The Bookstore Deli & Restaurant in Bexley

The food is lovely and so is the atmosphere. It was shocking to hear that the place got temporarily closed because of the hygiene levels as when we entered it seemed clean. The service and staff were alright towards us. Some of the portions and prices didn't match up but the flavours are great.

Great place to catch up with friends and have a refreshing brunch

We visit nearly every Friday excellent local venue and business.

Love this place. It is working hard to provide a quality community space with good quality food at affordable prices. Chef Luisa does a lovely full English breakfast.

Today, we recently had a rather disappointing experience at the Bookstore Cafe in Erith, but we believe it may have been an anomaly. On the 21st of June 2023, our visit did not live up to the positive experiences that we have previously enjoyed at this cafe. Regrettably, it took an unusually long 35 minutes before our order was taken, even though the cafe was not particularly busy at the time. Initially, we had to approach the till ourselves to place our order, as it seemed the staff were preoccupied. After being instructed to wait for assistance at our table, an additional 10 minutes passed before someone finally came over to take our order. When our food eventually arrived, it was quite disappointing. The fried eggs had been overcooked, resulting in hard yolks that were far from the runny eggs that we expected. It was clear that the attention to detail in the cooking process was lacking. Additionally, the quiche we ordered seemed to have been reheated for far too long in a microwave, resulting in a somewhat rubbery texture that left much to be desired. We had to kindly send it back, hoping for a better replacement. In addition, we must note that on previous visits, the cafe had impressed us with their freshly baked bread onsite. However, on this particular occasion, the bread appeared to be supermarket bought sliced bread, which was a bit disappointing. While we acknowledge that this visit fell short of our expectations, it's important to recognise that it could have been an isolated incident. Given the positive experiences we had enjoyed at the Bookstore Cafe in the past, we believe this might have been an anomaly in terms of both service and food quality. We hope that by sharing this feedback, the cafe's management and staff can address any possible shortcomings and ensure a consistently enjoyable experience for their customers. Despite this less-than-ideal visit, we remain open to revisiting the Bookstore Cafe in the future, as we believe they have the potential to deliver the experience we have previously encountered.

We arrived in the evening at Erith and were starving. After searching for a restaurant we landed here. The menu offered vegetarian lasagna but after explaining that we would’ve loved to eat something non veg and lighter, the staff kindly made us 2 brunch plates. I am still thankful to this day. 🙌🏾☺️ Also cute restaurant with a nice, chill, warm decoration. Pretty quiet area as well.

A fab hidden gem. Lovely food and lovely friendly staff.

Nice little tucked away cafe serving great food. Tad expansive for what it is but good quality.

Our new favourite lunch place! The garden is beautiful!

We seem to keep finding quirky places! We'd visited once before when looking for lunch before seeing a show at the Erith Playhouse, and went back when doing the same (there don't seem to be many options in Erith). This is in the ground floor of the former library, and upstairs is a craft shop/display area. There's also a selection of plants for sale in the back garden. We had eggs Benedict. The eggs were excellent - the sauce was so much nicer than when I had this dish in London - but we weren't sure about them being served on home-made muffins, which were rather thick and stodgy. Clearing and cleaning tables, and bringing menus, was slow.

Lovely food and nice atmosphere

Lived in the area my whole life and it's great to see one of it's beautiful old buildings bought back to life , we had veggie Sunday brunch, but cater for all tastes , food ,drink , service ,atmosphere. Could not be faulted , and lovely to find a dog friendly place to eat ,will return. Also open in the evenings for food and drink so will def try that out soon

Located within the former Grade II Listed Library building leading onto an attractive garden. Contemporary minimalist interior that succeeds in being attractive, welcoming and unpretentious. Albeit a limited menu (vegan options) the quality, price and the service, WAY surpassed expectations. The coffee exemplary. Also a nuanced range of gifts, cards and miscellanea. Happenstance on the periphery of London. Readily recommended.

Yummy food and good value and the people are amazing 👏 friendly comfortable and relaxed 😌 amazing place you wouldn't expect to find In erith so glad it arrived.

I am so happy I came here for brunch. Had the Turkish eggs which were delicous. Even the toast felt stand out and the eggs were poached perfectly. My friends who came on my reccomendation described it as "a find". I will definately be back again soon.

Love the place and the food delicious. :)

Lovely place for brunch! Friendly service and good food

We reached there with about 20 mins to the closing time, and the kitchen had closed, but there were a number of items still available at the counter. We got coffee and some coffee cake, a quiche, a sausage roll and a frittata. There was also a vegan sausage roll option available. The food and service was great, we were able to use the outdoor seating area to make sure we had direct visibility of our bicycles as we had our coffee. There's plenty of space to park bicycles within the premises, but if you need to lock it up, there's about 3 or 4 spaces available.

Stunning place for coffee and a sandwich

19/20 An oasis of perfection... Very busy, so another person serving would have made it 20/20. If you haven't been, you should go, you won't be disappointed.

Recommended by friends and reviews were very encouraging however unfortunately our experience did not mirror the recommendations. Very slow service. Had to prompt servers twice to get 2 latte which eventually arrived after the food. Had the English breakfast and my egg was not fully cooked and sweet potato hash burnt. They serve streaky bacon and it maybe my preference but I always expect and normally receive it well done/crispy where they serve just cooked which means very fatty. Perhaps it was a bad day but as I traveled from Bexley I think I will stick with yum yum/next door or coffee mill.

Lovely atmosphere, lovely staff and healthy, high-quality food. Also, dog friendly. Need more places like this in the area

Enjoyed brunch and coffee here. Cafe was comfortable and pretty. Service was great.

A hidden gem, how nice to have an amazing restaurant in Erith with locally brewed ales and lagers, keep up the good work 👏

It's a nice little place. The food came out quickly and was good for the price, good quality and the best hot chocolate I have had. Albiet quite small portions. I probably would return but I am not a big fan of noisy places with lots of children so might not.

Definitely the best brunch in Bexley. Great coffee and food. The sausages were five stars alone. And nice staff and a great building.

We’ve just had an incredible dinner with friends at this restaurant. Perfect food, lovely setting, incredible staff. What a beautiful evening.

Amazing food, nice staff and reasonable price! My most fave brunch cafe

Beautiful surroundings. Wholesome food. Value for money. Hidden gem. Coming back soon

This is a relaxing spot in Erith and the food was amazing. The garden and outside seating is perfect in the summer

WoW what can I say can’t believe we found this wonderful little gem beautiful food amazing atmosphere staff are so lovely even cooked for my dog all different sorts of people it was great to just go somewhere right on my doorstep that not many people know about I wanted to keep it a secret but I really have to say thank you for your kind hospitality and for looking after us truly this place and the wonderful people who run it deserve the praise thanks again be seeing you soon ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Best eating experience in the area, by miles.

Excellent restaurant - highly recommended.

Lovely food, fantastic atmosphere and lovely staff, my food was brought out by the head chef and my server was very friendly

Wonderful independent cafe in refurbished historical building. The food is fresh, delicious, and creative, not your standard cafe fare. Menu changes daily so there's always something new to try. Very reasonable prices. The staff are friendly and there's a nice neighbourhood vibe. The seating is 3 rows of trestle tables, so you are a bit close to your neighbour; the only thing here I don't care for. The loos are functional but could use a refurb as well. I'm moving to the area in a few months and see this as my "local".

Very yummy avocado on toast and tofu scramble

Very serene little hidden oasis nr Erith train station with outside garden and delish food.

Great place for brunch (the best in Erith actually). Great staff. Strange opening hours - went there a few times for lunch and they already stopped serving food ... which is a shame.

The BEST breakfast and coffee I have ever had. Genuinely! Also really really lovely staff and a beautiful environment. My new favourite place to be!

Very authentic Indian/Pakistani food. (It's halal of course)

Really impressed by The Bookstore. We had 2 starters, houmous and the prawns. Both were amazing with full flavours that were very tasty. For mains we had the locally sourced fish and the steak. Both were under £15 and great value for money. We will definitely return here as the food was excellent and so was the service.

Very nice cafe / bar in an old library. There's a choice of hot drinks and cakes, or a good range of bottled beers. There is plenty of seating around a number of tables.

Really enjoy every visit, reasonable prices and lovely food

We finally managed to visit this gem on a Saturday morning. I'm so happy that we did. Breakfast was great value for money, fresh and delicious. We will definitely be back.

Fantastic place for food and drink. Incredibly friendly staff too

Splendid cafe with lovely food. Had a meal before a brilliant Carnegie Ensemble concert on Sunday and then drinks afterwards. Very friendly staff. Would certainly recommend !

Lovely people, lovely place, lovely fresh food!

Made time for two tired/ hungry cyclists. Much appreciated and a beautiful spot 💎

Excellent food that is freshly prepared, a good range of local drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Accommodating on changes to menu items (my son does not like pickle on his sandwiches) and generous portions. Have eaten there a few times now and it is a favourite for my family now. Highly recommended.

Love this cafe in Erith. Food is fresh, tasty and really good value. It's really clean with a cute rustic feel and very welcoming and polite staff. Weekend brunch is my favourite 😊

Lovely cafe. Had a mozzarella, tomato and pesto toasted sandwich and it was delicious. Generous with the cheese!

Always good to come here and decompress over a coffee and excellent food. Staff are always on hand and happy to serve.Covid secure in all aspects

The food at the bookstore is incredible. The bookstore breakfast is our fave, the quality of the sausage and eggs used is top notch. Other favourites from the brunch menu include the waffles with crispy bacon (the kids love these), french toast and the avo on toast. There are also lovely homemade salads, quiches, pies and cakes available. I've never had a single meal there that wasn't insanely good. The staff are always really friendly and welcoming. By far the nicest place to have a coffee or lunch in Erith.

Fabulous! Little hidden gem with great vegan options and lovely staff.

Great place with friendly staff.

Love this place. Attractive and interesting inside, tasty food and drinks and great service. Nothing like this in the area so it's such a welcome addition.

Excellent freshly made food and friendly service.

Lovely lady who runs the place, I recommend the quiche 😋

Outstanding food, warm and friendly service and excellent Covid-security measures make the Bookstore Café a real winner! Can't believe it's taken me so long to visit, definitely going back as soon as possible 👍👍👍

Lovely food & atmosphere. Very friendly staff. Look forward to visiting again! x

Exceptional food, wonderful people and a lovely setting. No matter what time of day, you'll be greeted with a delicious menu: brunch, barbecue, special 3 course meals, deli foods, or bar snacks. Truly the best place around

Didn't actually eat there but seems like a lovely place to stop for a coffee or light meal. Staff seemed lovely so I'll definitely be trying it out sometime soon.

Such a great little find. The most lovely friendly service, with our host giving us lots of time and running through the menu in great detail. Food was all homemade, and very tasty. A local selection of drinks was an added bonus. I'd travel across London just to come back to this place.

Delicious meal and tasty wine too. Plated beautifully in an amazing setting. Would love to come back!

Great food, great atmosphere and great service

Absolutely love this little place.

Great food and lovely atmosphere!!

So cosy & homely. Food is great and so is service

Lovely place, great atmosphere, friendly staff.

Lovely service, lovely staff, great quality and choice, brilliant espresso nuf said.

Best cafe in Erith for a coffee, freshly made food with delicious flavours to enjoy and friendly service on a nice ambience.

Quality cafe food, though a bit pricey the money goes to a good cause restoring the building to its former glory!

A new venue which was the old Erith library good food and good ambience and some nights entertainment.

Completely in love with everything about this place! It's story, history, development, garden, wildflower meadow, food is superb and worth a little more than I'd normally pay, because it's made fresh, using quality ingredients and tastes a m a z I n g! The owners are great hosts who really care about what they're doing. Lovely outdoor area for children as well as adults, all one surface so great for wheelchairs and buggies. Once your here your a million miles away from the noise and hustle n bustle of life

If you haven't visited the Café, it's a must. The food is just stunning, and the drinks are made by the girls with love and care. The Café has such a lovely atmosphere, if you go there feeling stressy it will calm you and reset your mind set. Support the Café and the community. Dogs are welcome, and the staff are very family friendly. You just have to go.

The food is excellent. An amazing local gem.

Had a meeting there, great service lovely decor, really like the wildflower meadow out front too.

I love love loooove this cafe. Such a lovely environment. The staff are wonderful and friendly!

This is an absolute must for those visiting Erith and the area. Del7cious food, very friendly service. Best brownie I have ever had! They run a lot of really cool events and the venue is also worth a visit (old library).

We love the food, location , hospitality and how you can bring the dog here. We couldn't ask for a better place to hang out. Staff are so friendly and great to have this in the area as just moved to Erith.

Set in a newly refurbished part of the historic Old Library in Erith, this cafe is a hidden gem. A trendy/rustic interior & pleasant outside space with tables. The food is freshly prepared (locally sourced were possible & zero waste policy) and the quality is excellent. Seperate breakfast, brunch & lunch menu's available (can be viewed & downloaded in advance) plus special's on a blackboard. The cafe is licensed & amongst other alcoholic beverages serves beer from the local & excellent Bexley brewery. Our table of two had, a pot of tea & a 'flat white' coffee. Fried breakfast mushrooms with garlic butter, fresh thyme on toasted sourdough & crushed avocado with feta, chilli & coriander on toasted sourdough. Delicious & at the cost of around £16, great value for money. The service was polite & efficient. Erith is blessed to have this establishment. Food & atmosphere wise, this is an oasis in a semi desert environment. Onwards & upwards.

Great Food Great Atmosphere and lovely staff. A little hidden gem in Erith.

Currently enjoy a slice of carrot cake and a pot of Earl Grey tea, in a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere. I was told about this little gem today and thought I'd stop by on my walk home. So glad I did!

Lovely Sunday Brunch! Perfect for a chill out home cooked vibe

Such a wonderful addition to the area. Staff are friendly and professional. Food is excellent. I look forward to watching The Exchange grow and develop over the years to come

Nice polite staff. Good coffee.

Great place to enjoy a good coffee and excellent freshly prepared food.