The Electric Cafe in Lambeth

Step back 20 years to a classic greasy spoon. Top notch

Best local coffee shop with fresh sandwiches in London. Paid £5.50 for a delicious sandwich.

I watched a clip on YouTube, about this cafe, and what was said and described was spot on.it is well worth a visit.the food is fantastic. the service is great. for London it is very reasonably priced. We'll worth it.I would recommend it to everyone.

googled where to eat near the local cemetery.this cafe up and we took a gamble.a typical old school cafe.friendly staff,mugs of tea and a very good fried breakfast.even the girl before us said it was the best breakfast she had ever.subtle little toches to the sausage and fried tomatoes worked a treat.would go back here if ever nearby.

Very tasty, very friendly staff, also gave suggestions to visit certain things. Great breakfast! Price quality.

Always friendly, always smiling and forever welcoming. I come here every time I’m in the area and am never disappointed. Until next time! Thank you!

Went here for the first time today after mooching about West Norwood. So happy I stumbled on this place. Had the best home made chips I’ve had in years and the whole place was really great. Will definitely going back

Proper fry up. So glad to see places like this still thriving in London. Popped in on a Monday afternoon and plenty of happy patrons enjoying their food and chatting away. Think it's up there with one of the best fried eggs I've had in a greasy spoon, white underneath and not cooked in years of burnt fat on an old grill, as I see all to often. Friends live around the corner and can't wait to come back.

Proper traditional cafe with homemade chips, friendly owner

The bacon cheese burger with chips is really excellent. Home made everything.

It's a really nice place. It's been around for years they even do filming there for television, and the food is great.

best greasy spoon in london, matey at counter is friendly and food is always brilliant

It's a really nice place. I've been around a long time.

I always think a good fry up needs to be cooked by someone who loves a fry up. That’s the case here. Best in Brixton/Herne Hill. The setting is really old school too. Reminds me of places my Nan took me, drinking endless cups of tea and smoking.

Best cafe in London! Bubble is top notch.

First impression: it's very old and dirty, ugly tables with odd chairs and mixture of furnitures, screaming for deep clean and upgrade. Secondly, no menu on tables and just big boards with hard to read list. Cash only. And most importantly, food: felt like cheap ingredients, awful beans, everything greasy, even toast was drowning in butter, my wife was sick afterwards. Hard to believe someone can like this place.. Dissapointed..

15:10 and they blocked the door with chairs. Wouldn’t know how the service is if they don’t even let people in the door.

Decor: like stepping back 60 years Service: smiling and caring Clearly an important part of the local community

Been going here for 30 years. Great full English. Friendly staff. Perfect, proper English cafe. (it even featured in a Anchor butter advert!!)

Had here my first ever full English Also very good strawberry milkshakes and burger

This place is perfect for breakfast. The food was delicious and the spot really original. The staff was really friendly.

Absolutely fantastic retro cafe doing the usual roast dinner and English breakfasts with tons more of dishes. It is a great pleasure to go here ans see old posters for ska, for example. The decor is retro and exudes a cool vibe from yesteryear of the late fifties, sixties and seventies. Really great stuff and well the name says it all. It's Electric. It's the Electric Cafe. Smashing!!!

Food and atmosphere is great. But the place takes CASH ONLY.

I was very impressed with the atmosphere and my drink was great.

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I’m happy to have these places still around.

One of the best cafes in South, no, all of London. The breakfast hits the 2 criteria for top tier good sausage, hand cut chips. Friendly welcome. Old fashioned lovely place. The tea machine is worth a trip on its own!

Wow the breakfast here is unbelievably good. Everything is home made and fresh. The owner is so friendly too. I highly recommend this place to everyone, you will not regret it. I will be back!

Love it here. Best cafe in South London. Homemade chips are a highlight.

Great coffee, great service! Great atmosphere! I love the place.

A proper local place with great food and character

This is my absolute go to cafe in London. The ower is very friendly and welcoming. The food is truly home cooking, none of this pub mass produced stuff. It really is cooked for you! I enjoy taking my friends there to show them and they never come away disappointed. I used to live nearby but am now in East London but I willingly travel to get to it.

Great food great atmosphere very friendly and helpful staff

This place is a little gem. Love to go when I can. Quality sausages and bubble and squeak and lots of tea. Highly recommend.

Really enjoyed my visit food was really tasty it's a proper old style English cafe would definitely return cash only

Authentic place with quality food!

This is for all my original old school Londoners. If you know what a London caff is then this is the place to go. The food is outstanding and the authentic London caff experience is very much alive in here. If you love London and you love a fry up and want all that with a true London experience, then get down there it's top notch

Solid greasy spoon. Had eggs, bacon, sausage, beans and fried toast. All of it was really good. Would come back again. Cash only though.

Best sausage, egg, chips and beans going! Only complaint is that they’re not open on Sundays so I can’t go twice on the weekend!

The food is beyond excellent & prices that have not increased in real terms since 1958. Its the most filmed cafe in London - you've seen it in Films, TV programs, adverts more often than you know. Maybe that's why prices are modest , the Film companies pay to use it as a location. it's closed often which is why the owner keeps his prices down. Never mind the value, taste the food. Service is friendly and fast. It attracts young friendly people, of course it's well known as the cafe frequented by Rock n Roll Royalty, if you wish to know who dined there the answer is every icon except Elvis. David Bowie of course to Adelle. The list is endless, they dont mention the Rock Gods as that's not cool. Queen of course

The Electric Cafe is a 1900s Cafe, this is a extremely rare find. From the front to walking in you are whisked away to the past. The cafe boasts a good menu of popular Breakfast items, what stands out to me the most was the quailty and homemade items such as the chips which was some of the best chips I've had 💯 better than the chippies. I had the full English and my plate was perfect not greasy, balanced portion and delicious. 5 🌟 for 🥓 was crispy and not burnt 👌 Another mention is tea not any standard greasy spoon or cafe will be able to brew you a good cuppa, which Electric Cafe can. This rare gem is a highly recommended it has been around since 1900s the decor and way things are run are passed from Father to son keeping the tradition going.

One of the best English breakfast I had!

The old cafe 'down the road' who knew it had so much history! Well, I didn't.. and I grew up just round the corner on York Hill. This was simply my local cafe where I'd grab a coffee on the way to college or a sausage bap on way to work. Since moving away from London, I've not visited the electric cafe and just had a flashback and figured I'd have a quick Google to see if it's still there and sure as it is! In all its original glory. My fear was that regentification had caught up with West Norwood, and some hipsters would have bought up this section of the high road, but I am very glad to see it hasn't. Long may it stand. A must visit for all foodies. Great service and food. Thanks for the found memory's

A proper cafe. Really nice cheerful people.

Delicious homemade pie, proper mash and veggies. Absolutely perfect and reminded me of going to my nan's for tea. Quality ingredients and a friendly welcome. We will be back, often! FYI: cash only.

This must be taken into control of English Heritage or protected by the Arts Council. Its Rock-n-Roll iconic. I felt sure Chuck Berry wouid arrive. The place is the most filmed cafe in the country, used for adverts as well as major film location. I can see why it was the hangout for stars ranging from the late David Boughey to very present Adelle. Why it's not a listed building, yet still so authentic isn't known, it's the real McCoy way better then the Hard Rock.They don't sell T-Shirts but should, it's pure Route 66 in London. Get their before it gets Disneyfied. Can't be long before a big chain buy & replicate it worldwide. Go whilst it's a secret gem. It won't stay 100% genuine for much longer, it gets write ups won't be long before British Museum take it into curation as it represents British Rock-n-Roll like no other Caffe. Beyond brilliant. Check out the Formica tabke Lonnie Doniggon was photographed at. The WHO loved the place

Absolute belter of a caff. Stavros and his mum (I think) are the dream team. Home made chips are amazing. Proper thick cut salty bacon. Super friendly service and great place to people watch. Like a step back in time and please never change it!

Loved it! Great food, good portions, old school cafe!!

Cafe located on Norwood high road. Buses stop outside cafe. Really traditional old style decor of a London cafe. Friendly family team running cafe . Good breakfast menu all served hot and promptly. Nice people and nice food.

First time I've tried it. Homemade bubble and squeak was really good 👍

Perfect old-style "greasy spoon" cafe with none of the grease. This is original, not trendy. Expect big breakfasts and an eclectic range of main meals. Builders tea in a mug. Food is great. I'll be back.

A real and traditional cafe in the old style with good,honest home cooking at very reasonable prices (they do need to get a coffee maker though).

Lovely local spot. Everything is really fresh, full of flavour and they are very friendly. Nice veggie breakfast with halloumi. Just under £10 for a huge fry up and it's cash only.

I want to go often but nearly always don't because I don't carry cash. They don't accept card & there's no really near ATM. Should definitely accept card but just request cash where possible.

They do a great breakfast there hand cut chips nice and fat,no thin frys around here!!!😎

It was ok. Bacon was a bit too salty and toast was very soft but it was fine. No card machine though which is poor especially in this day and age but overall it was ok.

Original friendly and authentic. Good breakfasts too

After researching breakfast spots this came up and looked the best place to meet our requirements…we weren’t wrong! Great little spot in the heart of Portobello market offering a wide range of items to chose from. Service was 10/10, staff were friendly , welcoming and helpful. The breakfast was great, my partner had the full English which was presented lovely. Prices are a little steep for soft drinks, but it’s London and in a prime tourist location so I guess it’s to be expected. £3.50 for a coke is steep in my opinion…nevertheless a great spot for breakfast, or brunch! Try it out!

Historic cafe serving the best breakfast in the area. Great family running the place. Cash only

Here from nothing phone 1 trailer looks like a nice shop

Venia con antojo de un full english breakfast greasy spoon, and is the perfect one. Place, service and food was great.

Just excellent.... filter coffee, bubble and squeak, black pudding, beans, eggs and back bacon. Super service and friendly staff. An absolute must.

It’s the best local cafe in town. Enjoy! Just like mum used to make! 🍳 FYI: Cash Only but well worth it. 🤑🫶🏼

Such lovely people, such delicious food :)

No words can explain how great this place is, and how wonderful the people there, the amazing food, cleanliness and lovely atmosphere. My favourite greasy spoon in all of London. One tip, carry cash with you when you go there, but not too much, everything there has great value. Tip makes everyone happy, go for it.

Terry’s, Pellicci’s, The Regency…had breakfast in all of ‘em, all top notch, but they don’t touch The Electric. Top quality ingredients, cooked with genuine care and accurate timing. Nothing less than exemplary, utterly grease-free and served with charm in a spotless evocation of the Sixties. Screws my weekend healthy eating plan, I’ll be taking a twenty minute walk here far too often!

Been meaning to try this cafe out for months and finally got the chance on Saturday morning. From the outside it looks very old school. And I mean VERY old school. And that doesn't change when you step inside. It's like being transported back to the 60s or 70s! The whole vibe of the place is original greasy spoon cafe - I love it! It's obvious a very popular cafe because most of the tables were already taken. Then main menu is on top of the counter with an additional breakfast menu on the wall. Both myself and my friend ordered English breakfasts. Mine came with an order of fried bread which I've not seen in many cafes! Yum yum! You could tell that the food they serve is quality ingredients as the sausages were Cumberland rather than cheap low meat content sausages. The staff were very kind and friendly. I believe there are only 3 running the whole place! All in all a wonderful experience and easily my favourite cafe in the area. Not only for the lovely food, but the great ambience and friendly staff. Thank you Electric cafe! I will be back :)

Great place great vibe great breakfast!

Great full english at reasonable prices in a quaint cafe

Proper "greasy spoon" cafe with decent quality ingredients. Little bit more expensive than standard cafes but the quality warrants it, try it, you won't be disappointed. George Deacon, stop moaning because they are a cash only business, if you know they are cash only try drawing a few quid out and spending it, the world doesn't revolve around you because you only use cards.

Quality caff. Great ingredients, well-prepared. Pie, veggie breakfast (with halloumi!), and coconut cake are my go-tos. Not to mention possibly the best coffee in Tulse Hill. The folks running it are a delight, too.

Nice outside seating trad. cafe

Great place for a tea/Coffee and some breakfast. Little bit expensive but great and friendly staff.

Great traditional cafe. Nice cooked breakfast. Just what the doctor ordered.

This time I had an omelette and hash browns but all the breakfasts I have had over the years have been superb (and baked potatoes) family run as well.

Have to say this is the best cafe in west Norwood the sausages are quality & not cooked in a frier. Lovely run family cafe.

El mejor sitio para desayunar del barrio. The best place for breakfast of the neighborhood

Went in and had lovely full English breakfast, it's definitely a traditional greasy spoon breakfast. Even on a busy Saturday morning seating was easy to get, though it should be noted that this is a cash only cafe. The staff are so lovely and service very quick, the breakfast was superb, bacon was crisp and eggs perfectly runny. The coconut cake is a particular treat, with fluffy light sponge coated in a sweet coconutty drizzle!

You'll already know the menu. The Electric is quiet and unrushed. The staff are friendly and there is usually a newspaper to hand. These places are part of London life and many are vanishing, so use them or mourn them.

Great service in a local traditional caff. Delicious food with generous portions. All in all a fantastic brekkie experience

Great little greasy spoon. Best chips around.

Always friendly, great food and the best proper thick cut chips! :)

Really great place, fantastic chips, the bubble was delicious, perfect eggs and really friendly service. Some high street places should take a leaf out of this places book. Worth travelling for.

Quirky local retro diner complete with delicious food and a 'greasy spoon' authenticity that's hard to find in London nowadays.

Homemade fry ups and friendly service. What's not to love?

If I had not taken the bus I would not have spotted this must try place for breakfast. The Electric Cafe has this old charm as it has been here since the 1920s when it used to be called The Electric Rooms. Went here another day purposely to try their fry ups. I took the train to Tulse Hill as it would be quicker than the bus but went the wrong way after I got out the station which took me some time getting there. Finally got there and was greeted by a really friendly guy behind the counter. As you can imagine, an English breakfast is everything so it took me a while to decide what to order. In the end, I had mushrooms, beans, black pudding, egg, bacon, chips and bubble. Normally I don't order chips but the chips here are hand cut. The breakfast was just flawless especially the fried egg which was silky, every element was good. It turns out that they use St Nichols Baked beans which are smaller in size and not as sweet as the other brands so I loved it. The decor at The Electric Cafe will take you back in time and I love the window veils at the front. Strangely, this is a much raved about fry up featured on most London guides yet there are not many reviews on this cafe. Overall, this place is a must go if you are in the area with friendly service.

If I had not taken the bus I would not have spotted this must try place for breakfast. The Electric Cafe has this old charm as it has been here since the 1920s when it used to be called The Electric Rooms. Went here another day purposely to try their fry ups. I took the train to Tulse Hill as it would be quicker than the bus but went the wrong way after I got out the station which took me some time getting there. Finally got there and was greeted by a really friendly guy behind the counter. As you can imagine, an English breakfast is everything so it took me a while to decide what to order. In the end, I had mushrooms, beans, black pudding, egg, bacon, chips and bubble. Normally I don't order chips but the chips here are hand cut. The breakfast was just flawless especially the fried egg which was silky, every element was good. It turns out that they use St Nichols Baked beans which are smaller in size and not as sweet as the other brands so I loved it. The decor at The Electric Cafe will take you back in time and I love the window veils at the front. Strangely, this is a much raved about fry up featured on most London guides yet there are not many reviews on this cafe. Overall, this place is a must go if you are in the area with friendly service.

Great local caf, where you know what you’re getting. They make a great daily cake, when I went it was coconut and was delicious! Good veggie breakfast too

Walked past this cafe so many times and finally went in to satisfy my intrigue. Fantastic place! Loved all the higgledy-piggledy furniture and retro decor. Nice to be somewhere in London with authentic character and charm rather than ideas above its station. Delicious omelette and chunky chips too.

Enjoy a slice of an institution-a no frills, original straightforward cafe. I celebrated my son's birthday with sausage, egg and chips plus two slices of bread and butter and a mug of tea. Perfect on a grisly wet, grey October day in South London. The woman behind had a bowl of apple crumble and custard. Hearty and warming.

Great value. Tasty food. Lovely.

Very nice place. 2 complete breakfast with black coffee 16£. They do not accept card payment

Spot on traditional greasy spoon. Toast is served hot and buttered like it should be.

Go here. It will change your life.

Proper cafe! Full English perfection! Yumyum!!!🍽

Really good...unpretentious...lovely traditional breakfast menu at reasonable prices

Best cafe in south London by far great food cheap prices big portions Proper old school thanks guys.....

Really superb cafe. It has the bestest chips - with proper potatoes not out of a bag. Though they'll put them in a paper bag if you want to take a bag away. I've had the liver and mash, veggie breakfast and more. All tasty fresh ingredients . And it doesn't need a mini bank loan to pay for it. Lovely people running it. A good honest cafe. Part of a disappearing heritage here in sarf London. Go there while you can. And for the pricely sum of £1.50 you get the biggest tastiest slice of coconut cake ever. Triple the price down the road at a chattering class eatery. Oh and a mug of tea is £1....yay.

Fantastic Bacon, egg and chips. Perfect egg and home made chips.

Nice food, decent portions. Friendly Staff and fast service. Not very happy with the price of an instant coffee though! For that money I could have had a proper coffee anywhere else.