Cafe Hope in Southwark

Just had the driest baguette with the stingiest amount of filling - definitely not worth £5

This cafe is truely a blessing. As a daily visitor to a seriously ill family member in King's the stress of huge, ultra busy hospital was getting me down. Cafe Hope is opposite Denmark Hill station and what a relief to go to a light, airy, comfortable clean space with a calmer atmosphere . Compare with the busy, cramped crowded Costa's at King's. At Cafe Hope you can enjoy a pleasant wide range of light lunch items, snacks, soup and hot drinks. A pleasant , calming 'buzz' of people and plenty of bright clean tables to sit. A mix of people from wheelchair users, mums with babies, people at their laptops. Good value. Just restores, revives and calms you from the frantic pace at King's. Three clean modern toilets as well. Thank you Salvation Army for giving us this much needed reviving place.

Nice cafe in the morning for a quick breakfast and coffee. Good selection of food/veggie options.

Convenient for a coffee stop on the way to work that’s not just hospital Costa. Great pastries. No queues in the morning and an NHS discount!

Bright, clean, airy and calm space. Takeaway coffee was good and a really good price for a double cappuccino. I'll definitely be popping back for one of the tasty looking doughnuts at my next appointment at Kings. Salad bar looked really inviting too.

The staff are polite and helpful I'm giving 1 star for atmosphere. The place is freezing cold. I like to take my time when I'm having tea. Impossible to relax, when I'm so cold. The management need to sort out the air conditioning.

Very calm & tranquil, excellent food at very reasonable price 😋😋

Me and my son were more than happy to go to this cafe but little did we know that it was very good. The service was average although the food quality was amazing and the atmosphere was great. Overall amazing and I would recommend it to everyone.

Usually getting my coffee from here every morning, today the lady serving me made me a “milky foam cup” rather than a latte, which is not a major issue. When I reached to the train platform and had a sip, I realised the cup she gave me was faulty and bended on the edges so I ended up spilling this hot drink all over me… I know it’s early morning and usually the service is OK, but perhaps a little more attention can be paid..

Really worth a visit! Reasonably priced. All enjoyed our coffee and pastries!

We visited this morning for coffee on our way to a hospital appointment & again on our way home for lunch. A lovely cafe, very reasonably priced, spotlessly clean & lovely staff.

What a delightful find! This café is a gem – lovely, spacious, and impeccably clean. One thing that instantly won my heart is their inclusion of coconut milk as an option. It's a fantastic touch for those of us who love to explore different milk alternatives. A couple of suggestions for an already awesome place: It would be wonderful if they offered a discount for using reusable cups – a little nudge towards sustainability. Also, having more vegan options on the menu would be a fantastic addition. While we're on the topic, it would be even nicer if plant-based milk didn't come with an additional surcharge. Small things, but they can make a world of difference. Overall, a fantastic spot for a coffee rendezvous, and I'll definitely be back to enjoy more of the cozy vibes!

I come regularly to Kings for treatment etc. got off the bus this morning and since the summer this little gem has been "planted". A joy and the girl who runs it was fabulous

Friendly staff, good place to work or meet with a friend. I wish it could be open during the weekend ☺️

Excellent muffins and friendly staff.

I watched this place being built, during my regular visits at Kings College Hospital. Thought I would give the place a try. A peaceful atmosphere to enjoy a light lunch with coffee. Who ever designed the space, have got the acoustics just right. No infuriating echoes to assault the ears. The plain concrete surfaces, might like a spiritual mural. No alcohol served. There is an establishment across the road for that nonsense.

Dog owners stay clear. Have given this place a couple of tries. First on my own for a takeaway coffee. The bean quality was good but barista skills were poor - overheated, no attempt or understanding of microfoam. Very limited food options for anyone with dietary requirements. Second attempt was with my small dog. I asked a barista if it was okay to bring him in. They were reticent and said (grumpily) ‘well there’s another dog sat here but we don’t have a licence’. I said ‘you don’t need a license, it’s about distance to open food preparation area’ (they appear to have a separate kitchen so there’s no reason not to have dogs in other than preference). She shrugged and said, ‘well someone else brought their dog in’. The implication was ‘if you must but I’d rather you didn’t’. They didn’t seem to actually know their policy (or legislation) but just weren’t very welcoming. I said we’d go across the road to FCB where we are welcome. Staff in the place need much better training.

Assessed against its nearest competitor, FCB coffee across the road, Cafe Hope scores highly if you want a quiet and spotlessly clean (if slightly austere) venue to work or meet. It also scores highly on service which has been appropriately friendly on all occasions I have visited. It scores less well on choice and quality of hot and cold food - there is more and better at FCB. Coffee quality is broadly comparable to FCB but cheaper which is a plus. Liked the jazz music playing in the background. Of all the cafes within the immediate vicinity of the two hospitals, this seems to be the one that offers the best vibe for working or work meetings I'd say.

Cafe Hope is the cafe of the Salvation Army's Territorial Headquarters and is open to the public with an entrance on Champion Park, opposite Denmark Hill railway station. The sandwiches are supplied by Society, so if you have had them at another workplace café, you will know what they are like—just fine. The coffee is equally fine, coming in a single dark-roasted, traditional blend. The interior is a haphazard but inoffensive mix of industrial exposed concrete and ducts, tile-effect linoleum and wood-effect laminates—the overall effect is just fine. On the day that I visited, service was unfailingly polite and cheerful. This being a workplace café, there are ample sockets provided for laptops and the like, should you find yourself in need.