The Bookstore Cafe - Waltham Forest

This hidden gem is surprisingly good. Located under Erith Library, this cozy little restaurant offers a pop-up kitchen that focuses on local and seasonal produce, mostly from Kent. To reduce food waste, they require booking and pre-ordering. The 3-course menu is priced at £30, with wines around £25 per bottle. The service is super friendly and welcoming. On a recent visit, we pre-ordered all the food to sample everything. The courgette flower stuffed with ricotta was a standout starter, simple yet delicious. The halibut and lamb rump were equally amazing. The granola dessert was cleverly done, and even as someone who isn't a fan of cheesecake, this was the best I've ever had. The oven-baked cheesecake was still warm, topped with red fruit marmalade that had just the right amount of sourness. I highly recommend this hidden gem to both locals and visitors alike. Don't miss out on trying this place!

We had an unexpected visit to this charming little restaurant and we are thrilled that we found it! We visited on a Friday evening and tried all nine dishes across three courses (three starters, three mains, and three desserts) for two people. Each dish was beautifully presented, perfectly seasoned, and absolutely delicious. Our favorite dishes were the deep-fried courgette flower, the lamb with grilled summer vegetables, and the fluffy, warm cheesecake. We can't wait to come back to try the cheese and charcuterie, which is sourced from local suppliers, and the highly recommended brunch menu. The service was incredibly warm and attentive, making us feel very special. This restaurant has a lot of potential to become a beloved neighborhood spot, and we hope it will always be a part of our community. We will definitely be returning soon and we highly recommend that others give this place a try!

We went to this restaurant tonight for their set menu and it was amazing! The crab salad was delicious and the lamb rump was exceptional. The dessert was also exquisite. The staff recommended wines to pair with the food, which were excellent. The Honey Vodka was incredibly drinkable, so we ordered a bottle to take home. I highly recommend this place not only for the food, but also for the exceptional service. The staff, both serving and cooking, were wonderful and very attentive. It's great to have a business like this so close to us. I was too eager to dig in and forgot to take pictures of the food, sorry!

My sister has visited here a number of times in the last year and so it was the perfect place to go for her birthday brunch especially when we were catering for different tastes and preferences in the food. Firstly it's a great venue, spacious, light and airy. The tables are a great size and although communal the seats aren't crammed together so there's space to eat. The staff are lovely. The brunch menu was varied and had plenty of veggie options. The food was cooked really well and plated up beautifully with a nice salad dressing. Between us, we had scrambled eggs on toast with smoked salmon, smashed avocado on toast with feta cheese, sausage and cheese toasted sandwich with onion marmalade and ham and cheese toasted sandwich with piccalilli. The ham was thick-cut ham off the bone not thin and plastic with little flavour. The bread used was toasted sourdough and some of the best I've ever tasted. We all said that we could our meals over again... or as one of my sisters said... it was so tasty you didn't want the meal to end. They are also licenced and so you can get a glass of something to go with your food. If you live near Erith this is well worth a visit, they also do food in the evening cakes etc. And afterwards why not go for a walk on Erith Pier? I thoroughly recommend The Bookstore in Erith and I'd love one of their sandwiches now... At £6 it was a really well priced brunch and some of the dishes were cheaper.

LOVE this little gem of a café! We bring our dog here too and she loves it just as much as we do! The food is delicious and the staff are incredibly friendly, would recommend this place to anyone!!!