Caffè Nero

You're rushing between the station and the office, or killing time before your train, and you need actual coffee. This Caffè Nero gets that. It's tucked into Bridge Station itself, so the footfall is relentless, but the staff actually seem to care about pulling decent shots rather than just churning through the queue. The space is clean and functional—no faffing about with Instagram backdrops—which somehow makes it feel more honest than the chain's typical positioning. Grab an Americano (£2.75 or so) or a flat white if you want something richer, and a pastry that hasn't been sitting under heat lamps since yesterday. It's the sort of place you'll find yourself returning to simply because it does the job well and doesn't waste your time.