Small Wembley cafe named ‘best restaurant in London’ on TripAdvisor

'This is how all small British cafes should be'

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A small and fairly unknown breakfast cafe in Wembley Park has been named the best restaurant in London on TripAdvisor out of 18,000 others.

The Lounge Cafe has beaten a slew of expensive Michelin-star restaurants to the post and is best known for its full English breakfasts, which cost just £3.95.

Run by two former marketing professionals, the humble diner prides itself on its local charm and has an army of loyal customers, most of whom the owners know by name.

Out of 68 reviews, 65 rated the restaurant as “excellent”, with customers praising the vegetarian and vegan-friendly cafe highly for its fresh food, sterling service and value for money.

However, it's worth noting that despite its high rating, the diner's review count is fairly low in comparison to other restaurants, many of whom will typically boast 1,000 or more.

Many of the cafe's reviews also mention the owners, Maria Kuehn, 59, and Zina Manda, 55, lauding the duo for their hospitality, describing them as “lovely ladies” with “warm smiles”.

Some also credited the diner for its community spirit, bolstered by Kuehn, who runs a cookery school at the cafe teaching people how to cook nutritious and substantial meals on a tight budget.

“The atmosphere was relaxed and it is a friendly cafe with a real community feel,” wrote one reviewer.

“The cafe had cute drawings from children, notice of events for the community with comfortable sofas and chairs which you could easily spend time reading here to pass the afternoon.”

Obviously, the food is also a major talking point amongst reviewers:

“Fabulous food which you are spoilt for choice, the quality is amazing,” one visitor wrote.

“I can't wait to visit again to try some more delightful food. The service and warm friendliness of the staff, especially Maria, made my day.”

“This is how all small British cafes should be!” added another.

Following on from The Lounge Cafe in TripAdvisor’s list is another unassuming dining spot that is a far cry from the swanky likes of the Ritz and the Wolseley, which actually rank fairly poorly.

Second place is currently occupied by R & H cafe gallery, a middle eastern brunch spot located in Richmond.

Of course, the nature of TripAdvisor - where lists are based exclusively on user reviews - means that The Lounge Cafe’s number one ranking could be short-lived, given that the list is always changing.

Plus, lest we forget it wasn’t that long ago that journalist Oobah Butler managed to turn his garden shed into the top-rated restaurant on TripAdvisor - even though it didn’t actually exist.

So, before you rely too heavily on TripAdvisor reviews, it might be worth double-checking that the highly-rated restaurant you've spotted is a real place, not just a made up concept invented by some wily prankster.