Southwark Cathedral

Great place a little repaired in the garden of Southwark Cathedral. Less crowded in the area, quiet and there is the option of eating a real meal.

Southwark Cathedral is one of my favorite places in London. It’s not high on the list of sites for tourists to visit, so it’s often not crowded. The same can be said of the cathedral’s café. Tucked away on the side of the cathedral, the café seems to be a secret that only the locals know about. Even though we are not locals, my husband and I have taken lunch several times at the café, and each time have thoroughly enjoyed our experience. The food options are not expansive, but the selections are fresh and well-priced. It’s lovely to have a quiet spot to sit in the shadow of a historic building and savor a delicious and inexpensive lunch.

With the cathedral’s close proximity to the hubbub of Borough market, it made for a pleasant and restful break from the crush of people .The refectory is surprisingly big and there is an outside area by the back of the cathedral.Relax here and enjoy peace.

We were in the area and we had wished to have a light lunch on the Borough market, but it was agitated. After fighting the crowd, we ended up near the cathedral, so we went for a look. In the event that the refectory was open and surprisingly free from the crowds, the cathedral has a courtyard on the side of the river of the building, although the Thames is hidden by some buildings. This means that there is a fairly large area to eat outdoors, as well as tables within the refectory.It is a modern coffee shop, with a style decoration and the food on display was attractive, but the menu was a bit limited. If you're happy with light lunches, etc., then this is fine. The food itself is tasty, but the variety seemed to be just a couple of main dishes, soup of the day and some salads, although the potatoes were available.Ordering was fun as the ladies seemed not to have English as their first language, but in the end we arrived. A little pointing with a smile worked where the words were lost. I opted for a lasagna with fresh, slightly toasted potatoes and mixed vegetables, while my companion had a baked potato with tuna filling and a green leaves salad.Some cathedrals are able to maintain good quality restaurants, as they are often a good promenade of the competition. Unfortunately, the Refectory in Southwark has Borough Market's intensive street food complex right next door.Bathrooms are in the basement, which can be complicated for some, but apparently there is a bit of elevation at the other end for those who need it. I got stuck in a cubicle in the gentlemen. You turned a little snib to block the heavy door. It was good to go in, but there was no handle at the door and it was almost impossible to grab the snib enough to open the door when he was trying to get out. There wasn't even a lighter to open the door. That definitely needs to change.After our meal, we found that the road and the steps back to the London Bridge approach were full of people: the customers of the market position blocked the free circulation as we had to open our way through deconsidered people who blocked the road.The quiet and reflective atmosphere of the Refectory was a forgotten dream when we went back up the steps, but it would go back to the new cathedral.

My wife and I took afternoon tea at the refectory and enjoyed it a lot. Our table was booked and the drinks came immediately. This was followed by a well presented variety of vegetarian sandwiches and another source of cakes and bowls. All the food was fresh and tasty. The waitress was available for more drinks when needed. In general, the Refectory is a small remnant of peace in a bustling city. Thank you.