Cleaners & Coffee x London Coffee Festival 2025

hshah93
Jun 14
2 min read

Every year, the Cleaners & Coffee team kicks it at the London Coffee Festival, and this may have just been our best one yet.

The festivities were meant to kick off on Friday evening, as Malaika and I trekked down to Shoreditch for the annual Dusk til Dawn Challenge - BARISTAS VS. BARTENDERS!

Two pizzas in pink boxes with an orange soda next to them

We kicked the evening off with some pizzas and hot gossip, ready to watch a brutal bartender takedown by team barista, but it was right then that we realized why it's called the Dusk til Dawn challenge, and as we're both strictly on the barista schedule, we called it a night there. Perhaps a bit anti-climactic, but it gave us a chance to scout the festival out before Cleaners & Coffee's BIGGEST DAY OF THE YEAR.

Finally, Sunday morning arrived, and Has began his chauffeur duties for the day at my flat at 07:45. After a few stops, our carpool was complete and we made it to the Truman Brewery in Shoreditch for literally, my favorite event of the whole year.

09:34 - 4 minutes into festival

At long last the day has come!!! We had to grab a few pics of the matching tote bags—everyone knows the Cleaners & Coffee merch is high-quality, bougie attire.

10:15 - 45 min into festival

History is made. Cleaners & Coffee takes the stage for the first time ever at LCF. Has produced a valiant effort against the resident latte art expert, pouring a beautiful four stack rosetta into an egg cup! Needless to say he had four very rowdy supporters in the crowd.

11:15 - 1 hr 45min into festival

The first casualties of the day, as the baristas took a much needed rest in what we dubbed "the chill zone". Maya fell asleep. We are so brave.

Photo taken by one woman of three others sitting on black couches with purple carpet

11:35 - 2hr 5min into festival

Has needed a break too, and we all felt our first break should have been longer anyways. Maya fell asleep again, this time joined by me. They had really comfortable couches in there...

Two women and one man sitting on black couches ina room with a purple rug

12:00 - 2.5 hrs into festival

And they rally!!! We spent the rest of the afternoon sampling filter coffee with "fruit skittles" notes, trying (and failing) to win prizes in some of the games they had, and learning about the history of the moka pot. At this point, we were all so caffeinated we swore we could smell it, hot in the air (That may have been due to the roasting booths a few meters away).

13:30- 4 hours into festival

By the time we left, we had each filled our totes with freebies, samples, and all the up to date coffee literature. And of course needed another photo to commemorate the loot. I posed with mine like it was a big fish. Miyoung was ready for battle.

Four women with the same tote bags at the end of the festival showing off their free goodies

14:15 - 45 min after festival

By now, the baristas had arrived at Chez Shah for a belated birthday celebration for Kaz. We gorged ourselves on Turkish food, laughed at Malik holding a tiny purse, and shared in plenty of cake.