The Rookery Café — Restaurant in London

There has been a cafe here for years and years, my grandmother when she was alive used to bring me and my brother here when we stayed with her for the weekend. Then there used to be a 10p machine out the front where you could get a suprise ball with a yo-yo or tin ring inside, there was also a ride along kids machine. The owners used to be Italian and we would order a plate of egg and chips with ketchup squeezed all over the chips in squiggly patterns, they had a counter for ice-creams with lots of flavours and sometimes we would have big chocolate biscuits with chocolate chips in. Some years after my gran died I returned to the cafe to delight in egg and chips once more. There was such happiness to know the place was still there. Then about 4/5 years ago I returned once again but it had changed hands, you could no longer buy egg and chips instead this had been swapped for buckwheat, sourdough and smashed avocado. And the cost had gone up quite considerably. As nice as those things are, they don't have the same fondness and comfort of that Italian cafe on the hill. I visited again recently with my son, we were too late to order any food but did order some hot chocolate at the door (they don't let you inside). It seems that you can order on an app or by card at the door, I am not sure about cash . We ordered an ordinary hot chocolate and a special hot chocolate which comes with whipped cream, marshmallows and sprinkles, as my son is vegetarian he could not have the marshmallows (perhaps the owners could think about catering to the vegetarian/ pescatarian/ vegan diets by buying some non gelatin marshmallows). When the hot chocolates arrived it seems the sprinkles were freeze dried raspberries, not brightly coloured sugar strands, which my son couldn't eat either - so I picked those off for him and he proceeded to get whipped cream and chocolate all over his face! My hot chocolate was the simple one. The outside seating was clean, looked recently done up and kept us dry. The staff were functional more than welcoming, perhaps to be expected at the end of a wet Saturday afternoon, and overall the cafe was a welcome break in the rain but how I missed the nostalgia of my youth and that my son would not have anywhere near the same kind of love I had for the cafe...

Am personally a NIGHTMARE to cook for. My kids practically run for the PTSD counselling counter whenever I order in a restaurant. (Always with annoying special requests and menu probing questions)

Worked as a waitress in london and NY since I was 16; and am a self taught pastry chef - fussy AF in other words and a pain in the arse.

When I say this was THE BEST breakfast (eaten as late lunch to a misty autumn sunset which didn’t hurt) I have eaten anywhere in YEARS, I am not exaggerating.

This chef’s menu and execution are IMMACULATE. Am phobic about snotty white in a poached egg, but get pissed off when they just cook the egg through if I mention it. These were PERFECTION.

Their own braised/baked beans that come with the full breakfast were beautifully seasoned - not at all sickly or sweet. Corn fritters were extra crispy as asked for and superb. The whole thing was faultless. The staff were super lovely and put up with my special requests with grace - I needn’t have bothered. Now I know the expert hands we are in, I won’t ever have to raise a peep. Such a relief for my kids. I think we might move in. Ha ha ha.

Sweet, sweet interior too, stylish but cosy with a lovely mix of the local SW london community with dogs and kiddies in tow.

Clocked that they use great milk for the coffees which is another huge feather in their cap and antidote to one of my other MANY pet peeves: ie fab, fair trade coffee from amazing niche roasters etc only to be made with toxic crappy Moo juice from freshways. 🤬 No such worries here.

Only regret is how long it took us to try it. Have lived nearby for years. The rookery gardens are a stunning setting and blew us away. A perfect autumn afternoon.

How they are not on any food awards radar I don’t know. I scanned for the usual little plaques and stuff but found none which was a shock.

Don’t hesitate for a second....

Like many other people on here we just said, "That that's it - never again."

Very over priced and 30 minutes wait for soup and baps. The pumpkin soup was water thin and the toast was burnt. Over priced BURNT (black) toast after waiting 30 minutes., and weak coffee. When I walked up to the counter to ask for replacement toast I was told in a condescending mumble that I have to talk to the (very busy ) chef - who was in the kitchen (!) while there are three team members just standing there behind the counter. "okay, you want me to talk directly to the chef". "Well, I just do the coffee" (in tone that indicated I should know this). "So, perhaps I ought to talk with them" (I indicated the two team members standing to her left). She shrugs. I turned to the other team members and one of them finally took the burnt toast off me.

Yes, it's also ridiculous that they let dogs continue to bark and put there paws everywhere. But a 30 minutes wait for burnt toast and water thin soup and 25% more expensive than it ought to be with stand-off-ish service means this was our last visit.

We complained last year when I took my mother and a dog was barking very loudly, continuously and aggressively next to our table for the 15 minutes we beard it before getting up and leaving (my 8-year old daughter ended up in tears). I tried to get the staff to help resolve it so we could finish our meal but was told, "We're a dog friendly venue". I should not have gone back since then.

It's also telling that when people comment on how awful the toilets are the owner is quick to pop up and explain that they are not responsible for the toilets, but comments like this one don't tend to...