London Coffee Culture Changed the Way I Drink Coffee

I moved to London at 19 for school, and like every college kid in the 90s, I was using coffee purely to stay awake in class.
Before I lived in London, coffee was delicious but it was really to get me through long days, boring lectures, and work after school.

Living in London, I noticed pretty quickly that coffee there felt slower and more intentional than what I was used to in the United States. People actually sat down with it and with each other. I learned about a “proper coffee” (you must say this in your best and most posh British accent!) which is when you catch up with people. Cafés felt less like pit stops and more like part of daily life. There was less rushing and more savoring.

Coffee became tied to conversation and people-watching.

It also changed the way I think about routine. Americans are often taught to move faster, multitask harder, and treat rest like laziness. London reminded me that slowing down for twenty minutes is not wasted time. Sometimes it is the reset that helps you think clearly again.

Now, when I make coffee, I try to create a moment instead of just checking a box. Sometimes it is a beautiful mug. (You can catch me at HomeGoods or Marshall’s trying REALLY hard to not buy every pretty mug I see.  LOL.) Sometimes my moment is adding spices like cardamom, cinnamon, saffron or anything else that strikes my fancy. Sometimes it is simply sitting down long enough to actually taste what I made instead of carrying it from task to task.

That philosophy is a huge part of why I created Wanderlust Coffee Co. I wanted coffee to feel like an experience. Something that transports you a little, even if you are sitting in your kitchen or sipping your coffee at your desk.

If you want to explore coffees inspired by that feeling of travel and slowing down, start with the Passport Pack. And if you want recipes and coffee ideas that go beyond basic cream and sugar, join my email list.