Let’s be honest — student life isn’t just textbooks and deadlines. It’s also overpriced lattes, post-seminar pints, and pretending you’re “reading” at a café when you're really scrolling memes. Lucky for you, BPP’s central London location means you're spoilt for choice when it comes to vibey cafes, bars, and hangouts that help you survive the term (barely).
Here’s where to go when you need a caffeine fix, a catch-up drink, or a serious study break:
Cafes to Pretend You’re Studying In
The Attendant
Hidden in a converted Victorian toilet (no joke), this place somehow turns underground urinals into industrial-chic brunch goals. Great coffee, even better atmosphere, and a solid place to look intellectual while sipping an oat flat white.
Kaffeine
A short walk from Oxford Circus, this indie spot hits hard with specialty coffee and sleek interiors. Ideal for both laptop warriors and those just here for the pastries.
Lantana Cafe
A firm favourite among London students, this Aussie-inspired café is basically Instagram in real life. Sourdough everything, plant vibes, and flat whites so good you’ll forget about your 9 AM seminar.
Store Street Espresso
Slightly tucked away but well worth the hunt. Big tables, strong coffee, and lowkey one of the best study spots around. Bonus: It's not overrun by influencers.
Monmouth Coffee Company
For the purists. No Wi-Fi, no nonsense — just ridiculously good coffee and the chance to romanticise your academic burnout with every sip.
Timberyard
Literally made for co-working students. Outlets everywhere, vibey lighting, and snacks that make you feel semi-healthy. Ideal for those “I’m gonna finish this essay today” lies.
Half Cup
Bright interiors and hefty brunch plates to distract you from your growing to-do list. Go for the pancakes, stay because your brain refuses to go back to studying.
Bars to Unwind or Overshare After Exams
The Cock Tavern
A classic London pub vibe, minus the tourist chaos. Grab a pint, pull up a chair, and prepare to overhear the most chaotic flatmate stories from other students doing the exact same thing.
The Social
Tucked away just off Oxford Street, this underground bar-slash-gig-venue is pure indie gold. Come for the live music, stay because someone always forgets the last Tube.
Bar Termini
Yes, it’s tiny. Yes, it’s bougie. But if you’re feeling fancy (or just pretending to have your life together), the cocktails here are chef’s kiss.
The Albany
Decent prices for central London, plus big enough to fit you and your last-minute seminar group. Whether it's a casual drink or full-blown pint therapy, it delivers.
Ain’t Nothin’ But...
A legendary blues bar with nightly live music that’ll have you dancing your deadlines away. It’s like a time machine — you’ll go in for one drink and come out five hours later like, “What year is it?”
Nordic Bar
Ping pong tables, Scandi beer, and happy hour that actually makes you happy. It’s weird, wild, and weirdly perfect for post-exam blowouts.
Hangouts for When You Need to Escape the Group Chat
Soho Square Gardens
Right in the middle of the chaos but somehow peaceful enough for lunch breaks or existential spirals. You’ll always find a fellow student eating Tesco meal deals here — it’s basically a rite of passage.
The British Museum
Free, fancy, and full of weird stuff to distract you from your coursework. Go for the Greek sculptures, stay for the ancient Egyptian chaos.
Regent’s Park
A proper green escape when London starts to feel like a concrete trap. Great for walks, picnics, or lying dramatically on the grass because life is a lot.
Chinatown
Whether you’re grabbing bubble tea, dumplings, or just vibing under the lanterns, Chinatown’s always buzzing and full of energy that’s slightly more chaotic than your own.
Southbank Skate Park
Even if you don’t skate, watching people fall spectacularly while sipping a matcha is a spiritual experience. Street art, riverside views, and peak London energy.
Waterstones Piccadilly
A bookshop hangout that lets you pretend you're intellectual and cultured, even if you're just there for the snacks in the café upstairs.
Leicester Square
A bit touristy, sure — but when you need a cinema night, cheap eats, or a random busker to lighten the mood, this place never disappoints.
TL;DR: Being a BPP student means you're in the heart of one of the world’s most chaotic, vibrant, and expensive cities — so you better make the most of it. Whether it’s that café where you pretend to study, the bar where you overshare, or the park where you rethink your degree, you’ve got options.
Need student housing that’s as vibey as your social life? House of Students has your back — minus the leaky taps and dodgy landlords. You focus on the fun; we’ll sort the rest.