S & M Cafe

MSE_Eater

The Best Comfort Food In West London Bar None. 3rd September 2008

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You will have to excuse first impressions as you approach the S&M Cafe; the surroundings near the Westway flyover on London's Portobello Road are slightly grimy, the lack of parking is a pain (the nearest car park is 20-25mins away so get the Tube) and the exterior of the cafe itself is unassuming and slightly worn, but that is not what this place is about. Likewise, the interior is also functional and basic - tables and chairs are mix and match, even tatty on occassions, yet for some reason this purely adds to the very genuine and homely feel when you first walk through the door - it may not be acceptable virtually anywhere else. For a split second you may think twice, but then the atmosphere and the amazing smell hits you.
The S&M Cafe doesn't pretend to be something it is not. It is about simple, hearty home cooked comfort food at very reasonable prices - mostly under a tenner - with genuinely warm, chatty service. When I say the food choice is simple perhaps that is slightly misleading; you have the choice of a minimum of nine different sausages plus daily specials and vegetarian options, four varieties of mashed potato and three types of gravy, plus veg and extra sides, if for some unearthly reason you need them. Add to that a mug of PG, or a bottle of wine or a beer if you prefer, plus a large bowl of hearty fruit crumble with Bird's custard and you have one of the most brilliant comfort food experiences in London. (Disclaimer: other meals are available if you don't like sausages!)
It is great to hear that a branch has opened at the o2, but you should try Portobello Road to see where it is really at.

sue

That's 'Sausage & Mash' to those with a dirty mind 18th May 2008

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S&M is a small chain of traditional British cafes which serve up classic comfort food in retro surroundings. We had lunch one Sunday at the Ladbroke Grove branch and enjoyed the experience.

S&M stands for 'Sausage & Mash', and there is a big selection of offer - you can choose from around 12 varieties of sausage, then choose the type of mash you would like, add a gravy and then any vegetables. Apart from this they do various breakfasts items, salads, and some very tasty sounding pies.

Our group ordered the Lamb & mint sausage salad, the Eggs Benedict, Venison sausages with various accompaniments, and a Fish finger buttie. All dishes were happily polished off, with the sausages getting a big thumbs up.