Al's Cafe

Review of Al's Cafe, Bermondsey Street, London SE1

Old-style cafe with friendly service, and newspapers.
Choice of breakfasts, freshly prepared and piping hot.
Traditional lunchtime dishes, such as shepherd's pie.
Reasonable prices by London standards.

I would have given it five stars, but for two things: noise and lighting.

I was almost put off going in this cafe at all, because of the ghastly fluorescent strip lighting, but reckoned I could cope if I sat at the window table facing the street. This worked out fine until the last two mouthfuls, when the staff decided to put the radio on. After that, I couldn't get out fast enough. I wouldn't have minded some gentle music, but this was quick-talking radio gabble. Will not go back under those conditions.