GAIL's Bakery Southbank — Restaurant in London

Visiting London from the North East with family and found this place by chance. Desperate for a cuppa while rest of the family were on the London Eye, me and my hubby stood in the rather long queue. Finally, we sat down with our cuppas and (for hubby) a sausage roll and (for me) a turkey, bacon and chestnut pasty (well, Gail's call it a hand pie but it's a pasty in my book!). I have to say it's the most delicious pasty I've ever eaten- tasty filling and light, crisp pastry. My husband said the same about his sausage roll. I've dropped a star as they were super expensive, the queue took ages (tea drinkers should have their own fast lane - joke before coffee drinkers take offence!) and not all staff were friendly and helpful. There was one, lovely member of staff - young woman will dark, long hair that we spoke to to compliment the cafe on the delicious pastries . She was very nice. Since our return, I have read a lot of poor reviews about Gail's with a common thread of poor, unfriendly service, poor coffee and expensive products being the the main gripes. On my (one) experience, I would go again, but I really think Gails needs to take note and action some of the criticism levelled at them. A business can't rely on it's past reputation alone and in a cost of living crisis, people really want value for their hard...

For clarity, this was at Gail's Southbank. I am a great fan of Gail's and a frequent visitor at various branches. On this occasion, the cake (banana and pecan) was as good as ever, but I very much doubt the staff who served me had any idea what a cup of English Breakfast Tea should look like. It came in a lovely ceramic pot, with a perfect handle-less cup and separate milk, so should have been perfect. Full marks for the aesthetics of it. But when I first poured it, the drink came out very watery and borderline undrinkable, so I waited and tried again. Same. So I removed the lid of the pot and found a tea strainer like contraption containing tea leaves wedged in between the pot and the lid and - this is the crucial part - suspended well above the water. So the only contact between leaves and water would have come at the moment that it was poured into the pot. English Breakfast Tea needs to be strong and hearty, and needs time to brew, so this was never going to work. I tipped the leaves into the pot and gave it a stir. But by now the water was not hot enough to do anything to the leaves. Neither the person who designed this contraption, nor the person who acquired it, nor the one who served me really had much understanding (or interest in?) English Breakfast Tea. So I went home and made myself...

Gail's has a high standard at every branch I've visited; this one's no exception. Their pastries always taste fresh and everyone who tags along with me loves their food. The coffee is pretty good here too.

The only issue I encountered here was the somewhat disordered queueing/ordering system. We joined the queue, although the people in front of us were still debating what to get; a member of staff asked if we were ready, we said yes, but then they went to take two other people's orders behind us first, then served the people who'd been in front of us.

We weren't in a rush so no big deal, but we waited ten minutes to order a couple pastries and a coffee; then, we waited a further ten minutes before we got our coffee. I'm not sure if our order was temporarily forgotten because we were taking away, but again the people after us received their cups before we got ours.

Still, I'd go back; their bread is worth buying, and all their pastries taste great. Just... maybe don't go if you're in a hurry. It's in a great location though, nearby a park...