London has a lot going on. For the millions of tourists and locals alike, there’s always a reason to keep busy.  But sometimes, and there are those times, one just wants to sit down, grab a smoke, connect with family and friends, and most importantly have an espresso. 

Coffee shops are a dime a dozen in the metropolis especially since Starbucks came on the scene 30 years ago, but there’s still a place, a small ma and pa joint in the heart of the old Italian quarter of Clerkenwell that does an espresso, Americano, and cappuccino better than the rest. And in a clearly defined way, they establish themselves as the only place to get your caffeine on. 

That place is called The Lucky Cafe. And though they serve sandwiches, pastries, cookies, etc the true piece de resistance is La Bella Machina, their espresso machine. You know the machine is good because it has the gold eagle on top, a signifier for a fusion of craftsmanship and passion for product. 

The espressos themselves are all made with a surgeon’s perfection. Because there’s nothing automated about La Bella Machina, the skill and time it takes the family to make something beautiful out of the coffee grounds is truly an art. From the science of the water flow and pressure to the boiler’s temperature. 

The end result is probably what one can only imagine was inside the Holy Grail. Something rich, dark, dreamy, well balanced, and purely, Goldilocks, just right. 

Though life is not all sunshine, rainbows, and lollipops especially when running any kind of small business, when it comes to The Lucky Cafe and their beautiful machine, there’s always helluva lotta love, especially in their espresso.