Maries Thai Cafe

"You’re not coming to Maries for a life-changing pad thai or fry-up (yes, they do both). You’re coming for the specific comfort that only an old-school caff with big portions and big steaming white mugs can give. This small Thai cafe is a revolving door of solo diners searching for thick-cut bacon and hard hats fuelling up on tasty fried rice. Whatever time of day it is, you'll be handed a laminated menu, no-nonsense staff will shout from the counter, “tea or coffee?”, and you’ll be left to it. Come in a crumpled shirt for a post-meeting autopsy with your favourite co-worker, or in a hoodie that needed a wash a week ago, Maries doesn't judge. There's better Thai food and breakfasts out there, but if you’re in Waterloo and need comfort food, it’s worth a visit." - Sinéad Cranna

"Marie’s has all the hallmarks of a post-war Britalian caff — striking signage, a Vitrolite ceiling, a Formica-topped cabinet — mainly because it used to be one. But when the place changed hands in the 1980s and a new family took over, it gained another string to its bow: a range of homely Thai soups, curries and noodle dishes, available for the same affordable price as its fry-ups.  Even the cooked breakfasts at Marie’s are Thai-inflected, with eggs as crispy and frilly-edged as the khai dow at Plaza Khao Gaeng. Standout dishes include the place’s massaman and yellow curries, which are dramatic, fragrant plates of food, with peeled potatoes smaller than most grapes. The restaurant draws a weekday lunchtime crowd of office workers and high-vis types alike, then gets a lot busier in the evenings, when an expanded menu is served and diners can bring their own booze. To dodge the crowds, visit earlier in the day, or pop in for a steadying meal before a Waterloo train journey." - Isaac Rangaswami