Amazing food, have been here lots of times and definitely recommend it. Even though the food is great, the interior and staff could have some improvements
Amazing food, fresh and quick, staff effortlessly perfect and friendly too!
Definitely recommend!
I just love the food here it’s always fresh, delicious and healthy. It reminds me of a school dinner hall, a big room with loads of tables and chairs, it’s a great place for an informal dinner with friends or family. It’s always busy and exceptionally clean. Come here for a bite to eat if you crave comfort food. Theres something for everyone.
I ate my fair share of Vietnamese food... from authentic streetside fare in Hanoi, Hai-Phong, Sapa & Bac Ha to fine restaurants in Hoi Ann & Saigon in the early 2000s, to expat Vietnamese joints in Philly, Auckland, Brisbane, Paris, the throngs of Vietnamese eateries along Kingsland Road E1 & my perennial favourite at Thanh Binh NW1 the past 15 years....
Cafe East is a gem. Go early & hog a table, you will not be disappointed. Go late and you'll queue for ages, but the quality of the food is worth queuing & waiting for.
Unbeatable prices for eating out in London, zone2-3.
Much better than shordich street..!! Always the best food and service. Even when i used to live near shordich still i driven to canada water in order to get special noodle soup at cafe east~!!
Thanks guys~! Always the best ^^
I love this place! I've been living here for 9 years... Consistently great bun cuon and pho.. 🤤
What I like about here is that their authentic spicy Pho. The broth is rich and so flavorful and the spring rolls are generous and fresh. Simple fast and great quality. Will be back here.
Quaint little Cafe in a quaint little neighborhood of London. They keep super busy, the ambiance is functional whereas the outdoor seating is pretty. Docks kind of a feel to it. The food is good, the vegetarian pho though lacked the punch. Haven't tried all the items on their menu, so would be revisiting soon
I love this place for its authentic spicy pho, the broth is rich and so flavourful and the spring rolls are generous and fresh. I am from Melbourne, Australia and this is the place that reminds me of home. Service can be harried and you may need to queue at busy times but if you get there at 6pm or 8pm you should be right.
I just love this place! Simple, fast, cheap and great quality of food! The ingredients are really fresh, the menu has big variety, spicy non spicy you decide! I already went there 3times and i will back for sure!
I declare as the best pho ever in my life. Ordered bun tom hue & cha gia. It was mind blowing. I could come here twice a week to get this super delish pho.
Following on from U for Ukrainian dining at Baltic, the alphabet dining group met for V dining. Having explored a few more exotic possible V destinations, we settled on Vietnamese in the end. The gang headed over to Canada Water on a Friday evening to check out no-reservation Cafe East. It’s no frills to keep up turnover of tables but our group of 6 got a table on our arrival at 7pm.
Vietnamese cuisine is becoming more common as the weather is getting colder and Cafe East certainly impresses as a cheap eat for a nice soupy dish. The basic concept and the authentic food give the restaurant character and a vibe that is different. I'm sure I’ll be taking the walk around the corner to eat at the small restaurant again.
Sorry I’ve been out of action (again!) for a while but I’m expecting a fruitful 2016 with many more reviews in London, a few in Nottingham (which if you haven’t noticed is where I’m partly based now) and finally get a move on with my abroad reviews!. Having heard much about Cafe East I was dying to try what I’ve heard as one of the most authentic bowls of pho you can get in the UK but neither have I ever stepped foot out of Canada Water station so the combination of the two sounded like quite the adventure. Checking online for bearings it told us to go through the supermarket carpet, well not so adventurous! We had our doubts the further we trekked into the Gala Bingo car park but right there sitting cosily at the back of the car park was Cafe East!
Brick Lane is home to the curry house, Brixton is known for it’s Caribbean soul food, Chinatown is self explanatory, Hoxton has it’s own ‘Pho Mile’, where I recently tried out Cay Tre, but this usually fail safe formula has one significant outlier. The best Vietnamese food I have ever had does not come from Pho Mile, it doesn’t even belong in the more upmarket and achingly hip spots of Soho, but in a far away suburb close to Surrey Quays/ Canada Water. It’s not even located anywhere commuter friendly, while it is only a short walk from a tube station, it’s confusingly tucked away in the far corner of a car park, near a Bingo parlour and from the exterior, it looks to be completely unoccupied!
Although the food isn't too bad, it unfortunately didn't stand out. What really lets the place down is the environment; it's like sitting in a church hall on some function event. Tables squashed together too, such that the conversation either side of you is fully audible. Hopefully one day it'll undergo some refurb, as it certainly has potential.
Seems like an authentic Vietnamese place. 4-5 Vegetarian options, which is BTW more than enough to have sumptuous and satiating meal. Food is really good, service is fast. Place is a little noisy and crowded but that's only because of the great food and reasonable prices... Quantities for each dish are big... Order carefully.
Very affordable, good food. We all agreed that the sauce was too hot with no way to cool it down. I lighter, more dynamic sauce would have livened up the dishes. But all in all a good place to eat. We would go back.
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Why I love Cafe East!. Now, I don't think I'm being biased about this place, despite living 5 mins walk away. But this really is one of the more consistently good Vietnamese restaurants which performs every time I visit. Which is A LOT. Originally based in Deptford, Cafe East has moved into Surrey Quays/Canada Water, turning a derelict pub in a convenient location near the bowling alley and cinema and making it into another successful Vietnamese eatery. Again, this place is packed most nights and it can be pretty difficult to get a table if you go there around the usually lunch and dinner hours. But the food is oh-so worth the wait! I should also mention that this place doesn't serve alcohol or for that matter tap water. We usually get a pot of chinese tea to share amongst friends or they have some refreshing viet style juices and cold drinks on offer.
For starters we had the Bi Cuon which was refreshing and simple. I think I prefer this over the prawn version as the shredded pork adds a little saltiness to the rice and salad which combined with the fish sauce tastes lovely!
Banh Cuon: I love everything about this dish. The 'cheung fun' style pastry wrapping - win. The Vietnamese meat loaf - win. The fried shallots and fish sauce - win. As a starter, it's ideal to share between 3-4 people. I remember having this with just Andy before and we didn't have much room left for our mains!
Pho Kho Dac Biet is very much like a pho dish except the soup stock is on the side. This is perfect for me, as I like controlling my noodle to soup ratio and makes it much easier to eat, without the noodles slipping off my chop sticks and flicking soup in my eyes! Despite there being 4 of us on the table, we all went for the same dish which I'd like to think is testament to how good it was. Generous amounts of beef, chicken and king prawns are sat on top of the perfectly soft, moist rice noodles. They were silky and flavourful very much unlike the ones at Song Que (sorry!). We all also chose the beef stock which even the waiter said was the 'better' one. And although I've not tasted the chicken broth, I don't doubt him. You could taste all the herbs that went into the beef stock soup, it was aromatic, sweet, meaty om nom nom.
Sharing two starters and a main each between 4 worked out at approx £11 per head. Which is a bargain, right?! It's not like its easy to make these dishes at home, although I am in the process of gathering materials to make Banh Cuon, because I love it so.
Cheap, cheerful and satisfying. It's great value, the pho stock is exemplary, it has quick service and the drinks are nice. Why be denny different?!
Local Gem. Could not beat a tasty bowl of chicken Pho at this joint, Also love their fired chicken rice too. YUM
The dish that surprised me the most was this dry vermicelli noodle dish with pork, shredded veggies, and a fried spring roll... otherwise called bun cha nem thit nuong. Doused with this sweet, fishy sauce, it was so tasty. I love the elements of hot and cold in this dish.
This is definitely the best Vietnamese I've had in London - and I hereby formally retract my previous claim that pho in London sucks compared to Sydney (even if the beef wasn't really rare). This stuff is good. Real good.
The nicest pho in London? Probably. Also loved the Banh Cuon. Worth the trek into deep dark Surrey Quays? Yeah. This place looks like a school cafeteria, all white, not even a cheap Halong Bay poster on the wall.
But the food is oh-so worth the wait! I should also mention that this place doesn’t serve alcohol or for that matter tap water. We usually get a pot of chinese tea to share amongst friends or they have some refreshing viet style juices and cold drinks on o
The portion sizes here are still generous, and if you’re not looking to spend much here, a main dish alone should be sufficiently filling. This is one of our favourite dishes though, so we just had to order one to share. The prawns were fresh, and the rolls were filled with pork, noodles and prawn, bril for dipping in the sauce accompanying the dish.
It was Friday night and it was my birthday, bored of the usual antics of getting drunk on my birthday. I opted for a quiet one, my sisters was out sample sale shopping and I joined them. Coming from work and shopping in the manic sales we was hungry. Sisters wanted to go cafe east to eat, I've been many times before whenever I have a pho craving this place pops up in my head. Located near Surrey quays at near Hollywood bowl, the previous business was a pub where I used to get 50p shots from. Cafe east is always busy if you go with more then 4 people in the party you need to wait at least half a hour to get seats. The interior is very modern with White Walls and beach wood furnishing the restaurant seats around 50 odd people. The three of us wanted to order 3 mains and 1 starter and our favourite red bean jelly drink. Banh cuon is a must for anyone starting out sampling Vietnamese food. A portion consists of 9 rolls, these are steamed rolls with mince pork, mushroom and onions. I love t
Surrey Quays is home to all sorts of weirdness. It has an assortment of pubs ranging from the trendy to the derelict. It is home to probably the worst shopping centre in London (saved only by a massive Tesco's which never actually has anything you want),
After watching Alice in Wonderland, we decided to make the short trip to Café East. Located next to Odeon cinemas in Surrey Quays, this was a nearby convenient choice, helped in no small part by various friends and family who com
It was the first time we rode the 'new' overground trains all the way from North to the nether regions of South East London. It's a whole other world out here, bridges, apartment blocks, round-abouts and eerie silence. Arguably the best pho in town is sai
There are unlikely locations, and there are unlikely locations. And then, in the corner of a car park next to an ugly great cinema and shopping mall in a desolate area of Surrey Quays, there is Café East. To say it's in the middle of nowhere is being kind
Putri Dwieanita Ayuningtyas
+5
THE BEST PHO!!! They serve this with spices and without so it depends on what you prefer.. Please bear in mind that the soup is on the side, so it won't be soupy like normal pho. Because I love spicy food, I usually add more fish sauce and chop chili (ask them for free), then your pho is ready to go! This Pho Kho Cay (with spices/spicy) is the one and only food I will miss from London after going back home for good. All the journey to Surrey Quays will be paid off once you had this!!!
Another authentic Vietnamese restaurant
Spacious cafe restaurant, simple decor, v busy in the evenings esp weekend.
Dishes to have:
banh cuon, or rice rolls filled with mince pork, served with fish sauce dipping sauce. This is the one of the few of Vietnamese restaurant to serve this dish - very popular in Vietnam. Bit similar to Chinese dish Chueng fun but thinner rice layers.
Bun bo Hue or spicy noodle soup with beef flanks: personally I really like it as it's to my taste (Southern Vietnam ) I.e. Soup is a bit sweeter than in northern dishes.
Pho, the popular Vietnamese dish is pretty good here too.
I don't think spring rolls are authentic here cos of the lack of fillings.
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If you read no more of this review than the first line, read this: the score is purely based on this visit. I've been here before and would've rated it 4, even 4.5 out of five.
But this time I was left a little disappointed and in the words of many an X Factor judge, I am judging solely on this performance.
Cafe East has built up a loyal clientele and reputation for delicious yet cheap food. The result is a queue as early as 7pm; not bad for a restaurant stuck on the outskirts of an uninspiring shopping centre in Surrey Quays, whose only other draws is the cinema and bowling alley.
The inside isn't much to look at either. Practicality triumphs cosiness and their priority is squeezing as many tables in as possible. You shouldn't mind too much - this isn't a place to linger, but one to get a good feed and get out.
We were in a rush and ordered a Summer rolls to start, one vegetarian and the other with both prawn and pork (both £6).
Both were uninspiring. They lacked the herbs that make Summer rolls so fresh and exciting, and the peanut sauce was gloopy and lacked the piquancy I usually love about that sauce.
For the main I went for Bun Ga Nuong (£8)- vermicelli noodles topped with crispy chicken and served with cucumber, herb salad, pickled carrots, mooli, peanuts and fish sauce.
Well executed, the chicken was perfect with deliciously crisp skin that was never soggy. I always go for the Bun Thit Nuong - essentially the same dish only with lemongrass grilled pork rather than the chicken (£8.50 here, and it also comes with spring rolls) - and I didn't regret going astray.
Two others in my party went for the Pho Tai Chin (£8.50), a broth of rare and well done beef with noodles and vegetables and herbs to add separately. They said it was nice, but nothing more, and tasting it I agreed. I've had it there before and it was much better, made with broth that had been shown more love than this one.
The vegetarian among us could only order the Bun Chay - a similar cold rice noodle dish as mine, but with two vegetarian spring rolls instead. Admittedly we didn't ask if any other dish could be made veggie, but that was the only vegetarian main option they had on the menu.
One unexpected winner was the traditional Chinese herbal tea with fresh longan fruit, Chinese dates, seaweed, jelly and lotus seed. Unlike anything I've ever had before, it was sweet and smoky and so moreish I ordered another, despite the £4 price tag.
It's worth noting Cafe East do not serve alcohol and as such, are not legally obliged to offer free tap water. And they don't, as pointed out on the menu and on signs throughout the restaurant.
So there you go. Perhaps they weren't having a great day, or perhaps they have become complacent after years of such glowing reviews. I hope not.
Best Vietnamese restaurant in London!!
One of the best cafe in Canada water area (there isn't many restaurant or cafe). Good Vietnamese food with reasonable prices (around 10 quid per person). Be prepared to queue up if you come after 7 pm especially on weekend. They don't have as wide range of menu as some Vietnamese restaurant in Horton area but they do good pho, spring roll and salad. The only downside is they're close on Tuesday and near to holidays like Christmas, they might close for few weeks!
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The best Vietnamese food I have ever had lies not in the ‘trendy’ Hoxton/ Dalston areas, not even in the joints in Soho, but in a far away suburb known as Surrey Quays. Here you’ll find a bustling café, confusingly located in the far corner of a car park next to a Bingo parlour & a cinema and from the exterior... seemingly unoccupied.
That picture soon changes when you enter and you’re hit with the warm aroma of spicy, meaty broth. And this is exactly what you should have – translate this smell into a menu option and you have Pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup served with razor thin slices of meats (Or chicken, or my personal favourite, the prawn) with fresh lemongrass, basil and beansprouts to dunk in and slurp up together.
There’s a never ending stream of locals and those who venture from far and it’s always packed. Service is speedy though and even on a busy night, you’re never more than 20 minutes away from hot soupy nourishment. If soup isn’t your thing, the Com Curry has received rave reviews from Husband and in the summers, I like to switch my order over to the light, fragrant and zingy Lemongrass pork noodle salad.
Cards are now accepted but it's a £10 minimum payment on card!
I went here with a group of badminton friends after a 3 hour session. We were all hungry and looking for a hearty Vietnamese meal. This restaurant was very busy so we were lucky to get a table without booking.
It's reasonably cheap and the menu offers a great variety of Vietnamese dishes. I usually go for noodles, the spicy ones are the best! The only drawback is that they don't take credit cards and only accept payments in cash.
Grear food. Nice envirinment. Service needs improve.ent.
We visited on a rainy week day evening and immediately got a table. The soup pho has a clear broth that's thankfully refreshing. Service was also very good as staff was very thoughtful in bringing over small bowls for appetizers and helped to clear the table. The rice paper rolls were however not freshly made and that they were sticking together. Overall speaking the mains are highly recommended.
Finally back! Just new location in Blackheath Village. Thankfully, Pho stock and menu all the same, just pricier (Blackheath rents?!) by a few £s. The pho stock is the best I have found in London, some people saying it’s not the same as when in Surrey Quays, but I must challenge that, as it’s exactly as it has always been, especially the spicy option!
Amazing! Strongly recommend.
Food is delicious and so fresh. Went with my friend and we both enjoyed it massively.
Went for Sunday early lunch and every table was full with a queue out the door - totally understandable why.
The owner (I think the owner) came and chatted to us, recommended some dishes and told us how different dishes were made. Very friendly and added a really nice personable touch.
Excellent value for money for amazing quality food. Thanks for a great experience.
what a find!!! Super cute homely place with the best Vietnamese food in the city! everything was super fresh, super delicious and the portions were big. The prices were also quite decent for all the food you get! Took pictures as it opened (thus it is empty) and it was full literally in 15 mins! Very family friendly, a lot of families with babies and kids were enjoying the food as well. There is also outdoor seating in the garden. :)
One of our favourite spots for Vietnamese food. The menu is simple and well structured with pictures and you actually get the food exactly how it looks in the picture. Food arrives fast, portions are good for the price, and staff are friendly and attentive. The place is spotlessly clean, as a restaurant should be. Over the years we’ve been here many times and will come back again, even though we travel from North West London :)
Great and authentic Vietnamese food in London. The soup is superb. Surprisingly the well-done marbled beef tastes much better than the original rare beef, more tender.
One down side is that the restaurant does not offer free tap water. But still, highly recommend this place for the food!
Delicious food with decent portion. The price is reasonable too
Both pho tai chin and dry verimicelli are nice
Banh cuon is recommended as a starter
I like Che ba mau. It is a red kidney beans based drink, goes well with the rest of the food
Not so busy, come directly to sit today.
No booking is accepted here
Cafe East in Blackheath is a local gem! Imagine scrumptious beef pho and mouthwatering rolls in a cozy ambiance. A bit on the pricey side, but totally worth it. Also, tap water is free. 4 out of 5.
Update since the move....
Still as good and as authentic as it was down in Surrey Quays. Recommend the Beef Pho 👍
Best Vietnamese Pho in south London hands down. 🍜
Been a Cafe East fan since 2009, hence I had to make the pilgrimage to Blackheath to relive the taste.
The first starter came fairly quickly, followed by the 2nd about 20 minutes after. The 4 bowls of pho then took about 30 minutes more.
Overall, only one person from the service team seemed like he was doing something.
The price has also gone up a lot, even from the last price rise.
One of the best Pho I've ever tried. It is all about the broth, and they have done it right. The broth is flavorsome and rich, yet not artificial. I will definitely be coming back for more. £12 for a bowl of Pho is not the cheapest, and there is minimal service in the restaurant, but they do not have service charges which is a plus.
The atmosphere is pretty relaxed, and you can see big groups of friends/family together, enjoying a bowl of well-made noodles. The restaurant is also spacious and fairly modern.
Cafe east, the Vietnamese restaurant, is very popular by Asian in London. I recommend what we have ordered this time, dish number 4, 8 and 10. Especially no.8. wins my 💖
No 4. CHA GIO, 葷的春卷 pork and prawn spring roll
No 10. Pho Tai, Rare beef pho
No 8. Pho kho DAC biet cay, sweet and spicy noodles with prawn, beef flank, and chicken.
I came here couple of times now in the past and never had the chance to put in any reviews. I am putting one now and all I have to say this is really one of the authentic Vietnamese cafes restaurant in London. Delicious pho broth and also lovely starters. Fast service for sure! Always nice to come here for a bowl of noodle soup when it’s a cold there outside. Let’s say it goes well in all weather round. Air con in the restaurant during summer so not to worry about being too hot during summer. Think it would be nice if they do serve tap water. Guess it’s the hassle of taking another glass and pouring tap water in it and having to wash them after?
Favourite Vietnamese Place to go for the Pho and Summer Rolls Free Parking in the Area but just beware of rush hour traffic times cause of Rotherhithe Tunnel. Nonetheless food is great and service is spot on! Been here a few times and always rather lively and busy 👍
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I've been coming here all the time after a colleague took me here once back in 2016 as I can't get enough of it. The food is just great and I love it. Dishes are fresh and taste delicious. My favourites are #12 pho tai chin (beef pho), #19 bun cha nem thit nuong (lemongrass pork with vermicelli), and #25 com suon (lemongrass pork with rice) and I highly recommend them. They have spicy options and if you can take spicy I'd recommend you go for them (I always do). Note that they refuse to serve tap water, I usually bring my own flask of water and they don't seem to mind. If you want to order drinks I prefer to order the hot tea, as although their ice drinks look cool and are good, they can give you indigestion if you down it after you've eaten all that good food (or maybe it's just me). The place can get very busy so be prepared to queue at peak times - or come just as its about to open like I do - I always come just before 1700 when they open, and just wait a few minutes. There is plenty of free parking at the shopping complex which is a bonus, otherwise its just a few mins walk from Surrey quays Station. Also be aware they don't open on Tuesdays!
I've been coming here for as long as I can remember. It's one of, if not, the best Vietnamese places in SE London. Convenient to get to with ample parking, there's no excuse to not come here. The food is more home made style than the trending street food, but it's comforting and they haven't changed their menu at all, so they focus on their main dishes to make sure each dish is as good as ever. Don't expect great service here (as with most Asian places, customer service is not their strong point). There is a ramp, but also a step before it and the ramp is quite steep so wheelchair users will need a bit of help. However, there is another entrance around the other side which is accessible, but you need to let staff know so it's just easier to go down the ramp.
Wheelchair access: There are no accessible toilets either, but the bowling alley across the car park has one if required. It's local and familiar with good food, so I'll be coming here for years to come.
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