Heart of Balham - HOB — Restaurant in London

Edit from 5 to 3 Stars

I have grown a bit of a love hate relationship with this place. Visited 5 or 6 times since my review 4 months ago and although I stick by the good food, I have come to find the wait times too long. If you want to visit you need to be prepared to wait upwards of an hour for your food. I understand it's busy but this can put you off going regularly unless you have the time.

Lastly, the lady who I assume is the owner is always very friendly. But I find her waiting staff can be standoffish. The couple of occasions I've raised a minor issue, I have found that rather than just apologising and dealing with it, the staff kind of justify themselves to the point of argumentative passive agressiveness. Honestly, whether it was my fault, their fault or just a misunderstanding, I don't really mind but a swift apology and "I'll bring that now" or "oh sorry I must have misunderstood, I'll add that to the order" would be absolutely fine. Instead I find myself having a back and forth about something that was never really an issue in the first place.

Amazings menu with a variety of different Middle Eastern/African inspired twists on breakfast. Everything seems fresh high quality! Good veggie/vegan options too. Always very busy and hard to get a table but that just shows how...

Nestled conveniently close to the station, 'Heart of Balham' is a brunch haven that combines a prime location with swift service and fantastic food.

Seated promptly, we experienced excellent and efficient service that set a positive tone for our visit. The speed at which our food arrived was equally impressive, a testament to the restaurant's commitment to customer satisfaction.

Opting for the chicken and waffles, I was met with a delightful surprise. The dish was not only amazing in taste but also presented as a generous portion, offering excellent value for the price paid.

'Heart of Balham' truly excels in providing great value for money. The fusion of Middle Eastern flavours with a modern brunch twist creates a unique and memorable dining experience. It's a refreshing departure from the ordinary brunch fare.

In summary, 'Heart of Balham' has earned its place as one of the best brunch spots I've had the pleasure of visiting. From its prime location and swift service to the delightful chicken and waffles, this establishment offers a perfect blend of taste,...

Heard lots of good things about this place. We were happy to wait for a table inside as it was cold and staff were very friendly keeping us updated on the wait and letting us see a menu while waiting. We were seated at a little metal table next to the counter and it seemed like an extra table they’d squeezed in to give an extra 2 covers and I’d rather have sat at a normal table. We just felt squished in and in the way of the regular table next to us. Ordered one of the flat breads and not sure if it was just the wrong thing to order but it was not good at all. It tasted like it was made on those cheap supermarket pre made pizza base things - very cardboard. Not nice home made like I’d expect from a local brunch place. There were people next to us with lovely looking pancakes and a breakfast, so perhaps I just lucked out and picked the wrong thing? It has put me off returning though, if I did I’d have to come with someone else as my partner was horrified with his food. We live local in Balham and regularly go out for brunch this just really didn’t hit the mark...