Danish coffee shop & bakery · Kensington, London

HJEM

— it means home, in Danish.

Two small cafés on two quiet Kensington corners. Cardamom buns from Marianne's own recipe, coffee by Climpson & Sons, and a walled garden most people walk straight past.

Order for pickup See the menu
Trays of freshly baked cardamom buns at HJEM
This morning's cardamom buns
From the bakery

Worth setting an alarm for

A cardamom bun served on a wooden board in the HJEM courtyard

  1. Cardamom bun kardemommebolle

    Marianne's own recipe: soft crumb, cardamom sugar through every layer, a crunch on top. The thing our Google reviews mention most.

  2. Cinnamon bun kanelsnegl

    Warm spice, the same soft dough. The second thing the reviews mention most.

  3. Smørrebrød open rye sandwiches

    Open sandwiches on Danish rye. Toppings change with the season.

  4. Dream cake drømmekage

    Vanilla sponge with a caramelised coconut top, the cake most Danes grow up eating.

The buns usually sell out by late morning, especially at weekends. If you're set on one, come early or order ahead.

Order online

Order ahead, collect at the counter

Everything is baked in the morning, so ordering ahead is the safest way to get the buns.

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A HJEM takeaway cup held up in front of the dark green Launceston Place shopfront
Our story · est. January 2018

A corner of Denmark, three streets from Hyde Park

Marianne Brammer opened HJEM in January 2018, on a corner of Launceston Place otherwise occupied by white townhouses, a florist and a gallery. Danish-born, she put the café together the way you'd put together a home: furniture and ceramics brought over from Denmark, candles in the window, flowers on the sills.

The kitchen makes nearly everything itself — down to the almond milk, which the menu calls HJEMmade. Ingredients are organic and locally sourced where possible. The recipes, especially the cardamom bun, are Marianne's own.

2018Opened on Launceston Pl
2Kensington corners
4.3★765 Google reviews
The small walled garden behind HJEM — brick walls, bistro tables and a patio heater
The garden

There's a garden out back. Most people never find it.

Behind the café there's a small walled garden — London brick, climbing jasmine, a few tables and a patio heater for colder days.

"tiny and kind of secret" — The Infatuation, on our garden
Word of mouth

4.3★ on Google, across 765 reviews

★★★★★

"Very cute atmosphere, yummy hot chocolate and friendly staff."

Google review

★★★★★

"Lovely cafe to relax at which is hidden in a peaceful spot."

Chris H · Google

★★★★☆

"Got the coconut & date cake with a flat-white, both were tasty. Atmosphere is perfect for a quiet cafe day."

Aliyah D · Google

The shop shelf

Take HJEM home

The shelf by the counter stocks things we make here, alongside a few Danish favourites.

  • HJEM granolaHJEMmade
  • Teff & polenta pancake mixHJEMmade · gluten- and sugar-free
  • Lakrids by Bülow liquoricefrom Copenhagen
  • Coffee beansClimpson & Sons · Kiss the Hippo
  • HJEM KeepCupreusable cup
The HJEM pantry shelf — granola, pancake mix, liquorice and coffee beans
Good to know

Questions, answered

Are dogs welcome?

Yes — both cafés are dog-friendly.

When do the pastries sell out?

Often by late morning, cardamom buns first, especially at weekends. Everything is baked that morning, so come early if you're set on something.

Do you have dairy-free milk?

Oat (Oatly), organic coconut (Rude Health), and our own HJEMmade almond milk.

Do you deliver?

We're set up for pickup — order online and collect at the counter.

Is there outdoor seating?

A bench out front, and a small walled garden behind the Launceston Place café.

Find us

Two corners of Kensington

Kensington

3 Launceston Place, London W8 5RJ
Mon – Fri7:30 – 17:00
Sat – Sun8:30 – 17:00
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South Kensington

157 Gloucester Road, London SW7 4TH
Mon – Fri7:30 – 17:00
Sat – Sun8:30 – 17:00
Visit this café
HJEM Order for pickup