Simplicity in Southwark

Fantastic local restaurant with amazing atmosphere and staff. Food is excellent and home-made. Very generous portions. Recommend: pork ribs and duck breast

Lovely local restaurant. We visited for a late Sunday lunch: the roast was delicious and we left after our leisurely meal feeling very well fed and happy. The nut roast and pork belly were excellent, with all the trimmings, and we finished off the meal with a properly good sticky toffee pudding. The service was particularly welcoming and warm, giving a homely yet professional atmosphere alongside the comforting and tasty food.

Laurence is a dream, his food is amazing and the place has had a really nice refresh!! Great dietary options. Go and you won’t regret.

Unique hidden spot, one of those special places hard to find in London. Feels heartwarming while offering exquisite food

Can’t recommend this place enough! From the moment we arrived, Lawrence greeted us with a warm smile and took the time to understand my parents’ preferences—a challenge since they’re not particularly fond of British food. Not only did my parents love the food, but they also thoroughly enjoyed Lawrence’s stories and appreciated all the effort and care he put into preparing everything for us. We will definitely be coming back!

It was absolutely delicious food, friendly service, wonderful vibes and quiet location. Will definitely come back again and I recommend this place. 10/10

Food was tasty, but we were waiting to get menu for 30 min, and the waited for our order for 1:20h! I'll never come here again...

Great place, great food (roasted goat cheese salad is just wow!)

Amazing chef who spent time with us and is not just an excellent pastry 🥧 maker, but also an excellent host. The cheesecake, apple crumble, sticky toffee and cheese 🧀 board are sublime. Lovely location. Amazing menu. Go there, take your time and have everything!! Does a very cool elaborate Sunday Roast menu as well.

Like many of the reviewers below, we came across this place by chance and I am so glad we did! Everything about this place is super; the food, the atmosphere, the staff. (so welcoming!). We had a couple of Tapas style dishes along with a very refreshing Table Beer! If I lived closer, I would come here on a regular basis.

A gorgeous hidden gem of a restaurant with a surprisingly exciting menu and a good choice of wines. Service was top notch but dishes were unfortunately disappointed with low quality condiments - a restaurant that nice needn’t serve greasy spoon style vinegary ketchup! Stock Heinz, and everything else is infallible!

I came across simplicity whilst looking around the history of the area and after a pint in the Mayflower. If you like good food, quiet ambience and friendly staff ( with soft Cuban background music) then this is your sort of place, the lamb was cooked to perfection and just the right amount.good selection of local beers and jus a sense of calm.

I can’t tell you how long I’ve wanted to eat here. Years! So it’s a shame. The food, when it arrived was very good, excellent even - and that’s even if it wasn’t what we ordered. BUT the food took 90mins to arrive and the queries we made in between were rudely met. Our waitress was hostile and at time actively difficult - if I was cooking such good food in that restaurant I’d be disappointed my front of house was letting me down so bad. She was stressed but, well that’s the job right? A simple “we are over stretched can I bring you some bread while you wait?” or “I’m sorry the kitchen is short staffed, can I suggest you have a starter?” would have have eased over our issues and would have kept us happy whilst we waited. And waited. And waited. We wanted pudding but we passed because the waitress was so off putting. “What’s changed since I was last here?” she demanded. Every table gave us a sympathetic look... Mine goes to the chef.

Great food and service. Lovely modern British fare.

Lovely cafe, very accommodating to kids!

Definitely worth a visit, old school vibe with the menu on a chalk board with a range of choices. We had chicken wings, goats cheese salad snd courgette fritters for starters. Mains were duck, halloumi & mushroom burger and bubble &squeak. With one dessert of sticky toffee pudding, all the food was delicious and reasonably priced at around £90. The drinks were also a good price for london and had local beers from bermondsey which was a nice touch.

After seeing afternoon theatre at NT Southbank on Saturday we thought we would walk along river to our favourite pub for early dinner at The Angel. Only to find it heaving with people and consequently stopped serving food! By chance we can across this restaurant Simplicity near Brunel museum and we’re so glad we did. Excellent classic food great starters goats cheese salad followed by lamb and veg as a main and toffee pudding as dessert. All cooked and presented to perfection. Thank you so much for your kindness and attention as we were first evening diners that day! Great food and service. Recommended absolutely!

Lovely food in a quiet neighbourhood setting.

I will say that visiting simplicity was one of the best places to eat In London. The food was amazing and the atmosphere was so nice and friendly. If you’re in London, I would completely recommend this place on your itinerary.

Happened on this, solo, on my way home from work. Only had a few small plates and a couple of glasses of wine on the terrace - but all top-notch. Looking forward to returning for a proper feed with chums.

A little gem in the middle of Rotherhithe. I have been living in this area for a few years and went into that very cute little restaurant for the first time a couple of weeks ago with my partner. We had a great evening, the food was delicious (chicken and leek pie + bubble squeak), and the chef/owner very welcoming and friendly. We were so happy to realise we had such a nice place close to ours that we went back yesterday and had another great evening: tasty food, wine and dessert (homemade bakewall tart!) and a long conversations with the chef who taught us about the proper way to peel onions, best advice ever :) If you're looking for a cosy vibe, slow-cooked food all homemade from scratch and warm welcome, this is a great find.

Food was amazing and the Chef very friendly! Great price for quality. Duck was delicious and it's great to have a lovely place in Rotherhithe to go to!

Came across this little gem by chance. Tasty food, very friendly chef and relaxed vibe!

I had always been curious about this place when passing by in the mornings and finally had an opportunity to visit as we were in the area late on a Sunday night having just celebrated a birthday at The Angel Pub. So glad we did! The chef was warm and welcoming, and despite us arriving in so late, have us excellent and patient service, walking us through the specificities of any dishes we were thinking about. It was a very homey atmosphere, and the food was delicious, with generous portions. Between us, our vegetarian group enjoyed the nut roast and mushroom & halloumi burger - both 10/10! The chef was also careful to check any dietary restrictions as we were going along. The wine list and dessert menu also looked fantastic and we hope to indulge more the next time we visit!

Lovely little place tucked away. Nice Sunday roast with all the trimmings. Nice service and lovely food by someone who knows what they are doing. Look forward to when I can come back

Excellent food and great place to visit. We really enjoyed our visit.

Very good rendering of traditional british foods prepared with care and love.

This is an amazing find. Food was delicious, and beautifully served by a very friendly staff. Will definitely come again when I'm up this way.

Simplicity Restaurant is a lovely, quaint eatery. My friends and I went there for a belated birthday dinner. Lawrence, the owner and chef, was so polite, attentive and generous with his time. The food and atmosphere were very good and not too expensive

Accidentally discovered this absolute gem after not being able to get a table at the Mayflower pub - what a happy accident! The restaurant is charming, with plenty of character. The service was absolutely lovely. The menu had a really good range of interesting options and everything we had was totally delicious. Complementary, homemade potato crisps were a sensation. The pan roasted salmon with pink fir potatoes, an abundance of fresh veg and a pesto cream sauce was utterly delicious. As was the crumble which seemed to have been made from scratch on the spot - best crumble I’ve had. We really liked the look of the Sunday roast menu and have already made a plan to return and try it out. Highly recommend Simplicity, it was a wonderful surprise with really welcoming and friendly service.

It is a lovely little hidden gem of a restaurant that I have viewed on many a family walk in the past. Very local to me, so I decided to book a bit of late birthday get together with a few friends after work on Friday..and I wasn't disappointed. From the beautiful food which stimulated all of my senses. ..to the charm and warmth of the owner Lawrence. It was a wonderful dining experience, a pleasant atmosphere, albeit very quiet that particular night. The evening was still fun and delightful with wonderful food and wonderful companions...win..win situation!!

Visited on Saturday and loved it. Not only was the food lovely but Lawrence was charming. If you have a choice between this, a chain restaurant or a brewery run pub it’s a bit of a no-brainier . . Please go !

Great local spot with very tasty tapas menu and an incredibly friendly staff. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit!

Called in as another place nearby was full as I was looking for a Sunday roast. Choice of chicken or beef at Simplicity. Chose the chicken which was tender, lots of vegetables, gravy, separate bowl of cauliflower. Yorkshire dumpling on top so looked appetizing. I'm not a dumpling fan so left that. The roast potatoes were a bit too hard on the outside for my taste and no skin on the chicken but the problem was a piece of metal in the cauliflower. Luckily I had cut it up first so saw a dark spot not realising what it was at first. Told the waitress, offered a dessert or drink but I declined and was given 10% discount on payment. A bit disappointed overall but I'm just visiting so won't be back. One other thing was that the restaurant was very cold.

Delicious hidden gem. The menu is brought to you on a chalk board which was a bit quirky but the food is amazing. We had the sunday roast it was quite simply divine. The price was really good value for money. The staff are really lovely and make you feel very welcome. The chef was very accommodating to dietary restrictions. We had a nice lovely intimate dinner and would highly recommend it.

Created by the chef when we entered Sunday aftn. Very friendly and attentive. Excellent craft beer, light meal.

Delicious Sunday roast. Superb apple pie. Lovely owner.

The restaurant reopened today with a lovely list of tapas as well as a Bermondsey beef burger and fish fingers. Three of us ate halloumi fries,, fried greylings, Spanish potato tortilla, and a lovely grilled goat cheese salad. Fritters of homegrown courgette and apple crumble with homegrown apples were also on the list. The owner/chef served us himself and the atmosphere was calm and quiet, so we could chat easily.

Really enjoyable family Sunday lunch feeling very welcomed by the chef/owner. Perfect place to combine with a trip to the Brunel museum at Rotherhithe.

Great little eatery. Host/manager was very welcoming and friendly, and despite being very busy served us, great food with good humour. Recommend the apple crumble he made with apples he’d picked from his garden that morning.

Went to eat a Sunday roast, the photo's uploaded and and the plate we got is is like night and day, it was really bad. I found a hair in my plate. The Potatoes were old and overcooked, the meat I will not even go there. The service was really slow. The food is really expensive for the quality, rather eat at other place and avoid this one at all cost.

Popped in here for a quick lunch Food was excellent freshly prepared. Owner was friendly and made us feel very welcome. Bit out of the way but definitely worth a visit. We will be back

If I could give the the food 100000 stars i would

Looks like being refurbished and the chef is also your waiter

A delight - great food, great service, great service, sat away from any main road, an outside place to watch the world go by. I came late and on spec but was warmly welcomed and treated brilliantly. Got chatting with the owner (also the chef) who is a lovely guy, and genuinely interested in what customers think. Will be back and with many friends too.

The food was excellent and the owner was great with service especially with low staff and a busy dinner rush.

Oh wow! This nice little restaurant has been reborn. The chef and staff are so friendly and thoughtful, and customers are made to feel like they are part of the family. Food is superb. Had the French onion soup - it is certainly better than other French restaurants.

What a beautiful hidden gem. Found it by accident, so glad we did. Even with a member of staff missing they did themselves proud. Definitely coming back. Small constantly changing menu. Staff are wonderful. Food is fantastic. Want to give 6 stars, but there isn't one.

This was my first visit to the restaurant in over ten years. It's a real hidden gem. I was delighted to find some classics still on the menu and the atmosphere is just a I remember it being. Lovely.

I have been yesterday for dinner with my family and it was a really pleasant surprise. Good food, nice atmosphere and really lovely staff! Will be back soon.

Great food and the service was excellent; very attentive and friendly. Will be back for sure!

I’d been wanting to try Simplicity for a while and it exceeded my expectations! Warm, personable service alongside really good food - what more could you want? I’ll be back for sure.

Is there anywhere online where I can view the current menu?

Awful place, me and my partner had food poisoning. Avoid at all costs.

We found the restaurant/cafe by chance round the corner from Rotherhithe station. What a beautiful place run solely by Lawerence, who is the chef and waiter too! Very tasty food that is well presented. Thank you Lawerence and well done!

Walking past decided spontaneously to drop in. Super friendly waitress and chef. Really good menu. The bubble and squeak was amazing!

The food is good, the staff are lovely - the rose wine was delicious. It offers classic dishes with a makeover in a cute restaurant tucked away in Rotherhithe Village with a terrace, perfect for hot summer days. Recommend.

Chanced upon this place while visiting Rotherhithe. Was impressed by the cuteness of the little place. Simple, quaint, almost no-frills but there's much charm that one cannot put a finger on. Perhaps it's the little garden outside the window right by our table. Perhaps it's the warm, down-to-earth, non pretentious service by the 2 young ladies. Perhaps it's the amazing quality of the wine I ordered. The food was among the best I've ever tasted in London. Not the fancy, Michelin-starred type of "best" but very wholesome. You know that the chef cares about the quality of the food he serves, unlike most places anywhere in the world today. The food is the type that a good mother would serve her own children. It was going to be one of my last days on this trip to London. I decided to not rush but to savor the food and sip the wine slowly. What serendipity that the chef came over to say hello, and then introduced me to his glamorous days of sailing around the world. It's such quiet, simple encounters like this that makes this restaurant special. Simple food, simple conversations. Pure simplicity; much needed in our world today.

Delicious food and excellent service today. Thank you!

Lovely waiter, and the best sauce ever (with the salmon)

We stumbled upon this cute little place hidden way in London. The food was incredible, it beautifully plated and tasted amazing!

Fresh, simple, nice place and service

Der Gastraum ist klein, das Mobiliar schlicht und zusammengewürfelt. Die Holztische wirken ein bisschen klebrig und sind es dann auch. Der Service ist beflissen, aber umständlich und langsam. Die Gerichte sind schmackhaft und gut verträglich, aber bitte nicht in die offene Küche schauen und dem Koch zusehen! Er scheint genauso schmierig wie seine Schürze. Die Zutaten sind vorgefertigt und werden aus großen Plastiktüten befreit. Man kann dort essen, man sollte es nicht.

Great service and chef; lovely food. Really enjoyed

Cosy restaurant in the heart of Rotherhithe. Food is delicious.

We had a lovely meal at Simplicity - it is so good that it has re-opened. It was nice to be able to speak with the chef at the table.

Such a gem. Food is amazing and wine is delicious. Would highly recommend this restaurant. Can’t wait to go back.

Soooooo good. Food & service were perfect. Such a great meal. Not rushed. Nice relaxing atmosphere. Will be back!

Just got served beer that expired 6 years ago in 2016. Watch it if you’re getting beer.

Great food, reasonable prices, the owner is super friendly Honestly a hidden gem

Freshly cooked dishes, all flavours stand out and everything I’ve had was made with high quality ingredients. Also the service is very attentive. Have been there two times in three weeks already and will happily go again.

good food and very friendly boss. Chef cooks personally.

Open again at last,great wines and food, thank you, great evening.

Great wines, great burger, wonderful welcome Thank you for re-opening. Love the new decor, such a fascinating area

Awesome drinks, great food and the best part amazing service

I've been to this place a few times. It's a lovely quiet location near Rotherhithe Station. The service was always warm and friendly, and I always enjoyed the food. Had their home made chocolate mousse cake when I went there last time. It was AMAZING. This is honestly my favourite restaurant in London, and I hope they will recover fully from the impacts of COVID and operate at full capacity soon as I really miss their pork belly :) Will keep coming back!

I can not fault this place at all. My experience here was amazing. The food was very tasty and the service I received was outstanding. Will definitely be coming here again. Also a big shout out to the owner, he even educated me on some interesting facts.

Love Laurence. Good food, great beer just ashame only open 3 days. Lovely atmosphere. Rotherhithe is worth a visit x

Great food experience, with great chif and host

Great food and friendly atmosphere

Great burgers and beer. Looking forward to post lockdown.

Very nice food. Delicious cherry and almond cake!

Lovely food, the staff is very friendly. Will return

Welcome back to drinking with friends! A fabulous welcome in a picturesque corner of Rotherhithe. Drinks and tucker no less enjoyable for being outside.

Small menu but the food is great and people are very nice 👍😷

First time have used this place was only a takeaway but would not go back had a bacon chicken salad sandwich was the cheapest bread they could have used would not recommend

Comfort food classics given nouvelle makeover alongside high-end dishes in restaurant with terrace.

I can recomend Simplicity restaurant as an really unique amazing place which will suprasie you with delicious flavour and warm stuff. If you are looking for an English breakfast, dinner or snakc- this place is going to suprise you with so much delicious dishes. I recomend Simplicity for everyone who like to taste what is English cousine really is. Greets for the owner who is perfect head chef and good person. Linda from Poland ♥

We ate here on a busy Sat night in London, we arrived late but were seated no problem, and although they were down two staff members there was no evidence in that in the service we received. The chef / owner himself was serving us! An interesting and charming character, the food was delicious and tasty, with no disappointment form what was described on the menu. Dog-friendly restaurant too.

The clue is in the name - British standards done very well. The pork belly was amazing.

Just had dinner at Simplicity. Had been wanting to try it and finally got the chance. We had a delicious dinner and dessert. We will definitely be back.

My Friday night meal was a treat! Vibrant and tasty. A gastronomic delight in an intimate setting washed down with just the right white wine (chef's recommendation)! Thank you.

Wir hatten das Restaurant auf Empfehlung unseres Vermieters besucht. Das Simplicity ist ein sehr nettes, kleines Lokal - etwas versteckt gelegen - in dem wir uns sehr wohl gefühlt haben. Das Essen war grandios und sehr schön angerichtet. Der Besitzer war sehr freundlich und hilfsbereit. Wir hatten einen schönen Abend. Wir können das Restaurant sehr gerne weiterempfehlen.

Super roast dinner on one of the hottest July Sundays. (Never too hot for a roast though). A little more expensive than some of the pubs/restaurants in the area, but well worth it. The food is quality and a good sized portion. I had the roast pork and the crackling was cracking We sat inside although there is a secluded garden available. Lawrence very friendly and happy to discuss all aspects from the sourcing of the food to the history of the brewery where he gets his beers. Definitely recommend a visit - although it is a bit difficult to find

We have eaten at Simplicity lots of times since discovering it about 5 years ago. The food is always excellent , it is small with about 40 covers, reasonable prices and the chef/patron Lawrence Lingard is always welcoming. For my 70th party with a group of friends I wanted to do something special and Lawrence really made that possible. He served canapés and drinks in the garden of the Brunel Museum opposite the restaurant and then provided a superb meal which friends are still raving about. Rotherhithe is an under appreciated inner London village . Whether you are a Londoner or a visitor - take the tube or walk from Tower Bridge, admire the C17th church , visit the Brunel Museum and enter the worlds first under-water tunnel, have a drink in the pub overlooking the Thames and then have dinner in Simplicity . And none of these delights is more than one minutes walk from all the others ( apart from Tower Bridge) !

My daughter and I were looking for a late night dinner on our recent trip to London and stumbled across this place. As it was the only place we found still serving dinner at 9:30 PM on a Sunday, we decided to give it a try. We were so glad we did! Chef Lawrence is so very talented! Our dinner was spectacular and we found him to be so personable, as well. We thoroughly enjoyed both our meal and our conversation and would not hesitate to return again on our next visit.

The place is hidden and very charming, and service wonderful. Food is well presented & pleasant; classical European food, a bit light in tastes for me after eating much heavy Asian food, but that shouldn’t dis-credit the food itself:-)

Nice food , great atmosphere , we like bermondsey exactly for this!!!!

Estado aquí varias veces, escondido pero en una muy buena ubicación! Cada comida que hemos tenido aquí ha sido buena, la panceta de cerdo y la salchicha y puré especialmente!

Another great night with fantastic god at Simplicity. Thank you. Manager and owner always a great host too. It’s worth the visit. Easy access from the city.