Butter Beans

butter beans takes tea as seriously as coffee, and that alone sets it apart. you won't find many specialty spots in london where the tea list gets equal billing, but this one on kew road does it without apology. richmond is quiet enough that a place like this can afford to slow down, and butter beans leans into that. the vegan and vegetarian options mean nobody's stuck nursing a black coffee while everyone else eats. solo visitors are well accounted for, which matters more than most cafes admit. the regulars here are loyal in the way that only comes from a shop consistently doing the right things, quietly, without needing to announce it. on a weekday morning, kew road is unhurried, and that's exactly when a cup here makes the most sense.