Union Viet Café

"Union Viet Cafe is a family-run Vietnamese spot that’s a much cosier place to eat than the hard chairs would have you think. The roasted pork bánh mì is a solid option, and a big bag of chilli-flavoured prawn crackers is a good move too. While it’s not our favourite Vietnamese spot in the city, its location is useful (between Borough and Southwark stations), the food is satisfying, and there’s a feeling you could be roped into helping settle a family dispute at any moment." - Jake Oliver, Rianne Shlebak

"Union Viet Cafe is a family-run restaurant where there’s gentle ribbing about who makes the best coffee and you might find yourself joining in with a conversation about the optimum frothiness of a latte. If not, you’ll at least have a pleasant meal in a dining room that has the right amount of knick-knacks—garlands of cardboard baubles, Hanoi beer signs, and cheery art—to make you feel at home. The roasted pork bánh mì at this Vietnamese spot is a solid option, and a big bag of chilli-flavoured prawn crackers is a good move too. " - Heidi Lauth Beasley, Rianne Shlebak, Sinead Cranna

"Union Viet Cafe is a family-run restaurant where there’s gentle ribbing about who makes the best coffee and you might find yourself joining in with a conversation about the optimum frothiness of a latte. If not, you’ll at least have a pleasant meal in a dining room that has the right amount of knick-knacks—garlands of cardboard baubles, Hanoi beer signs, and cheery art—to make you feel at home. This is a much cosier place to eat than the hard chairs would have you think. The roasted pork bánh mì at this Vietnamese spot is a solid option, and a big bag of chilli-flavoured prawn crackers is a good move too. While it’s not our favourite Vietnamese spot in the city, we enjoy it for its useful location (between Borough and Southwark stations), satisfying food, and the feeling that you could be roped into helping settle a family dispute at any moment. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch" - Sinéad Cranna

"A small, family run business on Union Street, Union Viet Café serves a menu of Vietnamese classics from a homely space with friendly service. While the café is also open in the evening, it’s far more atmospheric at lunch. With the base slowly cooked overnight, following a recipe passed down through generations, pho and bun hue are the main draw here. The pho is available with different fillings, including chicken, pork, prawn, tofu, beef (best of all), or a combination, also loaded with flat noodles, sweet basil, coriander, chilli, and pho sauce. Lemongrass and tofu summer rolls are well worth ordering, as is the papaya salad with large prawns and plenty of red chilli." - Jonathan Hatchman