Breakfast on the go

[Ed Wenn]

Every so often don’t get time to eat breakfast before I have to leave for work and if I’m really hungry I’ll stop off and grab something from the bakery section at the Tesco Metro as I head out of Balham towards Tooting (I work in Bracknell for my sins and commute out of London every day). Now I’m not a big fan of Tesco and go there only when there are no alternatives, so I’m wondering if there are any alternatives on my route from Weir Road, through Balham and then out onto Trinity Road?

Ideally I’d like to be able to park nearby, run in, grab a roll/croissant etc. And then be on my way quickly. Any thoughts?

[Matthew Gunning]

- On the left of Balham High Road, about halfway down before the Tesco Metro, is the Nightingale cafe, a converted butchers. Now low on meat, high on tea and cake.
In fact, there are a couple of other cafes near there too, at least one - an Italian sandwich shop type place.

Which way do you go from Weir Rd to A24?

- If you go left down Cavendish Rd towards the Common there's a ludicrously authentic greasy spoon there, with real grease. Last shop on the left in that little run of shops including Threshers + Post Office.

- If you're heading down Station Rd past the Sainsburys Car Park, there's Trinity Stores (which you must know about already). Parking there among all the cabs and traffic can be tricky, unless you can slam it outside the bookshop or into the Car Park for a couple of minutes.

- Just across the crossroads on Chestnut Grove, before the Tup, is another deli (The Fat Deli). Green sign. Huge tins of olive oil. Coffee and cakes. Etc.

I'd be surprised if all of the above didn't offer acceptable breakfast fayre.

[Ian Freeman]

Nightingale is fine as long as you can avoid the hoardes of yummy mummies with their whingeing brats in tow! ;-)

[Ed Wenn]

Ian, from now on, every time I go to Nightingale's with my lovely wife & occasionally noisy, small children I'll think of you.
:-)

[Ian Freeman]

I'm sure yours are perfectly behaved! I'm sick to death, though, of our cafes being over-run with kids - have you ever tried that Bertie Boo's or whatever it's called, on the corner of Ramsden Road? The coffee shop from hell - it's like the third world in there, with screaming kids running riot!

[Ed Wenn]

I think that Bertie Boo's or whatever it's called is actually geared up specifically for kids & parents so you're onto a loser there from the start. The two owners are actually childrens' entertainers in another life and run parties etc.

What about that posh French bakery opposite Dish Dash (used to be the health food shop and was painted yellow)? That might be somewhere where you could enjoy a quite coffee. I base this on th fact that I've never managed to get in there myself due to kids.

Even though I have 2 kids and love them and happily embrace all that goes with that situation, if I'm on my own I absolutely steer clear of places in Balham that cater for kids. Apparently, the Clapham area has the highest concentration of births in the whole of Europe* so anywhere that has high chairs, nappy changing facilities and room to park a buggy is going to be overrun. Fact of life I'm afraid.

I never go into Pizza Express (day time), Bertie Boos', Nightingales etc. if I don't have the kids with me because I know they'll be menatl. But if it makes you feel better, I'm jealous as hell of everyone enjoying a drink every time I wheel the buggy past The Clarence.
:-)


* Unverified "bloke down the pub said it" statistic alert :-)

[Ed Wenn]

Hi Matthew, thanks for the suggestions; much appreciated.

I know all of the places you list and I do drive past Jenny's Cafe (the greasy spoon you mention - and one of my fave Balham spots). Next time I'm in I'll check to see if they do anything I can grab...but I'll be sorely tempted to stay and have a full English, so it may not be a good idea.

The Fat Deli is a really nice spot (albeit not cheap), but would mean a diversion...the same's true for Trinity Stores and as I'm only on the look out for breakfast when I'm running late I probably couldn't spare the time.

There's a nice looking Italian deli on the corner of the road I turn right into off the High Street (right next to Dwell), but it's never open at that time.