London’s coffee and café scene has been going through a revolution, but it’s already evolving beyond mastering the craft and latte art. As I learned from Lee Armitage, the founder of Saucer & Cup café in Wimbledon Park, South West London, it’s now about delivering excellence across the board – i.e. sourcing quality and combining that with superiority of service and style. And Saucer & Cup certainly lives up to that statement: it’s minimalist, fresh, and non-corporate. Lee’s a Londoner, but his family routes are Montenegro, where, “Coffee is culture,” as he put it. I met Lee on a busy Saturday afternoon in late February when the shop was in full swing serving takeaways. In this episode, I learned about Lee’s story of setting up and running a coffee shop in London. Saucer & Cup stayed open throughout the lockdowns and didn’t furlough its staff. Amongst other things, we talked about Lee discovering the premises; the London coffee scene; Wimbledon customers; Lee’s heritage and being a Londoner; persevering through the lockdowns; sourcing coffee; and favourite areas of London, including Soho. Join us over a cup of the black stuff and feel Lee’s passion for life. “It’s the magic behind the scenes that I think makes the real difference.” “They [the customers] don’t mind spending money on things that bring them joy.” “Being able to call something like London, that’s so diverse home… it’s shaped the person who I am.” “If you can stay mentally strong and resilient, good things will come.” Saucer & Cup’s details are: 159 Arthur Road, Wimbledon Park, London SW19. Nearest tube: Wimbledon Park (District Line) Website - https://www.saucerandcup.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/saucerandcup/ Some of the suppliers mentioned: Workshop Coffee - https://workshopcoffee.com/ Hedonne Bakery - https://www.instagram.com/hedonebakery/?hl=en ABOUT MARRIOTT'S SIDE TRIPS An overview and further information on Stephen Marriott can be found at the show's website: https://www.marriottssidetrips.com/ A quick way to find the latest episodes: https://www.marriottssidetrips.com/podcast Marriott shares images and videos from his travels, but rarely sunset shots, at Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephenrmarriott/ Sign up for the newsletter and grab a Free checklist, Essential Checklist for the Modern Day Traveller here: http://eepurl.com/hxsQf1 If you have any questions or comments, Marriott always loves to hear from his listeners. You can reach him at: [email protected] Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts The show’s theme music is by Hanna and Julius, thank you! Thanks to Lee and Saucer & Cup for the coffee and for hosting the podcast on 27.02.2021