Last Updated on 6 December 2025 by Vanessa

Are you wondering whether Whiskers & Cream in London is worth your time?

With new London cat cafés opening, the choice can feel overwhelming. So why choose Whiskers & Cream in Archway over the others?

I dropped by during my trip to London last month, and here’s the honest rundown.

📍 Find all the London cat cafés and those in the rest of the UK here.

Visiting Whiskers & Cream cat café in London 🐱☕️

Why visit Whiskers & Cream?

Whiskers & Cream opened in November 2018, founded by Kay Allen, a former NHS nurse and service manager. She wanted a calm, high-quality space where people could enjoy coffee, treats, and cats—but without the chaos of a typical tourist spot.

So why might you want to visit this cat café instead of the others? Let’s find out.

The cats

Whiskers & Cream currently has ten resident cats: Jasper, Jack, Amelia, Teddy, Basil, Sage, Artie, Vanilla, Ollie, and Princess Molly Rose. They are not available for adoption.

Two of the biggest draws (literally) are the Maine Coons, Jasper and Jack.

These seven-year-old cats are huge, relaxed, friendly, and act like delicate Victorian children.

If you’ve never met a Maine Coon in person, this alone might justify your visit.

Four-year-old Ollie is the youngest member of Whiskers & Cream. A staff member found him abandoned in a cat carrier with a note explaining he needed a home because his owners had been evicted.

After an FIV test, vaccinations, neutering, and removal of a growth, he joined the cat café on August 17, 2025. He settled in quickly and became good friends with Jasper.

Eleven-year-old Vanilla came from a family that moved to Australia.

He’s gentle and affectionate but likes to assert his authority with occasional hissing.

He enjoys cuddles but doesn’t like his back touched, and may give a gentle warning nip if approached too far past the top of his head.

Amelia is a gentle and shy little seven-year-old. She warms up slowly but loves her playtime. Approach her gently, and she’ll reward you with lots of affection.

Princess Molly Rose, also seven years old, looks a lot like Amelia. However, if you look closer, you’ll see that their noses are little different.

Teddy (two years old) is a little bundle of energy and loves to play with everyone.

Basil & Sage (both one year old) are two brothers. Can you tell them apart? Basil is the one with the white moustache, whereas Sage is the one with the white nose.

Artie aka Archibold (seven years old) is one of the rescue kittens. He is a very affectionate boy and loves all the other cats and visitors.

Because all the cats are permanent residents, they receive consistent socialisation and know exactly how to navigate visitors.

The result: more reliable, more enjoyable interactions. No skittish hiding. No “sorry, all the cats are asleep behind the counter today.”

The Archway neighborhood

Whiskers & Cream is currently the only cat café in North London.

On top of that, Archway is not a tourist hub but a real London neighborhood with old pubs, bits of history, and a slightly scruffy charm that hasn’t been polished into oblivion.

Maybe I’m biased because I used to live in Archway, but it’s a part of London I love to go back to.

Whiskers & Cream is not the only cat-themed “attraction” there either.

The Charlotte Despard pub in Archway is home to Legz, one of London’s most iconic pub cats.

Highgate Cemetery is also nearby, atmospheric, haunted (apparently), and full of roaming cats.

📍 Make the most of your cat obsession with our guide to all the best cat-themed activities in London.

Children are welcome

Whiskers & Cream is the only cat café in London that welcomes young children.

Numbers are strictly limited, though. If you want to visit with children under 11, you must book them in advance by phone (+44 20 7263 2888) or in person.

Pricing

A visit to Whiskers & Cream costs £18 for 90 minutes, and that includes one high-quality drink. That’s not cheap, but it’s the cheapest cat café in the British capital.

You can save a bit by booking off-peak at £15.

If you’re not ready to leave when your slot ends, you can tack on another 30 minutes for £4.50 (or £4 off-peak).

Don’t forget, though, that cafés like this operate with extremely high overhead: ten cats to feed, insure, medicate, and entertain; staff trained in animal welfare; cleaning protocols; and sky-high London rent on top of that.

Menu

Whiskers & Cream takes sustainability seriously and uses ingredients sourced as locally as possible.

Their artisan coffees are made with direct-trade beans roasted less than a mile away and delivered by bicycle. Many of their cakes and pastries come from a London-based bakery, alongside treats created in-house. Their teas and hot chocolates are also sourced from London suppliers.

The cat café also offers a wide range of options to suit different diets. There are choices for vegetarians, vegans, pescatarians, gluten-free, and dairy-free diets, as well as special treats for children.

Practical information

Address

Whiskers & Cream, 593 Holloway Rd, Archway, London N19 4DJ, United Kingdom.

How to get to Whiskers & Cream?

The cat café is just a one-minute walk from Upper Holloway Rail and seven minutes from Archway Underground.

If you decide to go by car, some nearby roads offer free parking after 02:00 pm, and a few parking meters operate before then. Check local signs for extended free parking on weekends.

Opening hours

• Monday: 10:00 am – 05:00 pm.
• Tuesday: 10:00 am – 05:00 pm.
• Wednesday: Closed.
• Thursday: 10:00 am – 05:00 pm.
• Friday: 10:00 am – 05:00 pm.
• Saturday: 10:00 am – 05:30 pm.
• Sunday: 10:00 am – 05:30 pm.

Do you need to reserve in advance?

It’s a good idea to reserve your visit in advance. Walk-ins are technically allowed, but the café fills up quickly.

I had a 10:00 am Thursday reservation on November 6, and the place was already almost full.

If you happen to be in the Archway neighborhood without a reservation, you can still stop by and try your luck. But if you know when you’ll be visiting—especially with a group—it’s better to book ahead to be safe.

The cat café rules

To keep both visitors and cats safe and happy, Whiskers & Cream has a few simple rules:

• Sessions are limited to 90 minutes.
• No outside food or drinks.
• Wash hands before and after handling cats.
• Do not pick up or carry the cats.
• Be gentle and calm around the cats; no chasing or loud noises.
• Respect the cats’ personal space; do not touch them if they show warning signs.
• Children under 11 must be accompanied by an adult and pre-booked.

Where to stay in North London

One of my favorites is Palmers Lodge Swiss Cottage. It functions as both a hostel and a hotel, so there are a range of prices, but it’s overall very affordable.

The building is a gorgeous red-brick Victorian lodge from the 1880s, originally built for Samuel Palmer of the Huntley & Palmers biscuit company, and it still retains lots of historic charm both inside and outside.

It’s located in the Swiss Cottage area of North London, just a two-minute walk from Swiss Cottage Tube station.

The place has its own pub as well as a super cozy lounge.

🏨 Compare prices: Booking.com | Agoda

If you prefer a more modern hotel experience, Ibis London City – Shoreditch is a great choice as well.

It offers clean, contemporary rooms at an affordable price, with reliable service and all the usual hotel amenities.

It’s located in Shoreditch, just a short walk from Liverpool Street Station.

🏨 Compare prices: Booking.com | Agoda

Prefer to stay at a hotel where there’s a cat? Then check out these top hotels with resident cats in London.

Want ghosts instead? Then these haunted hotels in the UK will be more up your alley.

Final thoughts

Each cat café in London has its own charm. Which one you choose depends on where you are and what kind of experience you’re after.

Being the only cat café in North London, Whiskers & Cream is ideal if you’re in that part of the city. It’s also convenient if you want to explore other cat-friendly spots nearby, like The Charlotte Despard pub and Highgate Cemetery (which I both highly recommend).

You won’t walk here from Soho, though, but the café is easy to reach by Tube or bus.

The space itself feels open and relaxed, with two floors and plenty of room for the cats to roam.

The cat lineup is a huge plus. If you want to spend time with distinctive cat breeds, like Maine Coons, this cat café makes that possible.

However, if you’re hoping to adopt a cat or want to support rescue cats directly, the other cat cafés in London might be a better fit.

My only disappointment was the food and drinks. My croissant arrived half-frozen, and my coffee spilled. Normally I wouldn’t fuss, but when the session costs £18—and the pastry isn’t included—it starts to feel pricey.

Would I go back? Yes, though preferably not for that price.

Have you been to Whiskers & Cream in Archway? Tell me about your experience in the comments—I’d love to hear it.

📍Check out our guide to cat cafés around the globe here.

📍Do you love stories set in cat cafés? Then check out the new Hallmark movie Christmas at the Catnip Café.

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The purrfect Christmas gift for cat lovers

Looking for a unique gift for the cat lover in your life? My book Meow! Cats in Horror, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy Movies is a deep-dive into the coolest feline appearances on the big screen.

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