One of the best brunches in London

Posted on February 21, 2013 by benscanteen

We received an email that made us smile… Top Table have recognised the Ben’s Canteen brunch as one of the most indulgent in London.

Doing a really great brunch is one of the reasons we started Ben’s Canteen – we were frustrated that not many places in SW London do a good one and on a purely selfish basis we wanted somewhere we could stagger to from home. We wanted a rocking eggs benedict, top notch coffee, a full english that could alleviate a serious night out with nice, spicy Bloody Mary’s and that’s what we set out to serve here every daytime at the Canteen. Judging by this accolade from Top Table and the queues for tables at the weekend it feels like we’re delivering what we set out to do.

We haven’t finished there though, we want to keep improving our brunch offering. We’ve just upgraded our smoothies, they’re waaaay better and we recently teamed up with Sipsmith to make not only a truly Classic Bloody Mary but also one made with lemon thyme and rosemary infused vodka and a chilli and garlic number too. Not so long ago we switched to Allpress coffee which is great and we’re going to start getting teas from Joe’s Tea Company, and awesome they are too. Also, we’ve got a number of new brunch dishes in development, including pancakes.

The main thing though is to do as the title says, be indulgent. Brunch is a time to relax and to treat yourself, personally we love a morning run followed by eggs benedict, a flat white, a Bloody Mary, the papers and a latte for the road. Sounds good?!

This weekend at Ben’s Canteen

Posted on February 14, 2013 by benscanteen

It’s been a super busy week at the Canteen, what with our epic Chinese New Year Feast, Valentine’s and 2-4-1 Tuesday Cocktails – so this weekend we’re suggesting you kick back and indulge yourself with a nice relaxed weekend.

Start the indulgence with brunch; eggs benedict (royale or florentine), some top notch Allpress coffee, a Bloody Mary or Ben’s favourite brunch time tipple – a Marmalade Martini – and the papers.

Also, this weekend,

We have a new dinner menu! It’s full of dirty burgers (e.g. the Big Benny Melt – a burger topped with mac and cheese) and hot dogs but we’ve also added in some lighter options such as the Benny Benny Chicken which is a chicken breast with salad and a mayo free slaw, and a Mackerel Nicoise to balance things out.
Dinner now starts early, join us from 5pm and on Fridays and Saturdays the kitchen is open until 11pm, meaning you can join us for late night bites.
Book in for an early dinner, from 5-7pm and we’ll give you some extra value in the shape of a free glass of wine and 2 courses for £18.
You can book a table online or by calling us on 020 7228 3260.
And check out our new wine list, which includes some left field (but awesome) choices such as Portuguese, Croatian and Lebanese wine, alongside the more expected.
We’re proud to run SW London’s busiest (and we like to think), best brunch - join us every weekend from 9am-4pm. We don’t take bookings for weekend brunch but tables do become available quickly, grab a coffee and/or a bloody mary at the bar whilst you wait.
Make your weekend last longer by joining us for the Sunday Night Saver - all burgers and sandwiches for a flat tenner, that’ll help banish the Sunday night blues.

And other stuff,

Join us every Tuesday for 2-4-1 Cocktails.
On Wednesday we’re having a Ribs Night
We’ve launched a loyalty card - join the Midweek Brunch Club and get money off your bill.
Shortlist magazine have rated the BC Burger as one of the best in the UK, we’re rather chuffed. And, we’re now using a new burger bun, so we reckon it’s better than ever.
Celebrate Chinese New Year at the Canteen with a super special dinner - think duck fat fried rice with confit duck and crispy duck skin, amazers!
Valentine’s isn’t just for loved up couples, come down to our singles party which includes cocktail making.
Burn The Other Cheek - probably London’s best chilli at Ben’s Canteen for one night only.
We want to host your party! Got a celebration coming up? Talk to us about private hiring some or all of the Canteen for your event - click here for more info.

Ben's Canteen, Best Local Restaurant 2012

Christmas and New Year in Clapham Junction, Battersea and Wandsworth

Posted on December 20, 2012 by benscanteen

The Festive Holiday Season is almost here, after partying hard it’s time to kickback, forget about work and have super merry times with family and friends.

Doubtless though there will be times that you want to break out of the house and that’s why here at Ben’s Canteen we’re opening for the majority of the holiday – so come down to the place on the hill for brunch, dinner and drinks. We’re just a few minutes away from Clapham Junction and all the local buses connect to us, so you can get here from all over SW London (Battersea, Clapham, Brixton, Putney, Wandsworth and so on) without much fuss. Oh and we’re very dog friendly, so go for that big family walk, with the hound in tow, across Wandsworth Common/Spencer Park/Clapham Common and then come and warm up in the Canteen for a full blown meal or just a little treat with a cup of tea/coffee or our mulled wine.

Don’t forget, if you book in for dinner between 5 and 7pm then you can get 2 courses for £20 and a free glass of vino. Jingle Bells!

Christmas & New Year Opening Times

Christmas Eve: Open for brunch (9am to 4pm), closing around 6pm. Join us for our Xmas Jumper Party and get a free Bloody Mary.

Christmas Day: Closed

Boxing Day: Closed

27th-30th: Open as normal, so brunch from 9am and dinner from 5pm.

New Year’s Eve: Open an normal, note we’re running our standard menu in the evening but are open until 1am. No entry fee.

New Year’s Day: Open for brunch (9am to 4pm), closing around 6pm.

2nd Jan: Open for brunch (9am to 4pm), closing around 6pm.

3rd Jan onwards: Open as normal.

If you wish to book a table please call us on 020 7228 3260 or click here to book online.

Xmas Jumper

A nice cuppa at Ben’s Canteen

Posted on December 13, 2012 by benscanteen

You guys probably know that we love coffee at Ben’s Canteen (we serve Allpress Espresso and it’s top notch) but we also love tea and we’re delighted to be serving We Are Tea.

We just wanted to take a moment to share with you a little about some of the teas we offer, to give you a bit of an insight into why we think they’re so great and to basically encourage you to stop what you’re doing and have a nice bit of ‘you time’ and a cuppa (and perhaps a cheeky mince pie or brownie from the Bad Boys Bakery – you know, the one Ramsay set up at Brixton Prison).

English Breakfast

An exquisite blend of India’s finest Assam and Darjeerling teas; with long golden tips, beautiful leaves and an empowering aroma, this is how English Breakfast should be. This tea offers the perfect balance of a rich and malty Assam with the fragrance of an exceptional Darjeeline. A true classic.

Earl Grey

A blend of the finest whole-leaf black teas scented with oil of bergamot and sprinkled with cornflowers to make it as beautiful on the eye as it is on the palate. The leaf is large and well blended showing plenty of tip and offers a light, bright infusion with the distinctive aroma and flavour of citrus bergamot. A true gentleman.

Gunpowder Supreme

A wonderful example of this ever popular green tea. It is believed to take its English name from the fact that the tea leaves resemble the pellets used in canons. Whether myth or fact, it is a joy to watch the gunpowder unfurl while infusing in hot water. Our Gunpowder is an early spring tea which gives a deliciously sweet and satisfying cup. Guaranteed to put a spring in your step.

Daintea

Some people are born bloody beautiful while others have to work at it. This South American herbal drink apparently aids weight loss… it beats going to the gym so we’re happy to give it a try.

Revitealise

We all have mornings that we’d rather forget after nights out that we can’t remember and when pulling a sick day is not an option, you’ll be pleased to hear that we’ve come up with a tea to help you get through the day. Revitealise is designed to give your body and brain the necessary boost to get them back to full working order. Your secret is safe with us.

We Are Tea

Getting cosy at Ben’s Canteen

Posted on November 20, 2012 by benscanteen

Ok Autumn we see your game, you’re getting a bit colder on us eh! To combat this we’ve got blankets and we’ve just installed some outdoor heaters.

We’re also going to have mulled wine and a hot toddy to take the chill out of the nights whilst during the day we’ve increased our range of teas from We Are Tea and if you haven’t tried Allpress Coffee then you need to get down here sharpish, it’s cracking coffee.

We Are Tea at Ben’s Canteen

Posted on November 13, 2012 by benscanteen

Most people probably know that here at Ben’s Canteen we love our coffee (and we absolutely love the Allpress Coffee we recently started serving) but what they may not realise is that we also love a good cuppa.

That’s why we’re delighted to be stocking a range of teas from the brilliant We Are Tea.

We’re currently stocking their English Breakfast, Gunpowder Supreme (green tea), Revitealise, White Chamomile Flowers and Earl Grey but we’ll be adding to that in the coming weeks.

So the next time you’re around St John’s Hill or indeed Clapham Junction, Battersea Rise or Northcote Road make sure you pop in and try one of these fantastic teas. Perhaps have it with a slice of treacle tart from the Bad Boys Bakery (the bakery Gordon Ramsay helped set up at Brixton Prison)?! And don’t forget, ending your dinner at the Canteen with a tea is a great way to round off a night. We serve our tea from 9am right up until we close late at night.

Best Local Restaurant in South West London & Surrey

Posted on September 19, 2012 by benscanteen

On Monday the 17th September it was the Time & Leisure, Food and Drink Awards 2012.

Ben’s Canteen had been nominated for Best Local Restaurant and were up against some awesome venues but we’re delighted to say that we won!

We’d like to thank everyone who voted for us and all of our lovely customers who choose to hang out with us up on St John’s Hill (in Battersea, just a few mins walk from Clapham Junction).

The award comes on the back of us recently celebrating our 1st birthday and is a lovely thing. We always hoped that if we created our alternative to a pub, that also does awesome brunches with top notch coffee, and made it relaxed and served up comforting food with a few twists, coupled with some interesting drinks that people would come. And not only come but enjoy what we’re doing and treat the venue as their canteen. A place where they can come on their own and enjoy banter with the staff or just do their own thing. A place where they can bring friends for a hungover or blowout brekkie, a simple dinner or celebrate special occasions in an informal atmosphere and space. And based on how busy we are of late, and this award, it’s seems that this vision is being realised – and for that we are very honoured. Thank you.

We’d also like to say a big thank you to the team at Ben’s Canteen, they do all the hard work and this award is recognition of that fact and the environment they create. All the weird and whacky things you hear about restaurants have probably happened since we opened but they’ve overcome them all!

We won’t be sitting back on this award, we’re going to use it as a spur to complete all the projects we have in the pipeline – look out for new menus and plenty of refurbs over the coming months. Good times.

Ben couldn’t be at the awards ceremony but rather than do a live video link up he sent his big Sis to pick up the award.

Sunny lunch in Battersea

Posted on May 24, 2012 by benscanteen

The sun is shining and St John’s Hill looks great.

With all this heat we’ve given our lunchtime menu a bit of a lighter touch. From 12pm to 4pm Monday to Friday you can now enjoy chargrilled herbed chicken with a choice of salads.

We’ve also added fishcakes, a spinach omelette, Ploughman’s and an old school classic in the shape of ham, egg & chips. And fear not, you can still get the mighty BC Burger and our famous All Day Breakfast Scotch Egg.

Vegetarians, we’ve been neglecting you on the sandwich front but now every lunchtime you can pop in for a lovely warm goats cheese, mushroom and caramelised onion toasted sarnie.

Don’t forget we also serve brunch everyday until 4pm, so come to us for your eggs (and try our new Poached Eggs with Asparagus) and maybe a cheeky Bloody Mary and at the very least a top notch Square Mile coffee.

Good times Battersea, good times.

Eating and Drinking in Clapham Junction, Battersea

Posted on May 21, 2012 by benscanteen

Last week was the St John’s Hill Fabulous Feast, a week long celebration of food and drink. It reminded us that St John’s Hill is a seriously good spot for food and drink.

You’ve got The Plough, Powder Keg Diplomacy, The Birdhouse, The Fish Club, Adulis and more… all of which surely makes it a wee bit more interesting than Northcote Road and probably the most exciting street for bars and restaurants in Battersea, especially as it’s a stone’s throw from Clapham Junction?!

So, what do we here at Ben’s Canteen bring to the street?

Well we see ourselves as an all rounder, we aim to serve you a top notch coffee with brekkie or brunch, something tasty for lunch, a treat for tea and a cracking dinner with drinks being served via our bar all day and night.

Chiefly, we see ourselves as an alternative to the pub. Don’t get us wrong, we love a boozer but we got a bit bored of tap after tap of beer (most of them generic continental lagers) and numerous big screens with Sky Sports News on loop but where do you go to escape that? Whilst keeping everything equally relaxed? That’s what we strive to be.

We want to be that place where you can drop in on your own or grab some friends and catch up over drinks and simple but super tasty food. We love the fact that Clapham Junction is just a short stroll from the Canteen as it means you should be able to persuade your friends who live that little bit further away to drop in and hang out with you.

To help become this place we serve breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner every day. We serve British food, done well. We’re infamous for our All Day Breakfast Scotch Egg and the BC Burger has been named as one of the Top 10 in London.

Obviously to become your alternative to the pub we need plenty of booze, we’ve tried to make it interesting and a little different. So, we work with small independent brewers, such as local boys Sambrook’s. We’ve put together an interesting wine list that features some English wine, not least a sparkling one in the form of Primrose Hill by Chapel Down. We’ve put in a special Gin shelf which features gins from small London distillers such as Sipsmith, SW4 and Portobello Road.

Remember, that unlike a lot of new trendy hangouts, you can actually book a table at Ben’s Canteen - click here to reserve yours now.

Captains of Industry

Posted on February 22, 2012 by benscanteen

When we cast our eye around the Canteen we often see business taking place.

From fledgling new businesses coming to life via laptops (and our excellent Square Mile coffee) to successful property developers to local businesses entertaining clients and establishing future revenues. We love it and like the government we want to stimulate more growth in the economy.

Here’s how the Canteen can help…

Business Lunches

We offer 2 courses for £10 and it’s ‘top British nosh’ as many of our customers like to say. So grab some clients or reward the team and enjoy dishes such as Smoked Eel Pate, Soup, Toad in the Hole, Mushy Pea Fish Cake, Super Food Salad, Bread and Butter Pudding or go off the set menu and take down the famous BC Burger and All Day Breakfast Scotch Egg.

BC Burger, pic courtesy of @burgeranarchy

Breakfast Meetings

As we run SW London’s biggest and busiest brunch you can rely on us to knock up a cracking breakfast – in our experience a good breakfast meeting has always laid the foundations for exciting future projects. We offer our Big Ben (Full English) alongside Eggs Benedict, Royale and so on… we also do epic breakfast baps. Of course a good breakfast meeting needs killer coffee and tea, we have Square Mile and Teapigs, and lots of juice and if you’re feeling a bit more daring then maybe even a Bloody Mary or a glass of Prosecco.

The Big Ben, pic courtesy of @mulia

Bespoke Events

We love to tailor events to your needs at the Canteen. So if you wanted to say host a drinks reception with canapes then we can do that without any problems (click here to see our canape options) or you might want us to open earlier for a large breakfast meeting – just let us know what you think will make your business event go well and we’ll try to make it happen.

Dinner

British food, done well is what we serve and we know it will leave you and your clients happy. What business dinner wouldn’t go well when you start with our All Day Breakfast Scotch Egg, a British Meat Plate and Potted Hams before moving on to our British Beef Board, Pollock with Cockles, Oxtail and Horseradish Risotto or Venison before finishing with desserts such as a Powerhouse Porter Cheesecake or a British Cheeseboard?!

Extras

We’ve got free WiFi and you can always borrow our printer or photocopier for those emergency moments! Also, whilst you’re waiting for your clients and colleagues you can grab one of the magazines in our rack for a read and to be inspired.

Serving Brunch, Dinner & Drinks, 7 Days A Week

Tag Archives: Coffee