- Scarborough ranks first with 193.26 per 100,000 residents, making it the UK’s coffee capital.
- Historic cities dominate the rankings with Bath (159.44) and York (156.39) securing second and third positions.
- London ranks surprisingly low at 149th place with just 8.46 cafés per 100,000 residents despite having the most cafés overall.
A new study reveals that Scarborough is the best UK city for coffee lovers, with the highest concentration of cafés per capita in the country.
The study, conducted by Pens.com, analysed Tripadvisor data from the 150 most populated UK cities to reveal the best locations for coffee lovers. Rankings were based on the number of cafés per 100,000 residents, while café quality in each city was assessed using a weighted score combining ratings and review counts.
Top 10 UK cities for coffee lovers
| Rank | City | Population | Cafés Found | Average Rating | Cafés per 100k residents | Top Café | Café Score |
| 1 | Scarborough | 59,505 | 115 | 4.07 | 193.26 | Crema E Cioccolato | 4.986 |
| 2 | Bath | 94,080 | 150 | 4.14 | 159.44 | Roasted Lemon Cafe | 4.907 |
| 3 | York | 154,105 | 241 | 4.01 | 156.39 | Cocoa Joe’s | 4.975 |
| 4 | Chester | 92,760 | 128 | 3.59 | 137.99 | Fork and Flavour | 4.879 |
| 5 | Brighton | 199,291 | 263 | 3.99 | 131.97 | Hoogly Tea Lodge | 4.920 |
| 6 | Bury | 81,095 | 99 | 2.95 | 122.08 | Wax And Beans | 4.791 |
| 7 | Oxford | 116,199 | 134 | 3.77 | 115.32 | BBuona Pinsa Bar | 4.896 |
| 8 | Harrogate | 75,515 | 87 | 4.13 | 115.21 | Cafe Mamma Amelia | 4.842 |
| 9 | Edinburgh | 514,990 | 577 | 4.06 | 112.04 | Lynne’s Scrumptious Snax | 4.989 |
| 10 | Shrewsbury | 76,015 | 84 | 4.09 | 110.50 | Kanu Poké | 4.990 |
Scarborough leads the rankings with 193.26 cafés per 100,000 residents, despite having a modest population of 59,505. Scarborough hosts 115 cafés with an average rating of 4.07 out of 5, creating an impressive coffee landscape for locals and visitors alike. Crema E Cioccolato is crowned the best café of the city with a score of 4.986 which comes from 206 reviews, all from a perfect 5 stars rating. The café also ranks 10th best café nationally.
Bath and York, both historic cities popular with tourists, secured second and third positions with 159.44 and 156.39 cafés per 100,000 residents respectively. Bath’s 150 cafés achieved an impressive average rating of 4.14, the highest among the top 10 cities.
Chester claimed fourth place with 137.99 cafés per 100,000 residents, while Brighton rounded out the top five with 131.97.
Bottom 5 UK cities for coffee lovers
| Rank | City | Population | Cafés Found | Average Rating | Cafés per 100k residents | Top Café | Café Score |
| 1 | Smethwick | 56,340 | 4 | 4.63 | 7.10 | Oak Ca Phe | 4.849 |
| 2 | London | 8,866,180 | 750 | 4.44 | 8.46 | Devine Restaurant Coffee Bar | 4.998 |
| 3 | West Bromwich | 103,110 | 10 | 3.30 | 9.70 | Aneta’s Kitchen | 4.748 |
| 4 | Luton | 233,525 | 33 | 3.13 | 14.13 | Avalon Cafe | 4.449 |
| 5 | Slough | 166,855 | 25 | 3.26 | 14.98 | Gaudio’s Sandwich Bar | 4.742 |
On the other side of the list, London ranked near the bottom at 149th place, with just 8.46 cafés per 100,000 residents. The capital still hosts 750 cafés in total, the highest absolute number in the study, and boasts the highest average rating at 4.44.
Other major cities also performed poorly in terms of café density. Birmingham placed 134th with 26.75 cafés per 100,000 residents, Manchester ranked 71st with 52.92, and Glasgow came in at 41st with 67.92.
A spokesperson from Pens.com commented on the findings,
“The research shows that smaller cities and towns often provide coffee lovers with a richer café experience in terms of accessibility.
While big cities like London have more cafés in total, the concentration in places like Scarborough means residents are never far from their next coffee fix. This creates a vibrant café culture that enhances the community feel of these smaller locations.”