Blackbird Bakery — Restaurant in London

ORIGINAL REVIEW: 2018, update below

Everyone knows that B.B. are good bakers- and that some of the cafes, particularly West Norwood, are lovely, welcoming places.

Crystal Palace BB is not like this. If they’re trying to sew up the ‘cooler than thou’ award for South London they’ve reckoned without Perks and White, who do supercilious with a far more personised vibe. This lot couldn’t care for such superfluities as actually paying attention to the customer: as beta-hipsters they are far more absorbed in themselves than the customer. The lack of cleanliness is one tell, after the reliably offhand service; the benches at the back look like they’ve been rescued from the gutters of a fish finger factory, there’s so many crumbs to be swept off. Some of the staff play with their smartphones at the till whilst others conduct loud conversations about important aspects of their personality- all the while, tables displaying the half full cups and used plates of long-gone customers.

The coffee isn’t even that good.

No wonder people seem to have moved to the cleaner, more attentive Dalhousie down the road- the coffee isn’t so great there either, but at least there’s something resembling service.

A shame. The management needs to take note.

UPDATE! November 2021

Found myself in Crystal Palace yesterday, 3 years after the original review, and the cafe has improved. Cleaner, polite staff and a refurb— much better. Decent if unmemorable coffee;...

I visited during a busy lunch rush on May 17th and the team of folk behind the counter were lovely, professional and working great as a team with good humour and charm.

When food prices have gone up across the board at all cafes, pubs etc, this human element is what sets one place apart from the next, so I hope they’re appreciated by head office, and the entitled segment of the ‘Triangle’ clientele who pop up in some of the reviews here.

I don’t know any of the staff there and this is a genuine review. Hospitality industry workers deserve more respect in UK culture. Treat workers with the same courtesy you’d like to be treated with. It’s weird that some adults don’t seem to think that applies when dealing with service staff.

Food offering wise, the cheese toasties here are delicious thanks to the crucial part of any sandwich - the bread - being good at Blackbird bakery outlets. The cakes are fairly pricey but similarly very good. I’d say the pastries (croissants etc) are the weaker part of the product range; whenever I’ve tried a croissant (from different branches) it’s not buttery inside with crisp flaky pastry around the top, but instead a bit dry and...

Given the world now has more dog owners than ever before, most upscale restaurant, bars, bakers, cafes (including Gail's) are dog friendly. Blackbird needs to update their rigid and outdated policies to avoid being left in the dirt. You have a store near to one of the largest parks in south london, a ginormous dog walking hub, but yet your bakery doe not allow dogs to enter and therefore dog owners to even purchase one of your tasty smoothies. The fact has completely changed my stance on the brand.

If you do want dogs and their owners I suggest also naming your lack of dog friendliness advertised clearly on your website and your stores to make...