The Black Penny Southbank in Lambeth

Really friendly and helpful staff, great atmosphere and outstanding food. We had brunch for a friends’ special birthday and the staff went out of their way to accommodate us, and made us feel super special with a free cocktail each. The food really was delicious, as was their coffee, and their range of cocktails!

We visited here for breakfast during a stay near southbank. It's quite hidden between two buildings, so you might not walk past it, but it's worth checking out if you're looking for something interesting for breakfast. The menu offered lots of interesting options and when the dishes arrived they were big portions! The coffee was good, fairly strong. It was though quite expensive for breakfast, We paid over £50 for 2 breakfasts and coffees.

Excellent service, gluten free options, fast and superb food. Couldn’t be faulted. Price reasonable for a busy part of central London.

Dipendenti scortesi, ci hanno interrotto per pagare nel mentre che mangiavamo. Oltre che scortesi anche maleducati, per come rispondevano soprattutto. Questo locale fa SCHIFO.

Tomamos el desayuno el lunes 8 de abril a las 7:30 de la mañana en una escala larga. Para empezar solo aceptan tarjeta de crédito como forma de pago, el lugar tiene buen ambiente y decoración, sin embargo, el servicio es malo. Poca amabilidad y deseos de atender al cliente. Si quieren pasar un buen momento les recomiendo pedir un pan de plátano con nueces y el rol de canela. El toast de aguacate es una porción generosa, sin embargo no aportan ningún sabor en especial. Los red egos, o algo así son INCOMIBLES, muy picantes (Gracias al curry o pimienta). Finalmente, uno de los comensales pidió el pan francés con ricotta, que no tenía nada extraordinario, pero el ricotta le daba cierta originalidad. Es un lugar con precios ad hoc al sitio donde estábamos pregunten por la descripción de los platillos (especialmente si son spicy). Si se sienten mal pidan la golden milk. Saludos

Wir waren zu viert ohne Reservierung im Black Penny frühstücken. Die Location ist gerade für London Eye Besucher optimal, da ganz nah zu der Sehenswürdigkeit und Themse. Das Frühstück war lecker und reichlich und preislich vollkommen in Ordnung, der Service freundlich.

Amazing breakfast, kind host and only good vibes. The whole experience was wonderfull. We have the hunter for breakfast, my best english breakfast in my life.

The menu offers something for every dietary requirement, but gets busy. Reservations recommended unless you are prepared to queue outside. Plenty of options once you have secured a table! Quite close together tables but the staff are generally efficient and pleasant to deal with. Generous portions and food arrives on time and hot (important for us). At the higher end of value for money but always consistent.

Very unprofessional customer service. They messed my order and the staff who took the order should have come forward and apologised instead of sending someone else. Accountability it's not in their customer service. They give me a breakfast menu at 6pm, is that joke or am I missing something here? The coffee I had was not even that hot. If you can't serve a coffee right and get an order right then something is really wrong in that place big time. I will stick to my usual place at the South Bank Centre cafe which is not far from there and they have never disappointed me. My first time and my last time in that establishment. Disappointing.

Unfortunately, my experience at Black Penny South Bank was far from enjoyable, primarily due to the brunette female rude staff member . From the moment I entered, I was met with unwelcoming attitudes and dismissive behavior. Our server didn’t bring us the water we ordered and refused to let me add an item to my breakfast even though I offered to pay for it. Any attempts to ask questions or make requests were met with sighs and eye-rolls. It's a shame because the ambiance and food were actually quite decent, but the poor service overshadowed everything else. I left feeling frustrated and disheartened, with no intention of returning anytime soon. Management really needs to address this issue to ensure that all guests have a pleasant dining experience. Just to note that the blonde staff member that brought us our bill seemed very friendly.

Very excited to try this place as husbands always goes. Good welcome and lovely coffee and then it went down hill. Wrong order came out, sent back but had to wait a further 15/20minutes for a new breakfast. In the meantime husband finished his breakfast. No one apologised, said how long it would be, offer anything whilst I waited or even a discount off the bill. Such a shame as customer service means a lot, mistakes happen but you can make up for it by a simply gesture!

Best brunch I've ever had - large portion, delicious, healthy. Catered for dietary requirements & preferences. Reasonably priced for central London. Nice atmosphere inside, very friendly & helpful staff

Decent portions. Here for breakfast and there were very nice veggie options, good quality. Staff are friendly, it's a little disorganised but fine if not in massive rush.

The food was good. However, the service was ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE. our waiter completely forgot about us & very rude.

Great news that this great first stop off the train into Waterloo has nearly doubled in size. This morning's visit was two Cortado, a lovely Bircher Muesli and Sough Dough with jam. All good and swift service We will be back. Hayling Seagoon

Nous avons trouvé ce café par hasard, pas loin du London Eye. Ce fut une belle découverte, serveuse agréable et plat délicieux et copieux ! Petit plus pour l'ambiance dans les toilettes 😜

Called in for coffee based on our experiences in the Covent Garden branch. The lady serving was joyless. A smile now and then would make guests feel More welcome !

Rude staff. RIP off food. Picture below is of the £9 squid small plate - literally small. They did remove service charge.

We went for breakfast before attending a graduation ceremony at the nearby Southbank Centre. The food was very good, well prepared and tasty. What set this experience above others was the service. We had situation which I won't go into, involving troublesome Ubers, which could have impacted on the enjoyment of the day. The staff rallied around and went out of their way to help. they were excellent.

Belle carte, les assiettes sont copieuses ! Service efficace. Nous étions 4 amies pour le brunch, nous nous sommes régalées sur le sucré et le salé

Came here when visiting London last year so had to go back! It is on the more expensive side, however, i do not mind paying for good quality food - which you can tell they use. Both our breakfasts were really good and so were the fresh juices. The waitress was running round like a mad women trying to keep everyone happy, she did such a great job and i didnt notice a dent in the service even though it was super busy! Would definitely recommend and i am sure we will be back!

Keep coming back, but can be "interesting". Yesterday the lock on the Loo wasn't working, when my wife visited. The Forager was delicious. Sourdough bread, Feta (?), tomatoes, spinach, "Black Penny Beans", mushrooms. Hot and humid - weather, not the cafe - so asked for a "jug of water" for the table (or a Caraffe). The Waiter kept bringing a small glass. Transpired your total stock of Caraffes is only 4 or 5... And Coffees. Always good, but... Yesterday my Macchiato came in the right Glass, delicious Coffee but not a trace of steamed milk or cream? Que? But having chased up my order, a 2nd coffee arrived after I had settled my Bill and was about to leave! I will return. Hayling Seagoon

The food was average. Egg on toast came with two eggs but only one slice of pretend 'sourdough' bread, the other half of the plate covered with leaves (not stated on menu). Coffee was similar to Starbucks, cheap well diluted beans. 'Sourdough' toast comes with jam and a yellow gel, no butter. The real problem is the price, e.g. a mocha is £4-50. English breakfast tea was £3-38 which included a 37p surchard because it wasn't the standard tea? Are English breakfast teabags really 37p more expensive than other teas? Not only are the prices overinflated but there is a 12.5% surcharge which 'goes to the staff'. Of course like other cafes that run this racket the surcharge is assigned to the staff and the basic wage adjusted accordingly. They may pay slightly better than some other cafes but I expect the owners to fund staff wages, it's part of what I pay for food. The food is OK and staff pleasant but it shouldn't be 50% more expensive than other cafes.

Great location, food was excellent, so much so we went back again. There was five of us and everyone enjoyed their meals Would definitely go back again next time in London

Sadly a lovely menu was spoiled by a 45min wait for food (others received their food before us that had arrived after us) and when it did come it was luke warm … when politely feeding this back (when the waiter asked us how was...

I am a professional blue badge tour guide. To be fair I should of checked the establishment out before hand, but it looked okay from the outside and was in a bit of a rush. As a tour guide I like to reccomend pubs/cafes/restraunts -...

Food was absolutely sublime, the red eggs and the Ozdemir were some of the best breakfasts I have ever eaten - highly recommended, although pricey

Short wait, excellent coffee, friendly staff. The veg breakfast was delicious. Not inexpensive but this is London. Huge portions too,

Lovely breakfast with lots of options. I had the Green Eggs which is actually scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Really very tasty, the kids had breakfast in a bun , easy for them to eat and nothing was left over, which is a true test...

Amazing little place with plenty of outdoor seating hidden from the busy streets around the London Eye. Incredible menu for brunch or light lunch. Multiple choices for vegan/vegetarian and nice cocktails list. Coffee is nice too and very friendly and attentive staff.

A wonderful find. Sure it’s small but it just means you need a little luck on your side when you arrive. Once seated, the hardworking waitresses do their utmost best to make sure everyone is served. The food was fresh - mainly breakfast options but...

Wonderful breakfasts that cater for all tastes. The most golden eggs and wverything cooked to your liking.

Visited on Sunday for breakfast. Cafe was busy and we were told a 40min wait for table and not possible book. We waited an for 1hr 15min and I was not happy when two tables of six just the queue because they had booked. We...

Was there mid morning, very busy and the staff were a bit stretched. After a 30 min wait for food I gave up and left when I saw a table who ordered after me get their food.

We had their scrambled eggs on toast to try and cure our hangovers from the previous night. We were on our way to a London Eye and boat trip tour. The food was great but my coffee was small and not that good, and arrived...

Had to wait 10 minutes for a table on a busy Sunday morning, which is a good sign. Breakfast was nice - the vegetarian breakfast was generous and tasty, my fried eggs on sourdough were very nice as well, if a little smaller than I...

Very handy from Waterloo when you get into town. A bit cold to sit out, so a modest wait before a I got a table. On this occasion a Muesli Breakfast paired with a delicious Americano. Not sure if she's looking for a second income...

Waited 1hr 15mins for our food to arrive, making us very late for a day trip…pleasant staff, but not a great experience overall.

My partner and I went to go for breakfast this morning as the reviews were good The lady who was front of house was very nice we waited 15 minutes until our drinks order was taken but we sent back as were cold We then...

Excellent service, amazing food and would highly recommend. We visited whilst staying locally and visiting the area. Don’t miss this hidden gem for breakfast.

Great coffee nice bacon sandwich. The server was very positive without being pushy. Had a smile on her face even when it became really busy. Price was fair for the central location.

We dined here with our daughters on a lovely Sunday afternoon,we all had the vegetarian breakfasts and hot drinks,all delicious.The staff are very nice too!

After an unfortunate visit when I opted for the poshest Brekkers offering only to find it had been prepared using a frying pan which had previously cooked Onions (we think), this visit was wonderful. Swift service, although busy a window Table, was soon available. A...

I love this place! What a fabulous find, best breakfast I have ever had...this is NOT a greasy spoon. Ingredients taste fresh, great little vibe, great staff and best coffee ever.

Had amazing food in the Black Penny This weekend. Service and staff was brilliant and the food was amazing.

We had the most amazing breakfast. Great choice of cooked dishes, really well cooked. Highly recommend

Called in on a lunchtime on our way to a show. Stayed for nearly two hours . Really pleasant place to spend the time. Great food and great service .

Nice location near the river and Waterloo Station. Big windows and cosy decor make for an enjoyable setting. The coffee is excellent and the staff are not only friendly but passionate about the food they serve. Would definitely return.

I popped in here to grab a cup of coffee on my way home. It was the first time I have been here and so I decided to sit in for a while. This is true little gem of a cafe. It's a small, but...

Great customer service. Arrived on a busy rainy Saturday morning. This branch only takes walk-ins unless a large party so there were several people standing in the doorway waiting for tables. Manager and staff were great and very apologetic. Menu really nice and food very...

Just a couple of minutes from Waterloo Station so ideal when arriving en route to Heathrow. In fact, ideal whatever you are doing. Fresh, well-prepared food covering all tastes. A touch on the pricey side perhaps, but you get what you pay for - really...

Called in for an early lunch but they were still serving their breakfast menu. Plenty to choose from. Being vegan, I had the forager, my 14yo son had The Gatherer and my husband had the Bubble and Squeak. All dishes were freshly made to order,...

Staying at a nearby Premier Inn, we opted for breakfast at The Black Penny and were so glad that we did. Freshly cooked food, decent portions served by very friendly staff. So good that we ate here on both mornings of our stay. Will definitely...

Amazing service and food, great location, brilliant selection on the menu! Really friendly staff, very attentive. Highly recommended

But sadly not the 2nd... The Cortado was as good as ever, but having treated myself to the Brioche / French Toast with honey, almonds and blueberries - a 'snip' @ £12.90 - a great disappointment. No idea what or why, but the dish had...

Just a short walk from the hugely popular London Eye strolled round to The Black Penny Southbank for a coffee and cake break.Look out for the red squirrels in Jubilee Park just before you arrive.Sat outside as the sun had decided to make an appearance...

We called in here for tea and brunch when caught in the rain leaving Waterloo. The staff are welcoming and efficient and the location is good with a wide walkway outside. The tea was fine and the bacon and egg bun came with salad on...

Amazing breakfast within walking distance of the hotel and it set us up nicely for a day of sightseeing. Definitely worth the price and the coffees are spot on.

Well, after a day flogging around the exhibitions - ambient temperature 26' - I was in need of a loo, seat, and a Cortado. The coffee was Magnificent... Thanks, Team. I will be back. Hayling Seagoon

Escape most of the tourists into this lovely coffee ship just back from the London Eye. Great coffees and breakfast. Scrambled egg on sourdough was the star of the show. Huge portions, consider sharing unless you are starving! Good service, a great little stop off...

Our first time to The black penny near Waterloo station. We managed to get the last table indoors, there were good covid precautions in place. I opted for the french toast with blueberries, lemon ricotta and toasted almonds and a latte. The latte was nice...

On the last day of August the weather was neither typical for a Bank Holiday (pouring rain) nor especially bright but it was pleasant to sit outside - even in this built up part of the South Bank. I spent some considerable time simply musing...