Urth Caffé Enters Europe from London: First Store to Open in Covent Garden

California-based Urth Caffé is preparing to open its first store in Europe in the Covent Garden area of London. The opening is planned for the beginning of 2027.

According to a news report from World Coffee Portal dated September 8, 2026, this step will mark the brand's first major international expansion after nearly a decade. Urth Caffé opened its first store outside the U.S. in Tokyo in 2013 and entered the Middle Eastern market in 2017.

Independent local publication Edhat also confirms that the new European store will open in Covent Garden, London, and that the opening is planned for early 2027.

Why is Covent Garden a logical first address?

Covent Garden is one of London's busiest retail, tourism, and dining areas. The area has high foot traffic, allowing access to both local customers and international visitors.

For Urth Caffé, this location offers a testing ground that aligns with the brand's existing model. The business does not only sell espresso and coffee; it combines coffee, tea, baked goods, breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the same format.

Urth Caffé's official licensing page describes the brand as a "premium European-style café" and states that it offers food, bakery, vegan, and gluten-free options alongside coffee and tea throughout the day.

From this perspective, entering Europe is more of an attempt to adapt the extensive café-restaurant model developed in the U.S. to a European city center rather than opening in a market where the product format is entirely foreign.

A broader format than a coffee shop

One of Urth Caffé's most notable differences is its blurring of the lines between a coffee chain and a full-service café.

The company offers a wide menu that includes breakfast, sandwiches, salads, baked goods, and desserts alongside coffee and tea at its U.S. locations. According to official company information, the brand also positions itself around heirloom and certified organic coffee.

This format may face two different competitive groups in Europe.

On one side are high-volume chains like Starbucks and Costa Coffee. On the other side is London's strong specialty coffee and independent bakery-café ecosystem.

Urth Caffé's advantage may be its ability to position itself between these two models: combining specialty coffee claims with a broad food menu and long seating times.

However, this also complicates operations.

Managing an espresso bar, bakery, hot kitchen, and table service in the same store requires more equipment, stock, and staff compared to a small specialty coffee model that only works with barista personnel.

European entry could grow through a licensing model

Urth Caffé's official licensing page indicates that the brand is considering international growth through a larger regional licensing model rather than a single-store franchise.

The company states that it wants to work with operators who have strong capital and hospitality experience to develop multiple Urth stores in selected premium areas.

This approach suggests that the London store should not be evaluated in isolation.

If the Covent Garden operation is successful, it may be possible to create clusters of stores in other cities in the UK or Europe. However, as of September 9, 2026, the company has not announced any other confirmed store outside London in Europe.

Therefore, "rapid growth across Europe" is not yet a verified outcome; it is merely a possibility that the current licensing strategy could open up.

Japan experience is noteworthy

Urth Caffé's international history provides an important comparison when evaluating its European strategy.

The brand opened its first international store in Tokyo's Daikanyama area in 2013 and subsequently expanded to various locations in Japan. Urth Caffé's own statement from 2021 details growth in Tokyo, Osaka, and other Japanese cities.

However, Urth Caffé Japan's official site announces that all stores in Japan closed by the end of February 2025, and the official Japan site will be terminated by the end of March 2025.

This situation serves as an important reminder regarding the European expansion.

The initial opening's appeal in international growth does not guarantee long-term success. The quality of the licensing partner's operations, rent, labor, product supply, and local consumer habits become more decisive over time.

It remains unknown how Urth Caffé will apply lessons from its experience in Japan to its London operations.

The Middle East model appears more sustainable

Urth Caffé entered the Middle East in 2017 after Japan.

According to the company's own corporate content, it developed licensed stores in Saudi Arabia and Dubai and shipped coffee from its roasting facility in California.

This model demonstrates the brand's approach to combining central product control with local operations in the international market.

It is not yet publicly disclosed how much of the coffee, bakery, and menu supply for the London store will come from the U.S. or how much will be localized in the UK.

This decision could directly impact operational costs.

Heavy product supply from the U.S. could enhance brand consistency but may create logistical and cost pressures. Local sourcing could be more efficient but requires strict management of quality standards.

A model operating throughout the day may provide an advantage in London

A significant portion of Urth Caffé's official U.S. locations has working hours extending from early morning until 10:00-11:00 PM.

This creates a broader usage scenario than a classic coffee shop.

Morning coffee and breakfast, lunch, afternoon work or meetings, and evening dessert and beverage consumption can all occur in the same space.

This model may provide an advantage in a market like London, where rental costs are high, as the same square meter can generate income for a larger portion of the day.

In return, staff shifts, kitchen preparation, and stock management become more complex.

Having a café open throughout the day does not mean that all hours are equally profitable. The success of the European store will also depend on how much the sales generated in different parts of the day can cover rent and labor costs.

What lessons can be drawn for café businesses in Turkey?

Urth Caffé's entry into London is not directly related to the Turkish market. However, it offers some lessons for coffee chains planning to grow in Turkey regarding the internationalization model.

First, the brand is exporting not only the product but also the business format. Coffee, bakery, and food remain within the same concept.

Second, the selection of local operators is critical. The emphasis on hospitality experience and the capital capacity to develop multiple stores in Urth Caffé's licensing conditions is no coincidence.

Third, the sustainability of international growth is a different metric than the number of openings. The closure of all stores in Japan by 2025 shows that strong brand recognition does not guarantee market permanence on its own.

Stafflink's view

Urth Caffé's entry into London demonstrates that the definition of "coffee chain" is expanding in the internationalization of specialty coffee brands.

In our view, the real test in Europe will be the economics of the business model rather than coffee quality.

In a high-rent and highly competitive area like Covent Garden, a broad menu, bakery, and long working hours could create more revenue points. However, it also increases kitchen, staff, waste, and operational costs.

If Urth Caffé's licensed and multi-store growth approach is successful, London could serve as a starting point for Europe. However, the experience in Japan also shows that becoming a global brand does not automatically ensure permanence in every market.

In international café growth, the right location, as well as the right local operator and cost structure, will continue to be decisive.