The UK’s leading guides revealing where to find the best speciality coffee shops and cafes across the UK.
The Indy Coffee Guides are one of our most exciting projects. We launched the brand in 2014, with the aim of creating funky little guid books that reveal the very best independent coffee shops, cafes and roasteries in the South West. It came from our passion for speciality coffee (read all about that here), and started with a guide for the South West, which was followed in 2015 by a guide for the north of England. The series took off and we now also publish guides for Scotland, Ireland, Wales and London, plus the Indy Coffee Guide London app.
Salt writes, designs, produces and promotes the guidebooks, with new editions for each region launched every couple of years. We’re the only publisher of coffee guides for the whole of the UK and have created over 25 editions of Indy Coffee Guide in total, to much critical acclaim. They’re loved for their authentic, independent voice and maverick style.
As part of the community, we are also involved in lobbying for better government support for the coffee and hospitality industry. Read more about the SOS campaign.
Cherry-picked inclusions
The cherry-picked selection of cafes and roasteries included in each guide is subject to strict criteria: they must serve (or roast) speciality-grade coffee, be independently owned and offer multiple brew methods or guest roasts.
Digital brew-up
In 2024 we reimagined the brand logo, which informed the latest version of the brand’s website – which includes features, and a web shop selling the books and merch. We also create branded in-store materials for member businesses, including coffee-machine magnets, window stickers and barista badges.
‘Webstore selling the books, merch and brand art’
Events and festivals
Each guide is launched with a party at one of the largest and coolest cafes or roasteries in that region. These parties always involve a latte-art throwdown (where pro baristas go head-to-head to see who can craft the best rosettas or hearts), food and drink from sponsors and a lot of fun as we bring the community together.
When not on caffeine-filled tours sniffing out new coffee destinations, the coffee team is to be found at major coffee events and festivals across the country, where we’re proud to be a part of the UK’s thriving speciality coffee scene.
Take a sip
Coffee lovers can sign up to receive the guides’ regular e-newsletter, follow Indy Coffee Guide on Instagram and buy guides and merch from the webstore.
The guides are also available to purchase from the venues featured in the guides, on Amazon and Not On The High Street and at bookshops such as Waterstones.
