Reviews Masala Wala Cafe

Zomato
Louie Dane
+5
I've eaten here a couple of times and its really excellent. The food is really carefully prepared, and the chef took the time to talk to talk to us about the options on the menu and what he reccommended based on the quality of the ingredients they had. The menu is quite small, but both main vegan options were delicious, probably on the spicy side compared to many other similar restaurants! The service was very attentive, the decor of the restaurant is gorgeous, and the 'beer and curry' deal from Mon-Thur offers excellent value. Highly reccomended !!
Mar 22, 2019
Zomato
The Picky Glutton
+4
Choosing how to describe your restaurant and its style of cooking can be a tricky thing. Masala Wala Cafe is a case in point, describing itself as a Pakistani restaurant on its website. This is notable in of itself when so many South Asian restaurants in the capital still describe themselves as Indian when they’re essentially Pakistani (or Bangladeshi) for many intents and purposes. The short menu, which changes frequently, usually focusses on dishes from the Punjab, but all this geography-based categorisation is largely kept in the background when you step through the door and are seated inside the small, cosy dining room.
Sep 24, 2018
Zomato
Secret Scoffer
+4.5
It’s a Friday night, I’ve just stepped off the train from my daily commute and can’t be bothered to cook, what do I do? I head to Masala Wala Cafe of course. Run by mother and daughter, serving Pakistani cuisine this is by far the best place to eat in Brockley, South East London. Oh… and its BRING. YOUR. OWN. BOOZE!

Masala Wala makes it simple for you by having just four dishes to choose from and you can add sides and condiments. I’ve been here a couple of times and the menu differed from my first visit. This is good. Everyone likes a bit of variety.

Baingan gosht, an aubergine and lamb curry was my favourite of the evening. The whole dish was full of flavour with each spice working its magic in your mouth. Once you have enjoyed the spices, bang, the heat kicks in from the chilli. It isn’t stupidly hot, though and they offer a fresh raita, which helps if you’re not great with spicy food.

Palak murgh, a chicken and spinach curry was more subtle in flavour, but a good bowlful of comfort food goodness. The chicken comes on the bone and you can tell this has been cooking away for hours, as it was so moist and the meat just fell away from the bone. Especially good when mopped up with the delicious homemade rotis they have.

I’ve never had dessert here as I’m always happily stuffed by the mains. They offer kulfi ice cream, again, homemade and I believe the flavours change often, too. The options all seem inviting and a great way to cleanse the palate after your savoury dishes. Flavours include pistachio, mango and lychee. 
 

The lady, I’m assuming was the daughter (if not, then I need to know her skincare routine) was extremely friendly. We had a good chat with her and she went over the menu with us, as it was different from before. The venue itself is small, very relaxed, yet buzzy. I’ve never seen the place not busy, always a good sign. With the added bonus that it is BYOB, you won’t be denting your bank balance either. They currently do not take card, so remember your cash. I think this may be my favourite curry place joint at the moment.

One of my friends is a curry fiend; she’s like the Curry Queen. She can suffer from upset stomach, but that doesn’t stop her, she motors through them anyway. Dedication, I say. I need to bring her here because I know she’d absolutely love it. If she doesn’t, then I clearly don’t know her at all.

Even the likes of Professor Green have been spotted here. So, you know… I must be cool, right?

The perfect place to catch up with mates over a beer and a ruby.
Sep 22, 2016
5
Sarah “Kukkii” Hoang
+5
Finally got my arse down to Masala Wala and boy what a treat. I had heard wonderful things about their food already and it lives up to the hype. Between two we shared a chicken and pepper curry and a lamb and aubergine curry served with roti and rice. Both curries were bursting full of flavour and the spices were well balanced. The lamb curry was particularly rich. The texture of the meat was soft soft soft! I also had a mango lassi which just looks beautiful, right? Service was really good and everyone was really friendly. What a gem of a place! Looking forward to a revisit.
5
Howard Smith
+5
From seeing them as the winners of LoveLondon for Best restaurant in Brockley, I though I had better try them, I remember the deli opposite saying they had a deal on the wine, so get a discount on the wine from Brockley deli, and another discount from Masala Wala BUT thats no t the best bit, its the food! Its amazing I've even tried the vegetarian dishes (i'm a meat eater) and I was blown away, I love this place, since my 1st visit we have return numerous times, and even used them as a takeaway service
5
Virág Sági-Kiss
+5
Very small place, about 20 seating. Wonderful tastes and smells. 4 mains that chnaces frequently. Easy to order, superb staff! Try the Masala beer if you can't decide on the drink.
5
Cara Cooke
+5
Just had an awesome dinner for my Dad's Birthday. We were a table of 8, and it was the perfect location for it. It was intimate enough that we could all hear each other, but still had a buzz. The food was AMAZING, curry will never be the same again. The staff were a super friendly and accommodating bunch. Definitely recommend. We will 1000% be back.
5
Kirsty Blewett
+5
Brilliant atmosphere, incredible food. A Brockley gem filled with character, intimacy and joy. The staff are just wonderful as well. The food is fresh and truly special. I would highly recommend this if you enjoying trying new curries. Great if you're lactose/ gluten/ dairy intolerant or vegan/ vegetarian too as there is so much choice and it is straightforward to know what you can have. Amazing place.
4
Laurence Kilpatrick
+4
A nice enough place but still unsure about the pricing structure. £4 for 2 rotis made me look twice. The food is all pleasant without being sensational. I think if you ended up spending £70 in a curry house where food wasn't served in a basket, you could feed 4 people, not 2. That said - we had a nice time and the staff were enthusiastic and welcoming. You're paying for the ambience not the menu, is my takeaway. Thanks for a nice evening.
5
Ieva Stuikyte
+5
I just love this place! We go here to eat quite often with my boyfriend and it has never ever dissapointed us! I always eat vegetarian versions, chickpea dish is my favourite, and my bf always has lamb. Even though I don't eat meat just because I don't like a taste of it, this is the only place where I would have a piece or two of that lamb because it's just the best lamb you'll ever taste, just melts in your mouth! Staff is always very friendly too and atmosphere is cozy. Highly recommended!!!
5
Benedetta Zenari
+5
Went there yesterday with my boyfriend and we really had a nice time. Our waiter was really pleasant and gave us a good description of the dishes. Food was super tasty and spicy, I cried all the way through. Loved how fresh everything was (homemade roti was made in the morning!)
5
Matt Cunliffe
+5
Lovely local restaurant. A little overpriced, but delicious. Great locally sourced beers. Waiting time to pick up a takeaway could be improved, but would never complain about the quality of the food. Top notch.
4
Bijou Venus
+4
Very tasty, authentic and reasonably priced food. Polite and friendly service. Simply furnished. Clearly very popular, so a wait was necessary, although not too lengthy (it was on a rainy Wednesday night). Could do with some soft furnishings as it was a bit noisy. I think they may need to take on some extra staff as they were flat out, and it took time for the order to arrive. Overall a very positive experience, and would visit again.
5
Sami
+5
Incredible service, food and atmosphere which I think largely comes down to the fact that it's a family business. The food shared on the weekly changing menus is inspired by own home cookings so you can't fault recipes which have faired well over decades! Everyone is really friendly and welcoming, making it feel like you've gone to a friend's house for dinner. You have to make sure you get there early though as the tables get swiped up quickly!
5
Lauren Pulsford
+5
Great place for dinner. Relatively small menu which often changes, with both meat and vegetarian options. We had a chicken curry with daal, rice and chapatis and everything was amazing. Great value too, we’ll be back.
5
Declan Barry
+5
Treat Yourselves! Beautifully cooked and presented food, excellent service, brilliant atmosphere! Availed of the deal on wine from the Deli across the road, which offers a carefully chosen and delightful range. Great value for money too! Wishing all at Masala Wala every success, which is much deserved.
5
John Whitsitt
+5
Warm welcome, relaxed atmosphere. Passionate about food and it shows. We love Wala ♥
5
Tom Allen
+5
I've no idea why Brockley is blessed with some of the finest SE Asian food in London, but don't tell everyone else about it! This cafe tends to have 4 dishes to choose from, normally a couple of meat, a couple of veggie, and it is some of the best examples of the subcontinent's food I've had in London. It's not too expensive, and I would strongly urge everyone to try it (but not on nights I want to eat here, okay?)
5
johan englund
+5
Awesome place! Super friendly staff and very good food – also vegan friendly. Gets really busy almost every night so book a table if you're arriving after 6pm.
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