The Stokes family have been roasting coffee in Lincoln since 1902 — so we’ve had a little time to get it right.
Our current MD, Nick Peel — fourth-generation Stokes — swapped a career in dance for the roastery (hence the ballet dancer in our branding). Turns out timing matters in both. So while you wait those four minutes for your perfect brew: kettle on, music up… kitchen dance floor, initiated. ☕
Good Coffee, Done Right.
What We Do
We source, roast and serve speciality coffee.
We roast in Lincoln and supply coffee to cafés, restaurants and businesses across the UK, as well as serving it in our own cafés. Everything we do is built around consistency, quality and making coffee approachable.
No shortcuts. No unnecessary complexity. Just good coffee, done right.
Our Coffee
We buy carefully, roast with precision, and focus on flavour.
Roasting in-house means we stay close to the process and keep standards high. It also means we can keep improving — which is what we’ve been doing for over a century.
Our Cafés
Our cafés are a reflection of the roastery — simple, welcoming spaces built around great coffee.
Alongside that, we serve a considered daytime menu, from brunch through to light lunch. Food that works with the coffee, not against it.
Each site has its own character, but the approach stays the same: quality, consistency and a warm welcome.
Sustainability & B Corp
We care about doing things responsibly. As a B Corp-certified business, we commit to high standards for people, planet, and profit.
This means we focus on:
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Sourcing coffee ethically
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Reducing waste wherever possible
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Repurposing and reusing in our cafés
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Supporting our local community
Sustainability isn’t an afterthought — it’s part of everything we do, from roasting to serving.
Rooted in Lincoln
Lincoln is where we started, and it’s still home.
We’ve grown over the years, but we’ve stayed independent and grounded. The business is still family-run, and still built with the long term in mind.
How We Work
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Honest – we say what we mean
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Warm – welcoming and straightforward
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Expert – built on experience, shared simply
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Grounded – rooted in place and craft
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Spirited – always moving things forward
Looking Ahead
We’re not here to stand still.
We’ll keep improving our coffee, our cafés and how we do things — taking a considered approach as we grow, and making sure we do it properly.
Because after all this time, the idea hasn’t changed: