Catalyst Coffee was founded in late 2016 by Alexander Gkikas in Holborn, London. The roastery operates a 12kg Diedrich housed in the basement beneath the café, visible to customers through glass floor panels. After initially adopting an omni roast principle with a single profile for all brewing methods, the team switched to two distinct profiles for espresso and filter based on customer feedback. Direct trade offerings include Finca La Lomita from Colombia's Valle del Cauca, where no chemicals, fungicides, or herbicides are used. The café serves espresso, batch brew, and pour over, and was named among 11 London coffee shops recognised as the best in the UK for 2026.