197
11%
16
Market Overview
197 cafes compete for customers across Leicester — and that's before you count the 366 fast food outlets, 235 restaurants, and 225 pubs also vying for the city's dining spend. The cafe sector is crowded. Coffee shops dominate, accounting for 65 of those 197 cafes, with sandwich shops, cake shops, and bubble tea venues making up a much smaller share. The remaining 130 or so cafes are spread across 15 other cuisine types, from breakfast spots to ice cream parlours.
What stands out most is how few cafes have an online presence. Only 22 out of 197 — roughly 11% — operate a website. That's a significant gap. In a market this dense, the cafes that can be found and researched online have an immediate advantage. The established chains like Starbucks and Caffè Nero are among those with websites, but most independents are invisible to anyone searching online.
Competition isn't just localised to cafes either. Leicester's broader food and drink scene totals over 1,000 businesses. For a city of 370,000 people, that creates real pressure on footfall, especially outside the city centre. Cafe owners here aren't just competing with each other — they're competing with every grab-and-go option, every pub lunch deal, and every restaurant offering afternoon tea.
Top Types in Leicester
What Customers in Leicester Care About
Independent over chain
With Starbucks and Caffè Nero taking up visible spots, many Leicester customers actively seek out independents like Grays Coffee Shop & Kitchen or Café Makaan for something with more character.
Good coffee, reliably made
With 65 coffee shops in the area, customers have plenty of alternatives — a bad flat white means they'll try somewhere else by tomorrow.
Space to sit and work
Leicester's university population and growing freelance workforce mean many customers choose a cafe based on Wi-Fi, plug sockets, and whether lingering is actually welcome.
Something beyond coffee
Cake shops, bubble tea venues, and baked potato cafes all exist here, signalling demand for variety — customers notice cafes that offer food worth eating, not just an afterthought sandwich.
Easy to find online first
With 89% of Leicester cafes lacking a website, customers often can't check menus, opening hours, or reviews before visiting — the ones they can find online get chosen first.
Cafes operating in Leicester
A sample of real cafes in this area. Want ratings, reviews, and exactly where you rank against them? Run a free report on your business.
| Business | Type |
|---|---|
| Grays Coffee Shop & Kitchen @ LCB Depot | Coffee Shop |
| Fingerprints | Cafe |
| Deer Barn Tea Room | Baked Potatoes, Cheese Toasties, Cake, Tea. Coffee, Soft Drinks |
| The Grange Bakery Deli | Cafe |
| Jennos Cafe | Cafe |
| Cafe TwoTen | Cafe |
| Gilly's Sandwich Bar | Cafe |
| City Cafe and Dessert Parlour | Cafe |
| Costa | Coffee Shop |
| Lyns Cafe | Cafe |
| Starbucks | Coffee Shop |
| Kesh's Kafe & Bakery | Cafe |
Business listings from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Tips for Cafes Owners in Leicester
Get a website — you're already ahead of 89% of competitors
Only 22 of Leicester's 197 cafes have a website. Even a simple one-page site with your menu, address, and opening hours puts you in front of customers who can't find most of your competitors. This is the single easiest competitive edge available in this market right now.
Don't try to out-coffee the coffee shops
65 businesses in Leicester already sell themselves primarily as coffee shops. If you're opening a new cafe, leaning into an underserved niche — good breakfast, quality cake, or a food offering that isn't just pre-packaged sandwiches — gives you a clearer identity than another generic coffee counter.
Think carefully about location relative to fast food density
Leicester has 366 fast food outlets — nearly double the number of cafes. High-traffic spots near clusters of fast food may bring footfall, but you need to offer a clear reason for someone to sit down with you instead of grabbing something on the go. Location alone won't do the work.
Competition Snapshot
Leicester's cafe market is dense. 197 cafes share the city alongside 366 fast food outlets and 235 restaurants, making the total competitive food scene well over 1,000 businesses. The coffee shop segment is particularly crowded, with 65 venues competing on essentially the same product. Meanwhile, categories like bubble tea and quality baked goods remain relatively underserved. The biggest structural gap is digital: 89% of Leicester cafes have no website, meaning customers can't find, compare, or choose them online. Standing out here requires a clear niche, decent food offering, and — more than anything — simply being visible where customers are looking.
Other Industries in Leicester
Cafes in Other Cities
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