IN GOOD COMPANY: Sevente
There’s a coffee shop in London where strangers keep becoming friends.
Walk down Hackney Road and you’ll be blessed with a perfect hodgepodge of all the great things London has on offer. The stretch between Shoreditch Church and Cambridge Heath Road is home to countless hip bars, exquisite restaurants and, of course, the wondrous Hackney City Farm. Tucked almost slap-bang in the middle is Sevente. Equal parts coffee shop, cocktail bar and general hangout, it is a deliberate attempt to design a place where social life is treated with the same care as a well-pulled espresso or a properly balanced drink (of which there are many on the menu).
We spoke to Emilio, co-founder of Sevente, as part of In Good Company, our series showcasing the wonderful venues that host reading copies of The Lonely Hearts Club.
“We wanted everything to feel equally intentional”
Sevente was founded by Emilio and his childhood friend Chris, a New Yorker. With a background in property design, Emilio began by opening a number of coffee shops outside London, which ultimately led to Sevente.
“We wanted to create a space where coming for coffee, a cocktail, or a community event all felt equally intentional,” Emilio explains. “A 10/10 flat white, a 10/10 spicy margarita, and events that genuinely benefit the local community.”
The clearest expression of Sevente’s ethos is not in the menu or the design, but in what happens between people who did not arrive together.
“I was chatting to a group at the bar during a recent event,” Emilio recalls, “asking them how they all knew each other. It turned out every single one of them had met at various events, all at Sevente.”
“It started with two of them meeting at an art and crafts event,” he says, “then they attended another event together, met someone new and eventually formed this little gang.”
The weekly rhythm: Mario Kart, running clubs, and everything in between
Sevente hosts five to seven events a week, from private birthday celebrations to community-led gatherings such as their ever-popular Uno nights, where guests come simply to play a round of the card game.
“We seem to be the 30th birthday specialists,” Emilio admits. “But what we are probably best known for is community-focused events.”
The programming is deliberately unpretentious: Mario Kart nights, arts and crafts sessions, singles mixers, friend-matching events, running clubs. Each is hosted by a different member of the local community, keeping the space open rather than overly curated.
“I’d say after events, coffee is probably what is talked about the most. It’s what we started with and still probably the area where we are most specialised.”
The signature order: The Barbie Girl
Sevente’s day menu goes beyond coffeehouse staples, with staff favourites including the Ethiopian V60, a honey and cinnamon latte, and a lavender and vanilla shaken iced latte. In the evening, the menu caters as much to wine enthusiasts as to nightcap aficionados. Still, their signature drink is one found only at Sevente: The Barbie Girl.
Fresh-pressed pomegranate, apple, lime and mint juice from Rawlala is shaken over ice with vodka.
“It’s probably because we’re the only ones in London doing it,” Emilio explains when asked about the drink’s popularity.
“It goes down a little too easily,” he adds, “plus it’s like two of your five a day.”
Where to find The Lonely Hearts Club at Sevente
Sevente is one of over 50 venues across the UK that host reading copies of The Lonely Hearts Club for their guests to enjoy during their visit.
“Because our customers are curious, the LHC tends to make its way around the bar,” Emilio says. “When it arrives, I always place it on the central glass table surrounded by the Togo sofas.” “Perfect for sitting low, sipping coffee, and perusing the classifieds,” he adds.
Sevente, 283 Hackney Rd, London E2 8NA, United Kingdom
Website: sevente.co.uk
Instagram: instagram.com/seventelondon
The Lonely Hearts Club is the world’s first newspaper dedicated to personal ads, culture and mischief.
Reading copies are housed in a curated selection of independent spaces across the UK and beyond. If you come across a copy, you’ll know you’re exactly where you should be: In Good Company.