselves inside out not to have us there, muttering that "it was on us" if he got sick. We were shocked that one of the biggest, most vibrant cities in the world was so behind on this. We have far more GF options for dining in our country town in Australia than we've seen here. So, after visiting the Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House, decided to give it a go, expecting pushback. The Assistant Manager Eva asked relevant questions, listened carefully and offered both menu suggestions as well as reassurance that he could be safely catered for. Our server Kristal was cheerful, courteous and efficient. Not only that but a couple of other servers stopped by to see if we needed anything. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. We were delighted and so surprised to be offered cake on the house before we left. Well done to all the team. Thanks so much for taking care of my husband today. Cheers, Bron and David from Down Under.

Excellent coffee, excellent food, and a nice place to work for a while or catch up with friends. The staff are exceptional; I was served by Shraddha on this visit, who was friendly and accommodating as always. Each one of my visits to this WatchHouse can be described as nothing short of magical. As Thomas Jefferson once remarked, "Coffee is the favourite drink of the civilized world". And WatchHouse at Somerset House is surely the peak of civilization.

coffee and food was really good. i came there to work and study on my laptop, and unfortunately i wasn’t able to stay for too long, it was crowded and loud, so even with the headphones on, i could barely focus. also during peak hours, you’re only able to stay there for 90 minutes. it is very pretty though, so i will definitely come back, but just for a brunch/coffee with friends!

Loved the place and the atmosphere, we had Diogo as our barista and he was really amazing and kind to us.

I'm sitting by the window watching the rain while waiting for the Courtauld Gallery to open. The rainy scenery outside the window is as good as coffee. It rained a lot on the way and it was uncomfortable, but I ended up sitting in a good seat because of the rain. Is this the so-called Lucky Vicky?

The coffee was so nice and Shraddha was super friendly :)

A nice cafe to relax and catch up on some work. The view by the windows are absolutely amazing. Thank you to Shaddha for quick service!

Shraddha was amazing! Highly recommend

Really nice atmosphere! Thanks to Shraddha who was really friendly :)

I went there last Saturday with my friend and had a great time, especially after finding a sunny spot in the outdoor area overlooking the Somerset House!

WatchHouse at Somerset is an outstanding coffee spot. They put a lot of care into their coffee, and it really shows—it's simply exceptional. While waiting for my pour over, I was pleasantly surprised with a complimentary batch brew, which was such a nice touch! The staff are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, making the experience even better. The food is delicious, and the Matcha cookie was an absolute standout. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and I honestly can’t recommend this place enough. It's a must-visit if you’re ever in London!

Flat Whites have something amazing! Firm, rich and delicious taste. One of the best coffees I have tasted in London. I will definitely return to them.. It has several branches

Scenic. Prefer this place any day over any other cafe.

Loved the coffee and the ambience, and the customer service was amazing

A large, spacious cafe with a beautiful view of the courtyard. Its coffee is nice and distinctive. The workers are helpful and provide table service. I tried the flat white and it was wonderful.. Their downside is that the sessions are uncomfortable. Update: After an hour and a half of sitting, they told me that I must leave the café and make the table available to other customers, as you must not stay in the café for more than 90 minutes according to a very strange policy!

My favorite breakfast spot in London. I literally go there every single day. Best coffee ever! And the atmosphere is amazing especially when it’s in an historical building. Love the staff there. Everyone’s so friendly and sweet. Shradelha is amazing.

Great food and service from Nadia, lovely setting in the Somerset House

Excellent ! Food, drink and service were all on point from Anastasia 🤙 Lovely place, I recommend

Nice place, awful service in the fact the staff won't clean the outside tables!!

Great customer service! Outstanding product quality

Lovely courtyard in the sun. Ok coffee and friendly service.

Good atmosphere, suitable for studying and coffee was good!

I was lucky to sit by the window, enjoying delicious bread and coffee while looking outside. The staff was friendly, and the space was beautiful.

Perfect little study space with plugs and great coffee! Lovely and quick service too

Food is ok, but coffee and service are really good

It was really nice! The place and the taste of food are perfect! Service is excellent too:)

Enjoyed brunch here, nice coffee! Also, Shraddha was really helpful!

Love the breakfast at this Watchhouse! The breakfast burrito and eggs Benedict are both great. My server this time, Shraddha, was also super sweet and attentive. There is also lots of room to sit and great coffee.

Very nice atmosphere, good food and service

Great food, very fast and friendly service! Alex was the best! The location is also really nice…will come back again!

Kind and welcoming staff with a wonderful atmosphere. Don't miss out on the delicious coffee and cookies..

The coffee and service here was really good! Would definitely be open to coming here again.

The best WatchHouse branch, beautiful interior, quiet and chilled ambience. The service was great, staffs were very friendly and fast. The food is alright but I would definitely go for coffee catch ups with friends or just some quiet reading time.

Lovely location with friendly attentive staff, Germaine was particularly very welcoming and she helped make the experience much better ☺️

Absolutely amazing place! Very good pastries and coffee

Nice coffee and place to sit down and have relaxing moment

Good coffee, fresh atmosphere and friendly team.

It’s nice to hang out while drinking coffee.

the place is very comfortable and cozy with very nice decorations ☺️ The coffee smells very good and super tasty 👌🏻👌🏻😋 the croissant was ok tho 🤔

Lovely cafe in Somerset House Very pleasant people serving and food was delicious. Eggs Royale with perfectly cooked eggs on a muffin with smoked salmon. Nice seating area and to top it off the toilet facilities are top class. Recommended.

Best espresso drinks in this end of London

Great variety of toast options, pastries and drinks. The views are lovely if you take a window table.

lovely place to have brunch! everything is so good and the view is amazing ☺️

Lovely atmosphere and def my fav watchouse branch. Shraddha has been lovely, great service. Excellent recommendations on pour over coffees, would highly recommend this spot for a chill day out

Iced black was great, and Shraddha was wonderful! Wanna visit again

Lovely cafe right inside Somerset House. Great coffee, great selection of pastries, can recommend their salmon, avocado and egg lunch option. I brought a group of friends, everyone was happy and appreciated the friendly team lead by manager Eva!

Lovely place, delicious food, welcoming and friendly environment and service. Thanks Shraddha for the magnificent service!

We had really nice time at Watchhouse. Especially, Shraddha served us good food with in very charming manner. Will visit again for sure.

All time favourite cafe! The coffee is amazing and shout out to Shraddha for the lovely service

Amazing, pure distilled coffee with a very wonderful berry taste. I ordered an egg sandwich with avocado. I had breakfast with it 3 times for two people, each time for 80 riyals.

Egg shell in the eggs Benedict Staff avoid you was a great place now turning into a tourist trap

Everything about this Watchhouse location is fantastic, except for one recurring issue with the loyalty program due to a specific employee. I’ve experienced problems twice: 1. She registered only 1 coffee instead of 3, simply because she forgot. 2. She never asks or reminds customers about the loyalty program. Other than that, the service and atmosphere are excellent