Super duper hipster tea room w/burgers. The most amazing thing about this place is the staff. They have been incredibly warm, polite and attentive whenever I’ve visited. Having not sampled the food, I can’t comment. But what I will say is that the atmosphere wins hands down, the customer base is largely made up of goldsmiths students and you know that says something about the place. It’s probably cool, or whatever.
Morgan D.
Place rating: 5 Joppa, MD
Best Breakfast I had during my 2 week stay in Europe. Hands down! This place was fabulous and all you want in a breakfast establishment. Small, quaint, busy, excellent food and expresso drinks. I ordered a Morning Glory and it filled me up until dinner time. It came with sausages, black bacon, a fried egg, hash browns, a huge portobello mushroom cap, roasted tomatoes and toast(Writing that made me realize that I am actually starving right now). I also got a latte, which was made perfectly. The ambiance of this bustling little place just made my heart happy. I love great breakfast spots and what was even better, it was in the neighborhood in which we were staying.
Vanessa A.
Place rating: 4 London, United Kingdom
Delightful small eatery in the heart of New Cross. Whilst I find the persistence of Restoration Hardware/Victorian Steampunk décor lacking in originality, this place makes it all quirky and comfortable. Yes I’m sitting at an old school desk with an inkwell in the corner, but somehow the water tap lighting fixtures look cool. And of course, above it all, the food is good and properly priced. Happy with an Egg Florentine at £4.99, very reasonable. Served quickly, nice staff, simply a lovely place for breakfast /lunch.
Samuel F.
Place rating: 5 Somerville, MA
The plate-sized burgers are big by American standards! Very delicious, but I couldn’t finish a whole one for lunch. The coffee is really good and the décor is amusing. I liked this place a lot.
Taylor D.
Place rating: 4 London, United Kingdom
the chicken and avocado salad is probably the best salad I have ever had. does get busy so plan on showing up early to get your spot.
Will G.
Place rating: 5 Nunhead, London, United Kingdom
I really like the food and the wait staff here. It has a very interesting décor too. The door leading to the toilet is very very funny!
Emma B.
Place rating: 3 London, United Kingdom
When I studied at Goldsmiths I went to Chigwag almost everyday! The breakfast, wraps and burgers are great! It gets super busy so expect a queue
Andrea D.
Place rating: 4 London, United Kingdom
Burgers as big as your face is no understatement, and it may be a little frightening when you first receive your food. But have no fear, as the first bite will change your mind! The salads and wraps are also great. The quirky interior is fresh and inviting, but be warned — it’s very very small, and trying to get a table, especially during a student lunch rush, can be very difficult. Once you do, however, it’s lovely! The Indian spiced veggie burger makes for a perfectly large and delicious lunch and the coffees are always top notch!
Burgers, salads and chips! Small, bare brick local restaurant with the loveliest staff you can imagine. Can seat around 20 inside, and there space for another few more outside. The toilet looks like 10 Downing Street’s front door! The menu is brief but, it’s home made burgers the sizes of dinner plates(beef, chicken), huge salads, coffee, small muffins for desert and I found out recently they do fish & chips. All fresh food, it’s nice and cosy inside and very inexpensive. Take away coffees too. Frequented by the local student and local resident crowd. Highly recommended.
Nina P.
Place rating: 5 London, United Kingdom
A friend and I stumbled across chinwag after googling places to eat in new cross and since then we have returned several times. The décor is extremely quirky, the menus are handwritten into old novels, the tables and chairs are all mismatched, it’s very inviting. The highlight of chinwag is without a doubt it’s burgers. You NEED to try one. The beef burger was absolutely delicious, very tender meat, crunchy greens and you can choose a variety of add ons including bacon, a fried egg and grilled aubergine. The burgers are absolutely massive so you can easily share one between 2 along with a portion of delicious chips. The service here is great– the owners have been there everytime I’ve visited and they often serve you your food. This place is definitely the best new cross has to offer in terms of lunch and I highly recommend it.
Rosie A.
Place rating: 5 London, United Kingdom
Chinwag has swiftly become a new cross favourite. Opposite Goldsmiths Uni, it’s popular with students and rightly so, this place is CHEAP! Tea for 80p if I remember correctly, and burgers under a fiver and they are so big you can share one between two people. The décor is cute, with tap fitting lights and a bike wheel on the ceiling. The front door is a english phone box door. Eclectic, but in a good way. I’ve been back several times and will continue to do so.
Heather P.
Place rating: 4 Hong Kong
I really, really dig this place. First of all, the mocha is stunning. They’ll make it with soy if you ask. The ambiance is lovely as well. Like apartment listings, what some might call cramped I call cozy. There are potted flowers and lots of knickknacks all around. Even the bathroom is cute. And who can beat a door made from a phone booth? I like being able to see what’s going on in the kitchen too — it feels hectic but fun. For food, I’ve tried the veggie burger, lamb burger, chicken burger(my fave), and chips(always extra-crispy), and seen table-mates get the falafel and the chicken salad. The veggie burger needs something to hold it together better; it kind of became a mess as I ate it, but a yummy mess at that. The burgers really are as big as your face, so if you get chips on the side, it’s enough to be a meal for two. I’ve also had the breakfast fry up, which is definitely enough for two. It came with egg, sausage, bacon, beans, mushroom, tomato, and toast. So deliciously yummy, especially on a cold morning.
Michelle B.
Place rating: 4 London, United Kingdom
Another new business opening up in New Cross. Replacing dirty fried chicken joints and derelict shop windows, comes new and higher market establishments like Chinwag. This fun and quirky place has already become a popular haunt for many of the students from across the road. It’s fun and rustic approach was bound to go down well with the mixed bag that attend Goldsmiths Uni. It mainly seems to serve up burgers and coffee and I believe they have plans to apply for an alcohol licence, which will inevitably be a added bonus to this small joint. The food is prepared in an open kitchen, meaning you can see, in close intimacy what’s going on your plate. There aren’t actually many places you can/want to sit down and eat in New Cross and any addition is a welcome. However saying that, it is tiny. So tiny that if there is more than 2 people queuing for a coffee you are standing in the main doorway. Due to the size and popularity, when I did venture in it was a battle and the place was simply heaving. The staff seemed really flustered and my simple coffee request took much longer than average expectations. Still saying that, I will be back. There’s no comparison to it in the area and the simple menu looks like just what you need on a cosy night out with friends.