About Climpson & Sons
Climpson & Sons is a specialty coffee roaster founded by Ian Burgess in East London, United Kingdom, growing from a market coffee cart into a roastery and café operation over nearly two decades. The company is widely regarded as one of the key players in establishing London's specialty coffee scene, with a focus on traceability, sourcing, and craft.



About
Climpson & Sons is a specialty coffee roaster based in East London, founded by Ian Burgess roughly two decades ago. The company began as a market coffee cart before finding its first permanent home in a former butcher's shop — a pragmatic origin story that mirrors the scrappy, neighborhood-rooted identity the brand has maintained throughout its growth.
According to subscription platform Beanz, Climpson & Sons is widely regarded as one of the key players in establishing London's specialty coffee scene. That reputation was built over nearly twenty years of operation, during which the company grew from a single market stall into a roastery and café operation with a recognized wholesale and direct-to-consumer presence. The timing of that founding placed Burgess and the team at the leading edge of what became a generational shift in how Londoners think about coffee.
Climpson & Sons focuses on sourcing, roasting, and brewing high-quality coffee, with an emphasis on traceability and craft. Their natural-process offerings show the kind of expressive fruit character — cherry and strawberry notes prominent on opening the bag — associated with careful selection at origin rather than roast intervention. TasteAtlas lists the company among notable gourmet coffee brands, consistent with its long-standing standing in specialty trade circles.
In the Press
Third-party coverage of Climpson & Sons.
Coffee & Beans Review
Climpson & Sons draws attention from across the specialty press. Beanz, a UK-based subscription platform focused on independent roasters, highlights the company's foundational role in the London scene: 'established close to 20 years ago, they're widely regarded as key players in establishing the speciality coffee scene in London, and beyond.' TasteAtlas also recognizes them among standout gourmet roasters, noting their specialization in sourcing, roasting, and brewing high-quality coffee. A bag-level review from Best Coffee Guide praised one of their naturals directly: 'This is a very fine natural coffee. On opening the bag I am hit with cherry and especially strawberry.'
For those looking to buy, Climpson & Sons offers coffee online through their own site at climpsonandsons.com, and their beans are available through third-party specialty subscription services including Beanz. Their East London café — housed in the repurposed butcher's shop that became their original base — is the clearest way to encounter what the roaster does at the cup level.
Coffee at a Glance
- Roaster status
- PR Enriched
- Best buying path
- In store
- Specialty transparency
- Limited
PremiumRoast.Coffee
Discover your next great cup.
Join our community of specialty coffee lovers — roastery guides, hidden café finds, and city coffee maps delivered to your inbox.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.