Bob's Café Muswell Hill

We absolutely loved our brunch experience at Bob's cafe. The atmosphere and the decor is lovely. The staff are attentive, friendly and warm. The food itself is fantastic - We ordered the full English breakfast which was delicious and very filling. They have lots of menu options to cater to vegetarians. We absolutely loved our visit and will definitely return again to try out other dishes. Food: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Atmosphere: 5/5

Restaurant Bob's Cafe Muswell Hill, North London On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, I took my two adult children (22 and 19) out for lunch in the Muswell Hill area. I chose Bob's Cafe on Muswell Hill Broadway, as I had enjoyed a visit there pre-COVID and was eager to see how they had fared since reopening. Both of my children have gluten intolerance, so I was pleased to find that Bob's Cafe offers gluten-free options on their menu. We kicked off our meal with some cocktails, classic nachos, and hummus served with gluten-free bread. I was upfront with the manager and staff about my role as a food critic, mentioning that my reviews had garnered over three million views in recent months. We then ordered Bob's Burger for myself and the same burger with gluten-free buns for my son, while my daughter opted for the chicken shawarma. The starters were decent, though I felt the gluten-free bread could have been toasted better. Traditionally, nachos come with a variety of toppings, but unfortunately, sour cream was noticeably absent this time. When our main courses arrived, my daughter's chicken shawarma was disappointing; it consisted of just two slices of chicken kebab accompanied by an unbalanced bitter sauce that made the dish difficult for her to enjoy. My burger was equally underwhelming—a chewy piece of meat that seemed more fat than actual beef, reminiscent of a fast-food experience rather than a quality meal. I brought these concerns to the manager's attention, but she responded with a simple, "I’m sorry you didn’t like it," before walking away. As I know, shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish made from marinated chicken that is seasoned with spices like cumin, paprika, turmeric, and garlic, then cooked on a vertical rotisserie. It should be served sliced thinly, either in a wrap or on a platter with sides like rice, hummus, or tabbouleh for a fulfilling experience. Despite the sweet demeanor of our waitress, who tried to coax the manager back to address our issues, the manager's lack of engagement left much to be desired. We ended up with a bill of over £100, but our disappointment overshadowed any satisfaction from the meal. We chose to seek dessert elsewhere, heading to “Planet Organic”. Given our experience, I can only award Bob's Cafe two stars—one for the starters and another for the kind waitress who was clearly new and seemed uncomfortable with the situation. Unless they improve their main courses and source better ingredients, I cannot recommend this establishment. #doctorfoodielondon Nick This is my reply to the owner : =====•================= Thanks for your charming reply! It’s nice to see a restaurant owner so dedicated to the art of defense. I was almost expecting a trophy for your efforts! As a food critic with over 3.5 million views on my reviews and experience at over 950 restaurants, I base my feedback on what I taste and experience. My critique of the gluten-free bread and the nachos was sincere, and I stand by it. If the sour cream was indeed present, it didn’t meet my expectations, and I believe that’s worth mentioning. I appreciate that you could accommodate my kids' gluten intolerance. It’s a shame the gluten-free bread didn’t get the same VIP treatment; maybe next time I’ll bring a toaster? About the sour cream on my nachos—who knew it was playing hide and seek? I’ll be sure to bring a magnifying glass next visit. And while I understand the smash burger is meant to be trendy, it seemed more like a fast-food impersonator. I guess that's the new street food vibe, right? As for the chicken shawarma, it’s good to know it’s popular. Maybe it just didn’t get the memo that my daughter doesn’t enjoy bitter surprises. I do find it amusing that you think announcing myself as a food critic is interesting. I mean, who wouldn’t want to share their “three million views” instead of just having 34 Instagram followers? But hey, numbers aren’t everything, right? It’s disappointing to see such an unprofessional, defensive reaction from a restaurant owner for the first time.

Bob's Cafe is a spacious all day brunch restaurant right in the heart of Muswell hill. It extends quite far inside, so you can be sure to find a space to sit - even with groups. When we entered, we were greeted promptly and nicely. The staff was quick to help and food was served only after a few minutes. The drinks were really nice, especially the coolers. The food was tasty and the portions quite large, so you can be sure to be satisfied at the end! On star reduction mainly due to the addition of herb/garlic butter to the schnitzel. The lemon would've been sufficient and the butter takes away from the schnitzel flavor. Other than that I would definitely recommend!

My aunt and I came here for lunch and loved it! The decor of the restaurant is very calming and classy and the staff are fantastic, so very attentive and friendly. We ordered the cheeseburger and the chicken schnitzel burger which arrived in less than 10 minutes and was very delicious. I highly recommend this place, it’s quickly going to become a new favourite I think!

Few things give you a simpler joy than a nice Sunday brunch overlooking the city from Muswell Hill at Bob's cafe. The atmosphere is lovely, and the service is phenomenal. The food is itself excellent, and the staff are always welcoming. The only downsides are that the menu is extremely heavy on eggs - the savoury brunch options without eggs are quite limited (which can be understandable for a brunch menu, but there should at least be an option to sub them out). It would be great if the two person tables were more comfortable and/or slightly larger, too

What a lovely cafe in the heart of Muswell Hill. My husband and I both had the huevos rancheros and it was delicious! We will be moving to the area and wanted to find our new go to and I think we’ve found the place! The staff were extremely friendly - it felt like they loved their jobs and wanted to be there which is honestly a rarity these days. We will absolutely be coming back and bringing our friends and family! Thank you

I went today with my ma and my sister and we had an incredible experience. The atmosphere was lovely; relaxed but bright, the music was played loud enough to hear but low enough to not impair conversation. All the members of staff were attentive, friendly and so very wonderful. The food was fantastic and filling (I wish we had taken more pictures). We absolutely loved our visit and will definitely return again!

The best brunch I had so far, everything is just so delicious! The Roasted tomato was such a surprise! Great staff and fab atmosphere! Would definitely come again