Canada Water Cafe in Southwark

Simply the best modern café in London. But keep it quiet. It gets busy enough as it is! ***** Update 8 years later - STILL the best around. STILL so tasty. Lovely staff, great food, great prices. Our go-to place whenever we want to be guaranteed a good meal with a great atmosphere.

Gorgeous food really kind staff and wonderful with my daughter

A delicious breakfast and exceptional service from Natalia. Thank you very much.

Updating my review from 2 years ago, it still offers truly fantastic food and service!

I had left a bad review 8 years ago, but today I decided to give it another try as I was in the area at lunchtime and needed somewhere to eat and work a bit. I really enjoyed my lunch, both food and service were great. I had the lunch set menu and I’m very glad I did!

Alexandra was amazing. Had recommended us some great white wine that we throughly enjoyed. She made our evening very special. Thank you!

Perfect place to be, just days here, but found a place that feels like home.

BEST LASAGNA IN LONDON. I’m yet to find a better one.

Good place for breakfast. I found my pecorino breakfast - scrambled eggs with cheese and mushrooms - too salty and pricey. But I liked the atmosphere and service.

Loved the atmosphere of this place! And I also loved the authenticity of its service, it felt like being in a traditional Italian restaurant, with the specials of the day following typical Italian tradition. On that occasion, I went there for a quick coffee/tea, and it was 5pm on Valentine's day. They were so accomodating despite being fully booked, and we had a rooibos tea with cantuccini biscuits. Delicious!

It could be five stars if cash was acceppted here....

Lovely little place. Warm friendly staff and the food is fantastic

Pequeño café encantador, personal muy amable. La comida era buena, no porciones masivas, pero era sabroso. Pero el servicio estaba en el lado lento y pensó que era un poco caro.

It's a good place: cosy and comfy with good food, but expensive

Very nice environment and food. Came here for lunch with my family and the waitress Ramona was very nice to us, suggesting dishes and making sure we had everything we needed.

Absolutamente precioso lugar, buena boca que riega la comida. Estaba recién cocinado y con un sabor equilibrado, he estado pensando en ir allí varias veces y estoy muy contenta de haberlo hecho. Recomiendo encarecidamente este lugar e iré allí para cenar pronto

Very nice food and lovely staff!

what a lovely place, so glad we found it wonderful atmosphere friendly staff and delicious pizza

Amazing Full English breakfast, Superb service and always excellent coffee!!!

The staff were wonderful, and we had an amazing breakfast! Super busy little cafe, we had to wait 20 minutes for a table as it’s so popular, but the staff were great and we were sat outside in the front garden, by the heater and had a fantastic latte until our table was ready. Definitely go again when I’m next in the area.

The food is very nice! Tasty and authentic Italian. Pasta is hand made. Very nice.

We were craving a good English breakfast, really very tasty and above all good service from Gilber. Thanks

Great food and nice atmosphere!

Lovely food served quickly and very tasty too. Does get busy too. They do have outside tables.

The food is ok... quite small menu... no too many options....

Came in for a quick lunch and it was absolutely amazing from start to finish. The service is so welcoming and friendly but not full on. The food is absolutely gorgeous. We were explained that we had come between breakfast and lunch servings so there would be about 30 min wait. No issues, drinks arrived quickly we were offered nibbles whilst we waited, our order was taken and the food arrived very quick. The dishes were absolutely stunning, so fresh and tasty we wish we could have stayed for longer!

Close to where I live, this is an amazing place. I love the coffee & food is great, tried different options which you can see from the photos.

Good food and service for a large group of us at Canada Water Cafe. I'm not a great fan of pasta and pizza, but was very happy to have the lamb special of the day. Which was delicious. Good food and a few drinks for around £50, which is good value for this area of town.

Stopped in for a brief lunch the other day at CWC. Although busy, I felt comfortable and the service I received was informative. It seems like an incredible place to work through atmosphere, and that showed in the food. One of my favourite stops in Canada Water, located close to the tube station. A lovely balance between a restaurant and a cafe. Will be returning in the near future!

We stopped for dinner on the way back from Phantom Peak and had a lovely time. Pizzas were excellent, with good variety, and service was really good. Easy recommendation to anyone visiting Canada Water.

Realmente encantador hallazgo - justo enfrente de la estación. Personal amable y atento, comida deliciosa (especialmente postres) y a un precio razonable. Me alegré de que reservamos con antelación para esta joya. Puede imaginar volver en un día de verano o por la noche y disfrutar de una comida tranquila con unas bebidas.

A lovely spot for a family lunch. The set menu was good value, food fresh and tasty. Impressed by the really amazing, accommodating service from friendly staff. Service was slow on the day we went but we were a large group. A super experience!

The last time I visited the experience wasn’t great, they were understaffed, food arrived before our drinks, took over an hour for us to get any food and by that point we were done. However, we tried it again and everything was perfect - staff were friendly, food was delicious (and didn’t take long) and the atmosphere was far better. We will be returning!

Came for a dinner date. Lovely ambience, great service, food was amazing and very reasonable for london prices. Will be back!

Went before the Taskmaster experience. Atmosphere great, staff excellent and food very good.

Gracias a la encantadora Sarah por el increíble té de jengibre y martinis de pan de jengibre, ella hace lo mejor! Esta es una especie de joya escondida junto a la estación de metro de agua de Canadá, pequeño restaurante italiano que sirve comida increíble. Trate de hacer una reserva si planea ir aunque a pie - ins bienvenido también. Buena suerte Sarah con todos tus esfuerzos futuros

Went for Breakfast. We were looked after very well, and the waitress was very very kind to us. The food was prepared quickly and was tasty, and was reasonably priced. The lunch/dinner menu looked lovely, and it would be a great place to go for dinner. It's in a great location right at Canada Water station, and I'd highly recommend being just 10 minutes out of London city on the Jubilee line, it's much better than anything in the centre! Highly recommend, lovely place!

I've literally just come out of the place, I was so impressed that I had to write a review, when it is deserved, it's a must! I had the vegetarian breakfast, with the addition of beans. Everything was cooked and seasoned perfectly, the toasted sourdough bread nicely charred and seasoned with olive oil, cheery tomatoes baked to perfection and retained its flavour, nicely sauteed spinach and seasoned avocado mash. Roasted mushrooms were good as well and the poached egg was warm and runny. SPOT ON CHEF! (Koreen)? Service was ok as well, maybe a bit more attention (while serving me the water, spilled it on the table and didn't dry it and then placed the menu over it, but I am sure it was just a case, as the place was fairly busy and the waitress was by herself, but the rest was good. So please waitress don't take it too personal. I'll definitely be back, thanks!

I’ve always wanted to try this spot since I’ve been living in the area, and I finally had the chance. We only stopped by for drinks, a cheese platter, and dessert. While the food wasn’t particularly impressive, the overall vibe of the place was quite cozy and inviting. It’s the kind of spot that would be nice to unwind at if you’re a local, but I wouldn’t say it’s a must-visit for anything beyond convenience. Still, the atmosphere makes it a pleasant place to relax for a casual evening. And I will definitely go back to try the food!

Lovely breakfast with delightful serving staff

Great atmosphere, friendly service and very tasty food. My partner and I had breakfast here during our stay in London. 🥰

Service was excellent, friendly, and fun! Food was great and Christmas tree at the table? Loved it!

Great breakfast spot near the metro. Healthy fare and friendly staff

The food is exceptional very well prepared coupled with a very friendly service

Beautiful food, great onion soup, fantastic coctails... Deserves 5star

Spacious seating and shareable dishes made it perfect for our gathering

Good atmosphere with a good menu of pizzas and Italian food. Good deal.

I’ve been a regular visitor to Canada Water cafe and always enjoyed its authenticity, but the recent changes are disappointing. The menu, food, and staff seemed to have all secretly changed, and the food quality has noticeably declined—it’s now barely better than a ready meal from Tesco. What was once a genuinely authentic Italian restaurant now feels like a British-Italian hybrid. It’s such a shame to lose a cherished local gem.

Enjoyed our dinner here in this beautiful place. Those handmade squid ink dough pizza (from special) and pasta were so delicious :) the homemade mousse is one of the best dessert I’ve had in a restaurant Great suggestion on the octopus for the pizza from the waiter Nicholas ! Thank you for the attentive and polite service - we will come back

Lovely breakfast & coffee was very very good will definitely pop in again if passing

Had a lovely lunch today at Canada Water cafe! The food is absolutely delicious and It has such a cosy, warm atmosphere. It’s also dog friendly 🐶🐾🦴💖 We Will definitely be back!

Nice spot for easy lunch or brunch. We went for lunch and I ordered the lasagna which was amazing. Very tasty food. Also the staff are very accommodating! We had very little time so asked if they could have our food prepared quickly which they were happy to do so. Our waiter Denise was very helpful. We’ll definitely come back again.

Cute place with nice ambience - drinks came after the starters which was unfortunate. Food was mediocre - £8 for bruschetta which was 3 slices of tomato on half a thin piece of sourdough seemed steep. The other 3 people in my group enjoyed their main meals - the pasta I had was bland and had clumps of uncooked pasta running throughout. I probably would return and hope the chef was having an off day when we went.

Delicious place, food is extremely good with fresh and top quality ingredients, will definitely come back

Unfortunately the service lets this place down. I have been twice in the last week before a baby class next door for a coffee. Both times, the waitress in charge has shouted at me across the cafe as I took my seat and been extremely unforgiving as I try and navigate my pram to a table in the cafe, and I have always kept it out of the way so staff can take orders at various tables. Staff are rude, unfriendly and made me feel very uncomfortable as a new mother.

Discovered this place today! Decor and insides were lovely and homely, the food was good, although the service, though friendly, was quite slow. I got the set menu which came with with bruschetta, linguilino pasta and the choc mousse! Bruschetta was pretty nice, and pasta was nice and al dente, though asking for extra parmesan and chilli oil made the sauce a lot better in my opinion. The best thing I ate was surprisingly the chocolate mousse with sea salt and nuts! I'm not a big mousse fan at all but got it since it was a set meal - omg was this the best mousse and honestly up with the top desserts I've ever had - it was rich and thick and heavier then a typical mousse, not too sweet, and the toppings were chefs kiss! It was simple but superb! Highly recommended!

It's our local Italian restaurant, we sometimes go for brunch or dinner, the food is usually great. This time, we went on a cold late Sunday afternoon for some appetisers and desserts as we weren't ready for a full meal yet. After asking if we want dinner and us saying the truth they wouldn't give us a table inside, even though the restaurant was half empty, tables not having the reserved sign. Guess you prefer to keep the tables for people who pay more... Well, you just lost 2 loyal customers! This place used to have the best service, please fix it!

Lovely little gem next to Canada Water Station. I have been to the restaurant multiple times. They offer great pasta dishes and nice pizzas. They are not only the best restaurant in the area, but also worth a visit from a bit further away given how easy it is to get there. For those who also enjoy it, they use good quality coffee on their drinks.

¡Dios mío, qué alegría encontrar este lugar! Solo por casualidad, paramos aquí de camino a un evento en la zona. ¡Un ambiente concurrido y hablador contribuyó a la comida casera más deliciosa! Se sirvió un ravioli de calabaza ligero con fucaccia tibia y una ensalada parmesana verde con queso parmesano extra listo. Mi bebida preferida fue un delicioso negroni. ¡Se podía decir que todo lo anterior había sido hecho con amor!

Another fantastic meal with great company.

As a regular customer - This is the best local, independent cafe in Canada Water and one of the first in the area since I moved here over 10 years ago. The quality has been consistent because they don;t try to over complicate the menu. The pizza is great! It is reasonably priced, the coffee and food are good and the dishes are simple, but made to a good standard. What I appreciate the most is the relaxed vibe, soft/quiet music, and I've even chosen to work here for a few hours at a time (of course racking up my bill ordering breakfast, drinks and lunch!) as they don't try to make you leave unlike other places. Wifi is also decent. Service is efficient, friendly, despite getting busy at lunchtimes. Keep doing great job because this is a gem in the local community and it stands out compared to other places in the area! :)

The staff are amazing - the food is full of all the authentic italian flavours were all thoroughly enjoyed the dishes we chose. The Bruschetta was devine because the tomatoes were incredible!

Not made to feel welcomed by the waiter after quing in the rain and then he served a few tables before us that had arrived after us too, so we waited a while before eventually just walking out.

Good ambience and food is delicious

Fantastic pizza, cocktails and great decor!

Super friendly staff (who love dogs) and fantastic high-quality food branches and coffees would highly recommend

Great food! And kitchen is open until late!

Very cute place. I think it’s slightly overpriced for the portions . Very friendly staff

We came here twice while visiting London. Sometimes they are busy but it is worth it. We ordered the Focaccia, Bruschetta, Margarita Pizze and Paccheri e polpo. Kids ordered strawberry lemonade to drink. Everything was excellent.

My first visited to this cafe was almost exactly a year ago. An event I had attended at the O2 had finished mid evening and I was looking for somehwere to eat. My late arrival on a Sunday evening presented no problem to the staff and I was made most welcome, such that I returned the following morning for breakfast. So not surpisingly I returned. Given that my visits have been a year apart the gentleman that served me today (Monday 14/10) was most attentive and made me feel as if I was a regular customer.

Didn't know what happened on the night I visited, a little bit slow on food serving but the staffs were very nice and trying to make sure the customers were happy and food was spectacular.

My partner and I stopped in for breakfast on a Monday morning. The food came quickly and was very obviously fresh and high-quality. The service was excellent and friendly. The gentleman who served us even paused to talk to me about the fresh produce that was used. I really recommend the smoothies as they are tasty and thoughtfully blended. The atmosphere was also very comfortable and relaxed.

Efficient service despite it being a busy lunchtime and pretty good salmon royale.

Everything Super!!!… from the food to the service!!!!!….as a good Italian (from the Marche region) finding yourself on the menu of a good Verdicchio has no equal…. Top handmade pappardelle!!!!….Highly recommended for those nostalgic for TRUE Italian cuisine….Top quality/price!!

Brunch is salmon royal served efficiently despite it being busy by personable staff. Very fresh eggs, perfectly cooked.

Excellent food, welcoming staff and cozy atmosphere, I would love to be a regular customer if it wasn’t for the kitchen being so slow … the food is great, but a simple lunch comes with a 30mn+ wait consistently…

Fitted us in on a Friday night, excellent food, highly recommend to anyone in the area,

A true local gem. Friendly staff and lovely place for a coffee, meal or drink

Good and Interesting.good hangout place with friends

Really nice pizzas at a very reasonable price.

Nice cafe with very good service. The staff are excellent at the cafe, very attentive to customer's request. Would like to visit again.

I have never seen another restaurant where the portions are so small. I ordered lasagna and ravioli, paid a lot of money and left without being full. Only the pizzas were good

There are two great reasons to visit Canada Water Café. First, the food is absolutely incredible—if an Italian is telling you that, trust me, it’s the real deal! Second, the service, especially from Federica, is fantastic. She’s attentive, genuine, and has such a warm, funny personality. From the moment we walked in, we felt like we were visiting an old friend. Federica has welcomed me more than once, and each time it feels like catching up with someone I’ve known forever. The combination of this kind of care and amazing food really makes a difference. P.S. You have to try the tiramisu!

I have been here quite a few times, being a local , and there not being much around locally, and turned up last night quite late for a bite to eat. Food was tasty no doubt , as always, but the main course salad we ordered to go with the main was tiny. I mean bread and butter plate tiny, two leaves of romaine and three cherry tomatoes cut in half tiny. At the time we didnt think to question it but dwelling on it throughout dinner I thought. .that cannot be a main course'. When the waitress took orders for dessert I asked her to confirm that this had been a main course or whether it was a side. She confirmed (three times) a main. I questioned how that could cost £12?.. she again confirmed a main course. I then asked to speak to the manager ( I am an ex senior hospitality executive so not shy to ask, as many would be). There was then a fudge between the manager and the waitress and the manager then said that no, it was a side. And the bill was altered. THIS WAS ALL VERY UPLEASANT AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF IT. IT LEFT AN UNPLEASANT FEELING THOUGH I want to add that I have kept the receipt if the owner wants to reply that s/he 'doesnt recognise this review as authentic' as seems to be the case. I wluld be willing to upload that if asked.

We had cocktails, didnt like the taste much or find the alcohol amount enough. It was not a good experience. The service is slow too.

We went in closer to closing times. So staff were not too friendly.

We were regular customers in this restaurant between 2017-2021. We came back after 3 years and took a friend with us, as we were dying to have a Lasagne. We always ordered Lasagne here, the portion was always big and tasty. The taste was good as before, But we were extremely shocked that the portion was about half of what it used to be years ago. And the price went up of course, which is fine, but it is unacceptable for me that we order a Lasagne for £15 and we get a starter size. In the previous years we usually couldn't even finish our meal, but this time we were still hungry after we finished. Service is still good, but if they keep these very small portions, unfortunately we won't be returning.

Somehow they managed to make my classic mojito orange/yellow but still taste watery… our past two experiences has been a bit of a let down after great ones last year. Ditto on the reviews before, something has happened and the quality is going down.

Very good restaurant, breakfast, dinner or dinner (until 11 p.m.), we ate very well there and the service is good. Very friendly staff. We will come back to it :-)

We were a family of 3 from Sweden having brunch. Fresh place, very good service of a German weither, fresh ingredients and eggs Benedict perfectly cooked. Coffee way too weak... Feels a bit expensive to leave 88£ on the table for a brunch. I do recommend this place!!

Had a great pre-event visit here with some friends. Tasty food, friendly service. Minus a star only because of serving cocktails that need crushed ice (mojito) with whole ice cubes, which ruins it! 😉 Sorry, I don't make the rules🍹

Had dinner here tonight. This place has gone downhill. The orecchiette turned out to be penne. Overcooked. No apology or explanation provided. The tomato sauce was bland. The portions are unnecessarily small. The prices don’t reflect the quality of the food. They’re just lucky there’s very little competition around. They’ve lost a customer.

Wasn’t my favourite dining experience. Took us about 30 minutes to receive our food (which was essentially two HALF slices of toast with 3 slices of tomato on them). Within this time we were offered tap water which was served in very unhygienic dirty glasses. After receiving our food I was offered balsamic vinegar which I agreed to- this was never brought, i ate my dry tomato toast on its own. Service was not the best as the waitress serving us was very unresponsive. Will not be visiting again.

Super homely. Great vibes. Food is amazing!

The best cheesecake in town, pizza is lovely too.

Great little cafe just stopped for coffee and a croissant both were delicious and the staff we lovely

Superb service always at this local Italian restaurant. Great outdoor terrace where you can work whilst you enjoy the delicious menu with tasty daily specials offering. My pizza today was tasty and most enjoyable. Thank you guys @ Canada Water Cafe 😍

Service was slow. Table booked for 8pm and a few things on menu they had run out of. Not sure I will come back

Good brunch, with options for allergies

Really nice setting (inside and out) and really lovely staff and decent prices. We weren’t properly having dinner so can’t say too much about the food, but enjoyed the pizza we shared.