Latest reviews for Cafes & Coffee Shops in Lambeth, London, United Kingdom

Le Pain Quotidien - Wonderful Food & Great Atmosphere But Not Cheap by Angella

Angella — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:00:50 +0000

Review by Angella

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7486 6154

Website: http://www.painquotidien.com

Tags: sandwiches, french, delicatessen

The area between Waterloo station and the riverside Festival Hall is lively on a Sunday afternoon and evneing with the impressive London Eye drawing crowds and queues and amusement passing the buskers who attract onlookers.

After a concert at the Festival Hall finished about 9.30 we were ready for a snack but not an expensive meal. I'd spotted Wagawama at the front basement of the Festival Hall and the pedestrian street to the right of the front entrance facing the huge bust of Mandela has several jolly eating places.

The menu outside looked interesting and reasonably prices, though the offers on the board or soup at under a fiver and egg at under a fiver were a delusion as the egg was only served until noon.

However, we opted for one small round Quiche Lorraine, which came with salad and was delicious.

Our other 'main course' was a tartine or open sandwich, four slices of smoked salmon on their pain (bread) which was brown and solid brown, a bit like pumperknickerl. Excellent.

The china tray was a novelty, though not practical. I realised for the first time why a normal round plate has a lip. It stops crumbs rolling off the plate onto the table.

A lipped plate would enable you chase your food with a fork. I lost a tiny bit of smoked salmon onto the 'groovy' wooden table. I retrieved my salmon and sat wondering whether a table is less clean than a gleaming white platter which must be washed between each use.

The glass of white Rioja at Â£4.50 was not cheap.

However, I was delighted by the slice of polenta and almond at Â£3.50 ( on the specials board - so it might not always be available). This is the dish 'to die for'.

We ate upstairs. I liked the look of the downstairs under one of the huge railway arches. It had character and can be reached by a lift designed to take wheelchairs.

I thought that was a more amusing location but my companion might have been claustrophobic and chose to sit up in the light with most other people.

Service - nobody noticed when we walked in and the place wasn't packed. They had plenty of empty tables. it was hard to get attention unless you sit near the bar. But I must praise them for bringing glasses of water without being asked.

Despite that, I objected to the 12 and a half per cent service charge which always puts me in a bad mood and when I see it I rarely go back.

There should be a law stating that if you add a twelve and a half per cent service charge that should be at the top of the menu and across the window at twice the size of the other print.

We should have the same system as France - a set price meal including a drink and all taxes so that customer knows exactly what they will pay for a meal instead of adding this and that.

They did bring me a glass of water when I declined to order a drink. I finished with a single espresso. Our bill for salmon tartine 7.95 and two espressos was subtotal 26.10 service 3.26, total 29.36. The bill spells out the fact that the tax is 15%, which was 3.40.

I suppose that's only Â£15 per person, for a smoked salmon open sandwich, coffee with brown sugar lumps, dessert shared between two and glass of wine between two.

I notice several others have mentioned the prices.
We are living in hard times. Now I look at the bill I see that they have a website lepainquotiden.co.uk

The wooden tables seem to have a hook on the side which I presume is for handbags. Such a good idea.
The area between Waterloo station and the riverside Festival Hall is lively on a Sunday afternoon and evneing with the impressive London Eye drawing crowds and queues and amusement passing the buskers who attract onlookers.

After a concert at the Festival Hall finished about 9.30 we were ready for a snack but not an expensive meal. I'd spotted Wagawama at the front basement of the Festival Hall and the pedestrian street to the right of the front entrance facing the huge bust of Mandela has several jolly eating places.

The menu outside looked interesting and reasonably prices, though the offers on the board or soup at under a fiver and egg at under a fiver were a delusion as the egg was only served until noon.

However, we opted for one small round Quiche Lorraine, which came with salad and was delicious.

Our other 'main course' was a tartine or open sandwich, four slices of smoked salmon on their pain (bread) which was brown and solid brown, a bit like pumperknickerl. Excellent.

The china tray was a novelty, though not practical. I realised for the first time why a normal round plate has a lip. It stops crumbs rolling off the plate onto the table.

A lipped plate would enable you chase your food with a fork. I lost a tiny bit of smoked salmon onto the 'groovy' wooden table. I retrieved my salmon and sat wondering whether a table is less clean than a gleaming white platter which must be washed between each use.

The glass of white Rioja at Â£4.50 was not cheap.

However, I was delighted by the slice of polenta and almond at Â£3.50 ( on the specials board - so it might not always be available). This is the dish 'to die for'.

We ate upstairs. I liked the look of the downstairs under one of the huge railway arches. It had character and can be reached by a lift designed to take wheelchairs.

I thought that was a more amusing location but my companion might have been claustrophobic and chose to sit up in the light with most other people.

Service - nobody noticed when we walked in and the place wasn't packed. They had plenty of empty tables. it was hard to get attention unless you sit near the bar. But I must praise them for bringing glasses of water without being asked.

Despite that, I objected to the 12 and a half per cent service charge which always puts me in a bad mood and when I see it I rarely go back.

There should be a law stating that if you add a twelve and a half per cent service charge that should be at the top of the menu and across the window at twice the size of the other print.

We should have the same system as France - a set price meal including a drink and all taxes so that customer knows exactly what they will pay for a meal instead of adding this and that.

They did bring me a glass of water when I declined to order a drink. I finished with a single espresso. Our bill for salmon tartine 7.95 and two espressos was subtotal 26.10 service 3.26, total 29.36. The bill spells out the fact that the tax is 15%, which was 3.40.

I suppose that's only Â£15 per person, for a smoked salmon open sandwich, coffee with brown sugar lumps, dessert shared between two and glass of wine between two.

I notice several others have mentioned the prices.
We are living in hard times. Now I look at the bill I see that they have a website lepainquotiden.co.uk

The wooden tables seem to have a hook on the side which I presume is for handbags. Such a good idea.

Konditor & Cook - by Litro_K

Litro_K — Tue, 12 May 2009 00:39:29 +0000

Review by Litro_K

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7261 0456

Tags: cosy, quick bite

This is my closest lunchtime pit stop and I like it more every time I visit. They have the most superb cakes and proper, buzz-giving coffee in a quirky and quaint setting - you have to love the aubergine exterior and crown glass windows.

I do wish they had some tables to eat at, but thereâ¬"s a park very nearby with lots of inviting benches and some charming gentlemen with a taste for Tennents Super Brew. If you can get past that, their hot lunch menus change daily and are worth every penny â¬ chili con carne and rice is around a fiver for an enormous portion. The soups and salads are reasonable and suitably virtuous, but if you really want to push the boat out, try the glittery carrot cake, or the Ã¼ber chocolate brownies - wickedly, stupidly good.

This is my closest lunchtime pit stop and I like it more every time I visit. They have the most superb cakes and proper, buzz-giving coffee in a quirky and quaint setting - you have to love the aubergine exterior and crown glass windows.

I do wish they had some tables to eat at, but thereâ¬"s a park very nearby with lots of inviting benches and some charming gentlemen with a taste for Tennents Super Brew. If you can get past that, their hot lunch menus change daily and are worth every penny â¬ chili con carne and rice is around a fiver for an enormous portion. The soups and salads are reasonable and suitably virtuous, but if you really want to push the boat out, try the glittery carrot cake, or the Ã¼ber chocolate brownies - wickedly, stupidly good.

Marsh Ruby - A Gem! by Litro_K

Litro_K — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:39:25 +0000

Review by Litro_K

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7620 0593

Tags: indian

A hop and a skip from my work, this organic, free-range, goody-two shoes curry stop knocked my socks off. I had heard people rave about it but never thought I'd find such a cute-as-a-button place.

I really warmed to it straightaway and liked all the little details: the stainless steel vats of piping hot wholesome curries, the efficiently friendly staff, the fridge full of soya drinks, the no-nonsense jug of tap water for everyone to share. It's a bit like eating in your right-on friend's kitchen.

A regular plate of organic lentil and spinach curry on brown rice with a chocolate soya milk was £4.60 and the coconut curry my lunch companion had with free-range chicken breast looked and smelled divine. It's definitely going to become a firm favourite for lunch and it seems to get busy, so I'd recommend you turn up early, but we ate at the counter and that was fun too.A hop and a skip from my work, this organic, free-range, goody-two shoes curry stop knocked my socks off. I had heard people rave about it but never thought I'd find such a cute-as-a-button place.

I really warmed to it straightaway and liked all the little details: the stainless steel vats of piping hot wholesome curries, the efficiently friendly staff, the fridge full of soya drinks, the no-nonsense jug of tap water for everyone to share. It's a bit like eating in your right-on friend's kitchen.

A regular plate of organic lentil and spinach curry on brown rice with a chocolate soya milk was £4.60 and the coconut curry my lunch companion had with free-range chicken breast looked and smelled divine. It's definitely going to become a firm favourite for lunch and it seems to get busy, so I'd recommend you turn up early, but we ate at the counter and that was fun too.

Spring Cafe 97 - still hungry by geteven08

geteven08 — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:50:34 +0000

Review by geteven08

Rating: 1.00

Phone: 020 7735 9897

Tags: sandwiches, seating area

if you want your shoes cleaned with a mop and if you want to eat in a place that reeks of cleaning fluid, come here!if you want your shoes cleaned with a mop and if you want to eat in a place that reeks of cleaning fluid, come here!

Benugo - m m m by annabanana

annabanana — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:28:34 +0000

Review by annabanana

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7401 9000

Tags: bargain

If you are a film over and hang around the NFT a lot, then I highly recommend you try the pie of the day at the new restaurant located inside the NFT, just next to the film shop. The pie is huge, to be shared by two people, made on the day, and comes with a a big bowl of green vegetables too-only for Â£16 ...If you are a film over and hang around the NFT a lot, then I highly recommend you try the pie of the day at the new restaurant located inside the NFT, just next to the film shop. The pie is huge, to be shared by two people, made on the day, and comes with a a big bowl of green vegetables too-only for Â£16 ...

Ivory Arch - Vegetarian Haven. by George2k

George2k — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:24:14 +0000

Review by George2k

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7703 0182

Website: http://www.ivoryarch.com

Tags: cosy, top food, takeaway

Surprisingly for a non-vegetarian restaurant/Take away, it has an amazing selection of vegetarian dishes.The food tasted fresh and tasty, it has all the hall mark of a good curry house.Surprisingly for a non-vegetarian restaurant/Take away, it has an amazing selection of vegetarian dishes.The food tasted fresh and tasty, it has all the hall mark of a good curry house.

Marie's Cafe - Maries Cafe by jan08

jan08 — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:26:15 +0000

Review by jan08

Rating: 5.00

Phone: 020 7928 1050

Tags: quick bite, crowded, cheap

Maries Cafe is on Lower Marsh, close to Waterloo station. It looks like your typical 'greasy spoon caf' - complete with formica tables and squeezy bottle of tomato ketchup. But they serve really good value and delicious simple Thai and Brit food - stir frys, currys, egg & chips etc. So you can eat well for under a fiver and the helpings are large. The Thai staff are friendly and efficeint - which is just as well as its often busy and you somethimes need to wait for a table. More the sort of place to go for breakfast or lunch - but I think they are open until early evening.Maries Cafe is on Lower Marsh, close to Waterloo station. It looks like your typical 'greasy spoon caf' - complete with formica tables and squeezy bottle of tomato ketchup. But they serve really good value and delicious simple Thai and Brit food - stir frys, currys, egg & chips etc. So you can eat well for under a fiver and the helpings are large. The Thai staff are friendly and efficeint - which is just as well as its often busy and you somethimes need to wait for a table. More the sort of place to go for breakfast or lunch - but I think they are open until early evening.

Oasis - THAI AND GREAT BREAKFAST by la_tempete

la_tempete — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:16:31 +0000

Review by la_tempete

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7735 8915

Tags: cosy, takeaway, good brew

Great hangover buster breakfasts for under a fiver and excellent authentic Thai dishes cooked to orderGreat hangover buster breakfasts for under a fiver and excellent authentic Thai dishes cooked to order