The Attendant

Great coffee, nice place, outdoor seating, works for me!
There are so many good coffee places around Shoreditch that it’s hard to know where to start, but this place is another worthy addition. My wife specifically requested a trip here after passing by a number of times, so we went and sat at an outside table on a recent nice weekend. The view isn’t the greatest, with the traffic on Great Eastern making it less-​than-​serene, but it was nice to have the fresh air, and service wasn’t an issue as it is sometimes when you sit outdoors.
The iced coffee was excellent, strong flavor, good ice/​coffee balance, good milk.
As an aside, you’d be surprised how easy it is to ruin good iced coffee with bad milk. 0%? Get outta my face with that crap.
The indoor space looked really nice too — high ceilings, skylights, good variety of seating. And the staff were all friendly and helpful, no attitude that I could detect.
We’ll definitely be back.

The best breakfast I have ever had. Great coffee and atmosphere, lots of room. Great place to have a meal. Highly recommended.

Love love love!!! Best brunch/​hangover cure. Coffee is delish. Brunch with all extras is amazing! Sit inside or outside in the sun good vibes on the music too! Staff are a delight. Highly recommended *****

A couple months ago, I had a flat white at The Attendant in Fitzrovia and it had the best latte art I’d ever seen. I was therefore super excited when I discovered this location near my new place. Unfortunately, I got no latte art on my flat white this time — it was just a blob; it didn’t taste as bad as it looked, but it wasn’t great. The peanut butter chocolate chip cookie was absolutely divine, however, so that may be enough reason to give them another chance…

Had a business lunch here — really enjoyed the coffee and amazing beetroot & walnut salad. Yum! The sandwiches looked a bit tired, but that’s perhaps because I came up for lunch after 2pm.
The atmosphere is not too hipster, yet rustic. Definitely recommend to check out.

This used to be a place called Dirty Coffee, which was just a not very good coffee shop in a great location. Fortunately the location has a new owner who’s renovated the place, started serving great coffee, and brought in a chef to create all their food.

This Attendant has sort of become my go to coffee shop when I want to enjoy a walk. While there are a plethora of other coffee shops around the area, this café is really just big and bright enough to be a perfect setting to work in. There is a combination of large communal tables, small tables by the bench, and high tops near the window (fyi: where the outlets are located).
The coffee here has always been solid. The service, however, is a hit or a miss. They usually have quite a few people working but they all seem super relaxed and never in a rush to get you your food & drinks. I dont particularly mind but I can see how some others may be a bit annoyed. As the other location, the smashed avocado on toast is delicious! Ive had the french toast during weekend brunch and I would recommend that as well. The soups and baked goods Ive tried thus far were just okay though.

At least the wifi is good.
Service is terrible and it’s expensive.
On bank holiday Monday I ordered a flat white — pricey at £2.80 — and the barista asks «where are you sitting?»
So I pick a spot at the big table right in front of the counter and waited. And waited.
Fifteen minutes later… a small but good flat white wobbled over brought by a gormless server.
There were only 15 people in the place.
Summary: Avoid, until they get their act together.

As Colleen C. said — the previous iteration of this café, Dirty Coffee, was a bit forgettable.
But this new version? Wonderful!
The décor is fabulous (a lot more hip than Dirty Coffee was), the staff are really lovely, the food selection is A+ and most importantly, the coffee is on point.
Plus, they’ve got gluten/​dairy free options AND almond milk. A+, guys.

Oh my WHAT is THIS?!
I was pretty stoked when Dirty Coffee showed up at this previously vacant address. It was around about a year, and it was fine. It wasn’t my first choice for a coffee in the area, but it’s also stiff competition in Shoreditch. Each time I visited it would morph a bit further. First a kitchen. Then a more embellished coffee car. Better menu… hmmm. Things are moving. Then I forgot about it.
I went out of town for 2 weeks and BAM I came back and The Attendant is here. A fully grown, gorgeous café with stellar coffee, wonderful treats and a kickin’ breakfast/​brunch menu. I’m in heaven. Right down the street! All those months of Dirty Coffee evolution resulted in The Attendant, and I for one, am a huge fan. I have no idea if this was the plan all along, but hey — I’ll take it!
I was in on a Sunday afternoon for a few hours — I brought a magazine and enjoyed some child-​free time drinking flat whites, eating some corn fritters (with bacon), and was later joined by my husband who convinced me the iced drinks needed a go (so we had a mocha and a latte, iced) + some salted caramel brownies, just the small ones. They have a nice menu, and also selections of sandwiches and salads at the counter. It’s all reasonably priced and the vibe is casual.
The service (counter) was friendly and affable, everyone bustling about efficiently to satisfy the already bubbling crowd. Based on their popularity in Fitzrovia and my first experience, I really hope this outpost is here to stay. I’ll be a loyal fan!
*counter service
*cards accepted

This has just opened and is their second café. It’s just down the road from my office, so of course I have popped in to test out the coffee and cake.
The coffee is delicious, the flat white is just the right size and is perfectly smooth. It’s nice to see the coffee being freshly ground too.
I also treated myself to a salted caramel brownie, which at £3.30 was pretty expensive, so will definitely be a treat rather than a normal order. It was very nice, not too rich and a good dose of caramel.
I will definitely be back again soon! :)