Eighteen Pence Lane

In Docklands’ south side, Eighteen Pence Lane is a café built around specialty coffee, breakfast and a broader Asian-influenced menu. Its beans are sourced from around the world, with baristas preparing espresso drinks alongside pour-over, batch brew and rotating single-origin options. Coffee drinkers can also buy beans to take home, including house blends, decaf and single-origin releases.

The food offering moves well beyond a quick pastry. Breakfast ranges from simple toast, fruit toast and croissants to French toast, pancakes, waffles, eggs Benedict and smashed avocado with Meredith’s cheese. There are also more distinctive choices such as chilli scrambled eggs with Persian feta, pork scrambled eggs with rice, and an Asian breakfast combining fried eggs with pork mince and sausages. For lunch, the kitchen covers salads, sandwiches, burgers, fried rice, rice paper rolls, stir-fries and curries, with vegetarian and vegan options listed in the menu.

A few dishes give the café its particular character. The 18PL Special Fried Rice, chicken pad see ew, Thai chicken and cashew stir-fry, and Thai chicken green curry sit alongside familiar café fare. The lunch menu includes grilled chicken and rare beef salads, while the sandwich selection includes focaccia, porchetta, pastrami, roast beef and a Cuban sandwich. Fresh juices, smoothies, sweets and a range of alternative milks round out the drinks and daytime options.

The venue describes itself as a cosy, welcoming community hub rather than only a coffee shop, and its emphasis is on bold flavours and cultural connections. It also says it aims to hire locally and use local producers where possible. With dine-in, pickup, delivery and table bookings available, it suits a solo coffee stop, a relaxed breakfast, or a casual meal with family and friends. Its Google rating is 4.7 from 136 reviews, offering an additional indication of its standing with Docklands diners.