We booked a table for 4 at 11am, then changed the time to 11.30am and then turned up with 5…read morepeople... but the delightful people here were so accommodating and even found us a great table in the conservatory. We were here for the breakfast and three of us ordered off the menu, and two of us just had to be fussy and order various items individually. They catered to every wish! The coffee was fantastic and they even had skimmed milk (YEY!) I had the English breakfast with poached eggs, and apart from some hollandaise sauce that appeared on my eggs (I don't like hollandaise sauce!) it was all very yummy. The mushrooms were cooked with rosemary and the cumberland sausage was delicious. I was not keen on the bacon, but that's probably because it was smoked and I'm not a fan of food tasting like sweet smoke. My fellow breakfastarians between them tried the Eggs Special Royal (to celebrate our new princess!) which was apparently delicious, but came with cold avocado under the egg, which made the temperature of the whole dish a little odd. There were no other complaints though and we all agreed to go back very soon. Lovely place!

I arrived at The Gantry on the hunt for a chilled-out space with good WiFi connection, delicious…read morefood and mean cocktails and man, I was absolutely not disappointed! It was very busy when I arrived and I was unsure as to whether I should sit straight down or order at the bar - but after asking a friendly member of staff, I made myself comfortable with a menu. I opted for the Full English and a white Americano off of the Brunch menu. My food turned up before my coffee but I wasn't too fussed - I could sympathise with the busy staff having worked in hospitality for many years myself. Both the breakfast and coffee were lovely and good value for money. Afterwards, I ordered a Bloody Mary to take the edge off and oh my Gosh, it was hands-down the best Bloody Mary I have ever tasted. The waiter asked me what spice I'd like and as a bit of a wimp, I opted for a 3 out of 10 and it was absolutely perfect - garnished with green olives, celery, a lemon wedge and a sprinkle of pepper. Divine! I stayed at The Gantry for the majority of my day working and therefore spoke with the staff a few times. I enquired as to a nearby plug and the waiter found me one behind an armchair and plugged my charger in for me as well - very kind! Overall, I'd highly recommend it but would opt to come when it's a bit less hectic next time. I will definitely be returning!

Lured by the quiche and baguette in the window, I popped in to L'Artisan last week for a look-see…read more What I saw was a mini-delight. This very cosy cafe offers a wonderful, little selection of French edibles from imported chestnut spread to cheeses to pate. There was a large pot of made-from-scratch soup to warm the bones on offer, too. After chatting with the very amiable and knowledgeable French proprietor, I purchased a few different cured meats and a lovely, somewhat stinky cheese. Not only did I leave feeling like I'd had a good interaction, but I'd also left with incredibly tasty food stuffs of good quality. This place is a breath of fresh air amid a rather congested Trafalgar Road. Ah

L'Artisan (shall we call him that?) has taken pride in his work down to the last detail, and looked…read moreafter you as well as in any flash restaurant. Beautiful pear tarts came out of the kitchen as we went to pay and leave. Are these what you serve in the afternoon, I asked L'Artisan. No, I was told. He proudly runs out of food throughout the day. The batch was arriving now, because everything is cooked on the premises and cannot be supplied to demand. He does fresh soup every day and a different Plat du Jour for takeaway with salad... I quietly wished to myself that I worked next door to L'Artisan. The full Review is here: http://blackheathcoffeeshops.wordpress.com/category/lartisan/

This was such a win in a busy random area, in London. I was there for work, and wasn't really into…read moreIndian food at the time, and there was an awful lot of Indian food in that area, of which is really good, but I just wasn't feeling it. So I was very happy when I stumbled upon a French restaurant. the ambience was wonderful and the food was even better.

I was hoping for a much better meal based on the Google reviews for this place…read more It's a small French bistro in Spitalfields. The staff are friendly and genuinely French. Their food was underwhelming. I ordered the Escargots and the mussels mariniere. The escargots were well executed. They came in a butter/garlic sauce that was too salty. The mussels were 1/4 unopened. The sauce was watery and not memorable. The mussels that did open were soggy and not super fresh. The bread served with this dish was slightly stale and did not naturally soak up the mussel sauce.

Good food, low key, beautiful Ambience. Nice place to have a…read moremeal off the beaten path.

A hidden French delight, just off Bermondsey street…read more Tucked at the back of some tennis courts in a public park, I wouldn't have known this place even existed were it not for a cryptic business card from its nearby sister restaurant (Casse-Croûte). Here, there is none of the intimacy that you get at Casse-Croûte but it somehow still feels personal and cozy. A seasonal menu is presented for lunch and dinner, with a selection of starters bolstered by several solid mains. No specials were on offer, so presumably the menu stays as is for a few months. Each main was intended for two, but such generous portions meant that this solo diner had to choose a couple of starters. The onion soup was a delicious, less filling twist on the classic version with a cheesy foam on top and a sablé to accompany, rather than the standard heavy croûte. The black pudding scotch egg was actually comprised of boudin noir, not black pudding which gave it a softer almost pasty interior that sat nicely in contrast to the crisp crumbed exterior. The enclosed egg was runny soft and rich. The sweet and earthy purée that the egg sat on complemented it well, though I found the scattered pickled chanterelles to be too sharp and acidic to work with the other ingredients. Some fragrant eau de vie de poire kept me going until the blueberry soufflé arrived with a dollop of rich pistachio ice cream. Overall: I'd go back, with my wife, to be able to unlock more of the menu. Pricey, but worth it if you want to eat something special whilst feeling comfortable.

Great brunch place! Food : 9.5/10 (small portions but good )…read moreAmbiance 10/10 (very bright and clean) Staff 9/10 Definitely recommend

My first visit to Plateau Restaurant, or Canary Wharf in London for that matter…read more We went for lunch with a friend, and it was lovely, delicious, and the service was nice too. I like the ambiance of the restaurant during lunch. Bright, airy, fresh.. with views of the high rises around you. The food was great. I had an artichoke to start, followed with a tasty Halibut dish, and to finish, Creme Brûlée. Not to forget to mention my Beluga martini!! I would definitely return!!

Oh I almost forgotten that I was there yesterday. Place that appears like family friendly…read moreenvironment offers breakfast for egg addicts. When I saw the menu, EVERY single one of them was based around eggs. Actually no.. Sorry, there was one granola option... Luckily I got their lunch menu to choose from. To make the story short - I chose soup, it tasted ok, when it came to the table, it was super hot. The waitress didn't know their menu (apparently the menu is just fresh new.. yeah, right.. I pretended I cannot see those old greasy stains on both sides...) Coffee was nice. Although, I've had better, but it perked me up successfully, so mission accomplished.. Would I go there again? Probably no... There are some other much more interesting places around and Byron at the riverside...

A very nicely located restaurant with a fantastic view of Canary Wharf to offer its customers…read more Whether you just want a drink or a meal, cafe rouge can cater to you. The staff can be quite slow but will always help you. I went on a Sunday when there was good weather and other restaurants and bars around the area were packed out, but this place was quiet which was nice for us but unexpected of such a popular place generally. Maybe the slow staff had put people off?

Amazing entrecôte! Mario was my server tonight and he was exceptional! Friendly, efficient, and…read morefast. The food was delish and came fast. Efficient chef and staff I was in and out with a full belly and a smile. They were so kind and patient. They allowed other guests to hang out and enjoy their wine. And they even had a bunch of regulars come in and everyone was treated exactly the same. With kindness and efficiency. If you are nearby staying at the hotel or if you are enjoying the British Musuem, check them out! I had a glass of Malbec (attached) with my dinner and it was well balanced and fruity!

Very good experience for French and Mediterranean cuisine. Good quality of food. Fresh and tasty…read more Service is remarkable comes from hart. Very fast. The atmosphere is very good. I like it.

Went to Cote Brassiere for a family dinner to celebrate my sister's birthday…read more It was a delightful evening. We had salmon, sea bass and burgers among our group. It was all fresh, satisfying and delicious. I'm a bit of a coffee snob so if I tell your their coffee is perfect- it's really perfect!

I live in this restaurant and visit it weekly! Yummmmy food, great service and brunch that warms…read morethe soul!

While it looks very cute from the outside this is definitely the worst restaurant in Balham. I have…read morebeen to the French Cafe twice. My first experience was for a Sunday brunch with a friend. The service was extremely slow (but they were also very busy). However the food was alright the first time so I decided to return. My second visit was downright horrible. Our waiter forgot to place our order. Instead of letting us know he'd forgotten he just kept us waiting and starving. After waiting almost an hour I asked a girl behind the bar to check the order and I took my seat. I had to get up again to ask her where our food was because she had forgotten to come over and tell us what was going on. She finally let me know that our order wasn't put in, she'd put a rush on the food but it would be at least another 5 minutes. I asked for some complimentary bread since we were absolutely starving at which she replied she could give us complimentary drinks but she would have to check with her manager about the bread. We waited another 5 minutes and our food still didn't arrive so we left. Upon leaving I told the manager why we were leaving and he responded with a polite, "ok". Mistakes obviously happen and generally when they do you cop to them and apologize. But not the French Cafe, not even one, "so sorry we fucked up here's a free slice of bread". There are so many other great spots in Balham - I won't be wasting my time or money at this one again.

Great food and really nice atmosphere especially during the summer, however I've been around four…read moreof five times now and the service is always lacking. On the last occasion one of our meals was left off the order, the time before we were seated outside they forget us altogether. Prior to this we waited nearly an hour after ordering for food to arrive. Despite the terrible service it's still worth a visit.

Stopped by this place today (20.10.11) after a workmates recommended that I switch up my Deli of…read morechoice. You see my local was Lina Stores (notice how I used was). So upon entering the store, I was immediately expecting the classic 'deli snobbery' experience. You know when you go to an authentic Deli where the staff give you the cold stare if you take too lon to order or don't know exactly what you want. Much to my surprise, I was welcomed in a very warm manner. I asked for a selection of meats, and seriously thought this would be the point where they'd start snapping, but nope, again the lovely lady offered a range of sample slices for me to try! Woohoo! To cut a long story short, I came out a happy girl! Lina Stores can keep there over-priced food, along with their moody staff, I'm sticking with my new bestie Camisa & Sons...! P.S. Could have sworn I spotted the 'Son' of Camisa & Sons working in the back room...

I was inspired by my visit to Little Italy in New York. Lots of amazing delis with fresh food…read moreserved by authentic Italian families who had been running the place for generations In London, there isn't any equivalent Italian area but Camisa on Old Compton is a deli straight out of New York. I love the '& Son' on the sign - gives the place a sense of continuity and history The sight of all those hams hanging up as you enter the store is enough to set the cookery brain and the stomach going. There is then the main counter with Italian cheeses galore and some deli items and home made pasta. There is also the full range of tinned and dried goods. The dry pasta from here is better than the fresh stuff from supermarkets. In Italy, they believe the pasta is the star of the dish and the sauce is just there to coat it, not drown it but for that philosophy to work, you need high quality ingredients I left with some pancetta, ham and mini mozzarellas